SEOUL, South Korea — Son Heung-min, who plays as a forward for Tottenham, has been honored as Asia’s International Player of the Year for an impressive fourth time during the Asian Football Confederation’s annual award ceremony held on Tuesday.

The celebrated player, who leads both Tottenham and the South Korean national team, previously secured this award in the years 2015, 2017, and 2019, succeeding fellow South Korean Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich to claim the trophy once again.

In other categories, Australia’s Ellie Carpenter, currently with Lyon in France, was recognized as the first-ever recipient of the women’s international award.

The AFC allocates distinct prizes for overseas players, and the main player of the year honors were awarded to Akram Afif from Qatar and Japan’s Kiko Seike.

Afif had a standout performance, guiding Qatar to capture the Asian Cup title in February, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals. He previously received the AFC award in 2019.

“I will try my best to win this award for a third time,” he stated after receiving the honor.

Seike was awarded the women’s title after playing a key role in leading the Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies to their second consecutive Japanese league title, where she also set a record for the highest number of goals scored in a single season. In July, she joined Brighton in England.

“I will continue to do my best for my club, the national team, and to elevate the status of Asian football,” Seike conveyed in a video message.

Additionally, Japan’s Go Oiwa earned the distinction of coach of the year at this annual event.