Hamza Choudhury, Yan Dhanda, Zidane Iqbal and Kira Rai headed the list of winners at the 2024 Asian Football Awards at Wembley Stadium.
Leicester City midfielder Choudhury, who was named Sports Personality of the Year at last week’s Asian Achievers Awards, was announced as joint-winner of the men’s player award alongside Hearts’ summer arrival Dhanda.
Derby County winger Kira Rai pipped Nottingham Forest midfielder Millie Chandarana and OFI Crete attacker Aqsa Mushtaq to the women’s player award.
FC Utrecht midfielder and former Manchester United youngster Zidane Iqbal picked up the young player of the year award, with Wigan first-team coach Shadab Iftikhar landing the coach award.
Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth hosted the awards at Wembley Stadium, with the FA Cup trophy on display and the British South Asians in Football team of the season also showcased at the home of English football on the night.
The annual combined squad and XI celebrates the on-field contribution made by British South Asians in football leagues across the world, and has previously been showcased at elite and semi-professional English clubs, including Brentford, Sporting Khalsa, Leicester City and Punjab United.
All the footballers shortlisted at the Asian Football Awards were part of the 2023/24 squad, with seven of those players taking up positions in the starting XI.
The awards were supported by the FA, PFA, Premier League, PGMOL and the Fans for Diversity campaign.
Winners of The 5th Asian Football Awards in full
- Young Player (U23) award: Zidane Iqbal (FC Utrecht)
- Women’s Player award: Kira Rai (Derby County Women’s FC)
- Men’s Player award: Yan Dhanda (Hearts) and Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City)
- Coach award: Shadab Iftikhar (Wigan)