FIFA President Gianni Infantino was awarded the prestigious AFC Diamond of Asia award in recognition of his vision of leadership and exceptional support for the development of Asian football and the global game at the annual AFC awards ceremony in Seoul in 2023 in the Republic of Korea. AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa presented the FIFA President with the AFC Diamond of Asia award in recognition of his unwavering support and commitment to strengthening the beautiful game on our continent, expressing gratitude to Infantino.
"The Asian football family is always grateful to President Infantino for his invaluable support and commitment to strengthening the beautiful game on the global continent," said the AFC president. Son Heung-min was recognized as the best Asian player of the year for the fourth time, while Qatar's Akram Afif and Japan's shining star Kiko Seike were named players of the year by AFC in both men's and women's categories respectively.
Meanwhile, International Referee from the UAE Ibrahim Yusuf Al Raisi received a special AFC award in the nomination "Referee", in recognition of his outstanding work during numerous matches in the Asian championships and at the international level.
