Iran's Sepahan defender, Hadi Aqili, has been shortlisted for the 2009 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year award.

The 28-year-old Aqili was joined by Yasuhito Endo and Kengo Nakamura from Japan, Mohamed Adnan from Bahrain and Syria captain Firas Al Khatib on the AFC's shortlist of the five nominees on Thursday.

The lucky winner of the region's most prestigious individual award will be announced at the Shangrila Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 24.

The best player of Asia is chosen on the basis of a weighted ranking system which takes into account Most Valuable Player nominations at key AFC and FIFA tournaments.

HRF/MTM/AKM