KUALA LUMPUR: Rising national football star, Arif Aiman Hanapi, continues to make waves at the 2023 Asian Cup by being named the most promising young player of the tournament after the group matches ended.
Arif, 21, who displayed a dazzling performance in the final match of group E against South Korea, won over the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that awarded him the title, along with three other players.
In addition to the Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) player, three other players, including South Korean player Lee Kang-in, who plays for Paris Saint Germain (PSG); Iraqi player Ali Jasim, and Palestinian player Zeid Qunbar, were announced as the future stars of the continent.
Arif was selected for the title following his contribution to helping Malaysia secure a remarkable 3-3 draw against Asian football giants, South Korea.
The highlight was his solo run from midfield that successfully bypassed five opposing players, especially Wolverhampton Wanderers player (EPL), Hwang Hee-chan, who failed to stop him.
Furthermore, Arif also added to his repertoire by converting a penalty kick, potentially adding more goals for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia if the national team qualifies for the tournament then.
Local agent Effendi Jagan Abdullah believes that Arif's future will continue to shine, and he hopes that his potential will be further polished by the JDT football club in the coming years.
"He indeed has the potential to go far and 'fly' higher as a footballer. I hope he will continue to improve, and his club's coach will be able to further highlight Arif's capabilities to perform more effectively.
"Undoubtedly, this Asian Cup will motivate him to continue succeeding and achieve more success, either with the club or the national team," said Effendi.
The Pahang-born player has already scored 36 goals with JDT in all competitions since 2020, and seven goals with the Harimau Malaya squad.
He is expected to remain a key player for JDT in the upcoming Malaysian League and the Asian Champions League (ACL) campaigns starting this May.