AFC Futsal Player of the Year 2016: Aliasghar Hassanzadeh

AFC- ABU DHABI, Islamic Republic of Iran’s Aliasghar Hasanzadeh was named the AFC Futsal Player of the Year for a second time on Thursday following a stirring displays at this year’s AFC Futsal Championship and his country’s subsequent FIFA Futsal World Cup campaign in Colombia where they finished third.

At the AFC Futsal Championship, Hasanzadeh, who first won the AFC Futsal Player of the Year accolade in 2014, was instrumental in his side’s march to the final before putting on a confident display at the Uzbekistan Stadium to help see off the hosts and claim Iran’s first continental crown since 2010 and a personal hat-trick of titles.

The number seven scored six goals in as many matches and created numerous assists as Iran netted an incredible 48 goals in the tournament. Hasanzadeh was subsequently named the competition’s Most Valuable Player.

At the FIFA global gathering in Colombia, Hassanzadeh scored five times, including a strike against five-time champions Brazil which saw Iran sensationally beat their South American counterparts in the Round of 16.

Currently playing for Giti Pasand in the Iranian Futsal Super League, Hasanzadeh has also won the AFC Futsal Club Championship on two occasions – in 2010 with Foolad Mahan and five years later whilst representing Tasisat Daryaei.