Qatari Khalfan Ibrahim overcame a tough field to win the AFC Player of the Year award while China 's Ma Xiaoxu not only clinched the AFC Women's Player of the Year award but also stormed what was hitherto a male bastion by winning the AFC Youth Player of the Year award here on Wednesday.

Ibrahim left behind Kuwaiti striker Badr Al Mutawa and Saudi Arabia 's utility player Mohamed Al Shlhoub in the race to be named as the best Asian player on the strength of four Most Valuable Player (MVP) nominations - two each in the AFC Champions League 2006 and AFC Asian Cup 2007 qualifying. This decisively tilted the balance in his favour with 80 points while Mutawa fell short by 20 points after collecting 60 points while Al Shlhoub was five points further back.

“I would like to thank my parents, especially my father (former Qatari international Ibrahim Khalfan) for their support and guidance and the Emir of Qatar for this wonderful achievement,?said a delighted Ibrahim, who had heavily discounted his chances of scooping the award in the pre-awards press conference a day earlier.

“I never thought I would win it,?said the Al Sadd player who is the first Qatari ever to win the award. “It is a triumph for my team mates and club.?

AFC ANNUAL AWARDS 2006

ROLL OF HONOUR

1) DIAMOND OF ASIA

FIFA President Joseph S Blatter (Switzerland)

2) AFC PLAYER OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Khalfan Ibrahim (Qatar and Al Sadd)

FIRST RUNNER-UP ?Badr Al Mutawa (Kuwait and Al Qadsiya)

SECOND RUNNER-UP - Mohamed Al Shlhoub (Saudi Arabia and Al Hilal)

3) AFC WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Ma Xiaoxu (China)

FIRST RUNNER-UP ?Ri Kum-suk (DPR Korea)

SECOND RUNNER-UP ?Zhang Yanru (China)

4) AFC YOUTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Ma Xiaoxu (China)

FIRST RUNNER-UP ?Yoichiro Kakitani (Japan)

SECOND RUNNER-UP ?Kim Kum-il (DPR Korea)

5) AFC COACH OF THE YEAR

Choe Kwang-sok (DPR Korea U-20 Team)

6) AFC FUTSAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kenichiro Kogure (Japan)

7) AFC MEN’S TEAM OF THE YEAR

AUSTRALIA

8) AFC WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE YEAR

DPR KOREA U-20

9) AFC FUTSAL TEAM OF THE YEAR

JAPAN

10) AFC REFEREE OF THE YEAR

SHAMSUL MAIDIN

11) AFC FAIRPLAY AWARD

KOREA REPUBLIC FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

12) AFC ASSOCIATION OF THE YEAR

DPR KOREA FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

13) AFC CLUB OF THE YEAR

JEONBUK MOTORS (KOREA REPUBLIC)