Matildas star Ellie Carpenter has been named the Asian Football Confederation’s inaugural women’s international player of the year, with teammate Cortnee Vine finishing second in player of the year voting.

Carpenter received the award after overcoming an ACL injury, before playing a crucial role in helping lead the Matildas to the World Cup semi-finals and playing in their third consecutive Olympic Games.

Vine, who was the hero in Australia’s penalty shootout against France at the World Cup, finished behind Japan’s Kiki Seike in the player of the year category.

Seike succeeded Matildas star Sam Kerr to the award, and is the fifth Japanese player to claim the title after Homare Sawa, Saki Kumagai, Natsuko Hara and three-time winner Aya Miyama.

The striker’s form was key to Urawa Red Diamonds winning the Asian Women’s Club Championship title in 2023, as well as helping her club to a second consecutive Japanese national league title before joining Brighton & Hove Albion in July.

“I am very happy to receive this prestigious award,” Seike said via video message.

“I will continue to do my best for my club, the national team and to increase the value of Asian football.”

Qatar’s Akram Afif was named player of the year for the second time.

Afif, who had already won the award in 2019, was awarded the trophy after his performances had been instrumental in Qatar’s successful defense of their Asian Cup title on home soil earlier in the year.

ABC/Reuters