Al Ain and UAE star Ismail Ahmed has been nominated for the 2014 AFC Player of the Year award on the back of a string of impressive performances which saw The Boss reach the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League.
Al Hilal striker Nassir Al Shamrani and 2006 AFC Player of the Year, Qatar’s Khalfan Ibrahim, will compete with Ahmed for Asian football's top individual honour.
An ever-present in Al Ain's back-four, Ahmed was imperious during his team's tilt at continental glory and the 31-year-old will be hoping that his performances will see him become the first UAE national to be awarded the accolade.
Ahmed will be hoping he can follow in the footsteps of Al Sadd's Ibrahim as his country's first recipient of the award.
Leading scorer in five of the past seven seasons in Saudi Arabia’s top flight, Al Shamrani lit up this year’s AFC Champions League but bowed out of the final in disgrace after headbutting and then spitting Sydney Wanderers player Matthew Spiranovic.
Al Shamrani scored ten goals en route to this year's final for the Saudi outfit, including two against Ahmed's Al Ain in the semi-final first-leg.
The AFC Annual Awards will be held in Manila, Philippines, on November 30 in conjunction with the governing body's 60th anniversary celebrations. China's Zheng Zhi of Guangzhou Evergrande won last year's award.
Meanwhile, two-time winner Japan’s Aya Miyama, Australian Katrina Gorry and Nahomi Kawasumi (Japan) have been nominated for the 2014 AFC Women’s Player of the Year award.
