“It’s a very good feeling to win this award and I want to present this award to all my family members particularly to my mother and brother,” said the 17-year-old, whose older brother is UAE senior international Faisal Khalil.

“This award is also an achievement for UAE football too,” continued the Al Ahli starlet, who received the award from AFC Executive Committee member Dali Tahir.

Ahmed got the nod ahead of Sherzodek Karimov, captain of the AFC U-19 runners-up Uzbekistan and Korea Republic’s Lee Jong-ho, MVP at the AFC U-16 Championship, to become only the second Gulf player to win the award after Oman’s Mohammed Amor took the honour in the inaugural ceremony back in 1995.

And while the AFC Youth Player of the Year award completes a remarkable hat-trick for Khalil after winning the AFC U-19 Championship MVP and top scorer awards he is not about to rest on his laurels as the UAE head to the FIFA U-20 World Cup as Asian youth champions.

“My next goal is the World Cup next year. I want to do my best and score more goals for our country.

“Don’t worry! We will do our best.”