The final was held at the Al Janoub Stadium in Doha with over 8,000 socially distanced fans.
South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai beat Persepolis FC to lift the AFC Champions League trophy at Qatar’s Al Janoub stadium on Saturday.
This marks the second time Ulsan Hyundai has won the final, with the first in 2012. The team secured a 2-1 win over Iran’s Persepolis FC after an impressive run of eight consecutive wins.
“I want to express my appreciation for my parents; my father passed away earlier this season. He always gave me a lot of support and I believe he was rooting for Ulsan from the sky,” said Ulsan Hyundai head coach Kim Do-hoon in a tribute to players, staff and parents following the final.
“I would also like to say thank you to my mother back in Korea who continued to cheer for us in every game,” said Do-hoon, who resigned as head coach of the team following the win.
Ulsan Hyundai’s second continental victory marks the sixth time a Korean side has won the AFC Champions League since its rebranding in 2002-03 and the first since Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors’ triumph in 2016.
In the individual awards, Yoon Bit-garam’s phenomenal form for Ulsan Hyundai FC saw the midfielder clinch the Most Valuable Player award while Al Nassr striker Abderrazak Hamdallah was crowned the 2020 AFC Champions League’s top scorer. He finished with seven goals in fewer total minutes throughout the competition ahead of Ulsan Hyundai FC front man Negrão, who also completed his spectacular campaign with seven goals.
AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa paid tribute to this year’s centralised host – the Qatar Football Association and the Qatar Government – and hailed the efforts of the medical team in the country.
To mark the return of Asian football and the AFC Champions League 2020 in September, the AFC launched the #FootballForHeroes campaign paying homage to the front liners and healthcare professionals.
Qatar’s hosting of the Asian Football Confederation’s Champions League matches during COVID-19 has proved the country’s determination to deliver a flawless event once again, Mohamed al-Atwan, Director of Facilities Department at the AFC Champions League’s East Zone matches.
Teams were given access to world class stadiums built for the World Cup 2022, in a move designed to assist the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in delivering its top club event.
