Wang Shuang named AFC Women's Player of the Year

World
Europe

The accolades continue to flow for Chinese sensation Wang Shuang, who was crowned individual of the year by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Player of the Year award on Wednesday night.

The Paris Saint-Germain starlet was nominated for the award alongside Australia and Chicago Red Stars' Samantha Kerr and Saki Kumagai of Japan and Lyon, with Wang taking the award for the first time.

The 23-year-old has been an inspiration for the almighty PSG since moving from Wuhan Ladies in the summer and has notched four goals and five assists in 13 appearances so far this term.

Wang has also shown an equally fantastic form for the Chinese national team, bagging the Bronze Boot at the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup in Jordan and helping the Steel Roses finish second at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

Wang Shuang receives the AFC Women's Player of the Year at the AFC Annual Awards 2018 in Muscat, Oman, November 28. /AFC official website

"It is a total honor for me to receive this precious award, " said Wang, who became the fourth Chinese player to receive the recognition after Sun Wen, Ma Xiaoxu and Bai Jie.

"I would like to thank the AFC. It has come as a surprise, but this award is an inspiration for me to do well next year at the FIFA World Cup in France."

"I also want to thank my country, the Chinese Football Association and my national teammates for putting their faith in me and always encouraging me to dream big."

"Of course, this has been a year of great results. To secure a move to PSG, to score in the UEFA Champions League and now to win this great award."

"But also, this year we played in the Asian Games and personally I do feel some regret that we were not able to do better," added Wang in a speech.

Wang Shuang's sensational transfer to the French giants PSG this summer has put her on the map as one of the world's top footballers. /VCG Photo

"This is a fresh new start for me playing in Europe and this is just the beginning. I do feel that this award will serve as a boost to help succeed at the highest level."

"Football is a sport that stands for equality, I hope that this award will remind girls in Asia that if they have a dream, they should continue to chase that dream and to turn that it into reality."

Other winners of the night were Al Sadd's Abdelkarim Hassan, who clinched the top accolade in the men's category, Japan's Go Oiwa as Men's Coach of the Year and the 2018 Asian Cup-winning coach Asako Takakura, who claimed her sixth Women's Coach of the Year award.

Meanwhile, former AFC acting president Zhang Jilong was the well-deserved recipient of the AFC Diamond of Asia Award in recognition of his four decades of service at the helm of Chinese and Asian football.