Qatar's Akram Afif, named player of the tournament, scored a hat-trick of penalties in a 3-1 win over Jordan to help Qatar retain their Asian Cup title. He dedicated his goals to his wife.

Akram Afif scored three penalties to help Qatar win their second consecutive Asian Cup title with a 3-1 victory over Jordan on Saturday February 10th. The striker was the star of the tournament, scoring eight goals and being named the best player. He led Qatar to a historic triumph in front of a packed crowd of over 85,000 at Lusail Stadium, the same venue that hosted the 2022 World Cup final.

Afif showed his composure and confidence by converting three spot-kicks, one in the first half and two in the second half, after being fouled by Jordanian defenders. He dedicated his goals to his wife, who was watching him play at the stadium for the first time, by revealing a playing card with an “S” on it, the initial of her name.

Afif, who plays for Al-Sadd in Qatar and had spells in Belgium and Spain, said he would like to try his luck in Europe again, but admitted it was a tough decision. He said he believed in fate and personal responsibility, and thanked his teammates and the coach for their support.

Afif also said he was proud to win the Asian Cup for Qatar, who had a disappointing World Cup campaign on home soil in 2022, losing all their group matches and becoming the worst host in history. He said the Asian Cup was a different story, as Qatar overcame the challenge of changing their coach a month before the tournament, when Tintin Marquez replaced Carlos Queiroz. He said the coach worked hard with the players and prepared them well for the tough matches.