Emirati star Ismail Matar beat off tough competition from some of the Middle East’s finest footballers to be voted the Most Popular Football Player at the second annual Super Awards, held in Abu Dhabi tonight, only two days to the FIFA Club World Cup Final. Barcelona superstar Messi, also was awarded the Best International Player prize, by the awards committee.
The awards ceremony, a live broadcast on Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya 1 and 2, was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and in the presence of key personalities from the world of sports, such as Joseph Blatter, President FIFA, Michel Platini, President UEFA, and Issa Hayatou, President CAF, among others.
The winners were selected based on votes cast by football fans and collected through a regional online (Super.ae) and SMS campaign. Fans had the chance to vote for their favourite players in various categories including the best players in the UAE, Saudi, Egyptian, and Qatari national leagues. The winners in each league were: Jorge Valdivia (Al Ain, UAE), Mohammed Noor (Ittihad, Saudi Arabia), Mohammed Barakat (Al Ahli, Egypt) and Clemerson (Gharafa, Qatar).
"The Super Awards and the calibre of the players present at this event are clear indicators of the fact that Abu Dhabi has become a world class sporting hub. This is part of a greater vision to create a niche for Abu Dhabi as a centre for sporting excellence with events like the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the FIFA Club World Cup," said H.E. Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei, Chairman of
the Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC). "ADMC plays an important supporting role to this vision as demonstrated by our comprehensive, multi-platform sports entertainment offering that ranges from dedicated sports television channels to online sports portals."
The event honoured H.H. Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and "Sports Personality of the Year 2009" with an Outstanding Achievement Award, in recognition to his leadership, constant drive and commitment to the development of sports in the UAE, along with Joseph Blatter, President FIFA, who received the second Outstanding Achievement Award of the night for his lifetime dedication to championing football across the world.
"The Super Awards are a celebration of sportsmanship and of the beautiful game that is so popular in the Middle East," said Mohammed Najeeb, head of Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya and Secretary General of the Super Awards. "This year’s edition of the Super Awards brings together some of the finest talent in the world of football and we are thankful to our guests who have taken time out from their busy schedules to attend."
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