The latest list of 17 players (see below) is led by four players from Uzbekistan, followed by two players each from Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait and Singapore.
This list of contenders will be continually revised after the Match Days of all competitions whose MVP points count towards selection of the AFC Player of the Year.
The procedure for selecting the best player in Asia has been overhauled to inject more transparency into the process with the big announcement scheduled to be made at the awards gala on November 25 in Shanghai.
THIRD LIST OF CONTENDERS FOR AFC PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2008 (in alphabetical order; revised list as of May 26, 2008)
1. Alaa Hubail ( Bahrain and Kuwait SC – Kuwait ) 2. Ahmad Ajab ( Kuwait and Al Qadsia – Kuwait ) 3. Akmal Holmatov ( Uzbekistan and Pakhtakor – Uzbekistan ) 4. Ebrahim Sadeghi ( Iran and Saipa – Iran ) 5. Indra Sahdan Daud ( Singapore and Home United – Singapore ) 6. Mitsuo Ogasawara ( Japan and Kashima Antlers – Japan ) 7. Mohamad Al Hamwi ( Syria and Al Karama – Syria ) 8. Mohammad Shahril Ishak ( Singapore and Home United – Singapore ) 9. Nantawat Thaensopa ( Thailand and Krung Thai Bank – Thailand ) 10. Nathan Burns ( Australia and Adelaide United – Australia ) 11. Rashid Saleem ( Bahrain and Al Najma – Bahrain ) 12. Seyed Salehi ( Iran and Sepahan – Iran ) 13. Timur Kapadze ( Uzbekistan and Kuruvchi – Uzbekistan ) 14. Ulugbek Bakaev ( Uzbekistan and Kuruvchi – Uzbekistan ) 15. Walied Jumah ( Kuwait and Kuwait SC – Kuwait ) 16. Xiangchuang Yan ( China and Beijing Guoan – China ) 17. Zaynitdin Tadjiyev ( Uzbekistan and Pakhtakor – Uzbekistan