Kessieh, Galino and Afif lead the race for the best in the elite AFC Champions League | sports

10 players are competing to win the Best Player Award in the latest edition of the AFC Champions League for the Elite 2025-2026, which was recently concluded by crowning Al-Ahly Saudi Arabia with the title for the second time in a row.

Individual talents have emerged remarkably throughout the season, and the decision is now in the hands of the fans to choose their favorite player of the season, sponsored by the Saudi Tourism Authority, through a list of candidates that includes an elite group of stars.

The best player in the AFC Champions League

At the forefront of the candidates is Ivorian Franck Kessieh, the beating heart of the Al-Ahly team, who started in 9 out of 12 matches and scored 3 goals, the most notable of which was the equalizer in the quarter-finals against Johor Dar al-Ta’zim, in addition to his decisive pass in the final match that paved the way to victory, making him one of the few who contributed goals in two consecutive finals.

His Brazilian colleague Galeño also stood out, contributing 6 goals, including his missile goal in the semi-final against Vissel Kobe, who turned the tide of the match in his team’s favor before excelling in the final against Machida Zelvia.

On the runner-up side, Yuki Soma appeared as a driving force for the Machida Zelvia team by scoring 4 goals and assisting a goal, especially after his return from injury and scoring the winning goal in the semi-finals, while goalkeeper Kosei Tani formed a solid wall by stopping 35 shots and keeping a clean sheet in 7 matches, including 4 consecutive matches since the round of 16.

In the ranks of the Qatari club Al-Sadd, the Spanish Rafael Mujica excelled, who was crowned top scorer in the tournament with 8 goals and two assists, including a hat-trick in the group stage and decisive goals against Al-Hilal and Vissel Kobe, while his teammate Akram Afif was influential by scoring 5 goals and scoring the penalty kick that decided the victory against Al-Hilal.

The list also included Yoshinori Muto, from Vissel Kobe, who scored 4 decisive goals, including the dramatic equalizer against Al Sadd, and Brazilian Guillerme Bala, who led Shabab Al Ahly to the semi-finals by contributing 6 goals, Marcus Guillerme, who scored 3 goals in 5 matches with Johor Darul Ta’zim, and Filipino goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, who gave a heroic performance with Buriram United, saving 30 balls and keeping a clean sheet in 5. Matches.

Voting to choose the best continues until Sunday, May 10, according to the official website of the Asian Football Confederation on Wednesday.