Tottenham and South Korea captain Son Heung-min fends off Cristiano Ronaldo to win a SEVENTH successive Best Footballer in Asia award with the Man United and Real Madrid icon only good enough for third place

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Son Heung-min has once again been recognised as the best Asian player over the last 12 months, claiming a seventh successive title against a much improved pack of competitors. 

The South Korea and Tottenham captain has won the Best Footballer in Asia award for 2023, having starred with 27 goals for club and country in the past 12 months. 

Son is currently away on international duty with his country at the Asia Cup, with South Korea beating Bahrain 3-1 in their opening game, with clashes against Jordan and Malaysia to come. 

However the Tottenham forward has already made a great start to 2024 by picking up the individual honour, beating off the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, despite the latter's blockbuster move to the Saudi Pro League. 

The Best Footballer in Asia award is available to any player that either represents a nation affiliated with the AFC, or who plays for a team based under the AFC's jurisdiction. 

Son Heung-min has won a seventh Best Footballer in Asia award after an impressive 2023

The Tottenham and South Korea captain fended off Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished third in the vote

Therefore, the likes of Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante were also up for the gong, having made the move to the Saudi Pro League in recent transfer windows. 

'Our captain,' Tottenham wrote on X, formerly Twitter, to announce the news of Son's latest win in the category. 

'Congratulations to Son Hung-min on winning the Best Footballer in Asia award for the seventh year in a row!'

While it would perhaps be a surprise for a player that has only spent five months or so in the AFC to win the award, you might expect Ronaldo to run Son close for the honour. 

However, the Portuguese legend - five times the winner of football's greatest individual gong the Ballon d'Or - was not even close to pipping Son. 

The South Korea skipper topped the ballot, claiming a seventh honour in a row with 22.9 per cent of votes. 

Son has now won it nine times, having also lifted the honour in 2014 and 2015, meaning that only twice has the gong gone to a player not called Son Heung-min -  Japan legend Keisuke Honda won in 2013, with compatriot Shinji Okazaki doing so in 2016. 

He was joined on the podium by international team-mate Kim Min-jae, who secured an impressive 19.54 per cent. 

Son picked up his ninth gong in total after registering 27 goals for club and country in 2023

Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae finished second in the ballot with 19.54 per cent of the votes

Kim enjoyed a hugely impressive 2023, playing a pivotal role in helping Napoli secure a first Serie A title in 33 years, before moving to Bayern Munich for £43million, penning a five-year deal over summer. 

Ronaldo then came third with 17.06 per cent of the votes, enough for a place on the podium but it was a rare bronze medal for the legendary forward. 

The former Manchester United forward has still been in sublime form for Al-Nassr, although there is perhaps an argument for a perhaps lower quality of opposition compared to Son and Kim. 

Ronaldo has managed 20 goals and nine assists in 18 appearances in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Nassr, as well as three more strikes in the Asian Champions League.