​THEERATHON BUNMATHAN: FROM ASEAN CHAMPION TO THAI FOOTBALL IMMORTAL

Theerathon Bunmathan's glittering résumé speaks for itself. The 2022 ASEAN Championship Most Valuable Player continues to accumulate team and individual honours well into his mid-thirties, cementing his status as one of the region's all-time greats.

The Buriram United FC midfielder added the Thai League 1 Player of the Year award for the 2025/26 season to his lengthy collection earlier this week, following yet another stellar campaign.

"I'm glad to be chosen for this award again, but I wouldn't be able to do it alone," the 36-year-old Theerathon posted on social media after receiving the honour for the third time, having previously won in 2013 and 2022. "I give credit to the team, coaches, and teammates for helping me. And the team succeeded because of everyone helping me. I will maintain the standards in what I do next—not only for myself but for the club, for the football fans, and for the next generation of youth."

The three-time winner of the ASEAN Championship—now known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™—remains a force for both club and country.

He was instrumental in Buriram United's latest treble-winning season, scoring a spectacular strike in the second leg of the 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ final against Selangor FC, while also providing two assists for Suphanat Mueanta as his side retained the title. Theerathon was equally pivotal in Buriram's Thai League 1 and Thai FA Cup triumphs, as the club continued its domestic dominance.

The versatile midfielder has long been a cornerstone of Buriram United's success—and just as central to Thailand's title-winning exploits on the international stage.

He made his senior debut in October 2010 as a 20-year-old under Manchester United and England legend Bryan Robson, who was then in charge of Thailand. Theerathon was a regular in the national side that finished runners-up to Singapore at the 2012 ASEAN Championship. Despite being only 22, his performances earned him a place in the tournament's Best XI—a sign of things to come.

Four years later, he helped Thailand claim the regional crown with a final victory over Indonesia. That triumph was Thailand's fifth in the competition and sat at the heart of another wave of success for the War Elephants, with Theerathon often integral to the country's finest results.

A move to Japan saw him become the first ASEAN player to win the J1 League title in 2019 with Yokohama F. Marinos, though it prevented his involvement in the 2018 ASEAN Championship. He returned, however, to lead Thailand to glory again in the 2020 edition.

But it was in the 2022 ASEAN Championship that his performances reached another level as Thailand retained the trophy. Wearing the captain's armband, Theerathon was more than an inspirational leader—he made his team tick. His one goal—against Vietnam in the second leg of the final—and six assists in eight matches were pivotal to Thailand winning a record-extending seventh title.

Even as he approaches the final chapter of a remarkable career, Theerathon remains one of ASEAN's leaders both on and off the pitch. A true ambassador for Thai football, his place in the pantheon of the region's finest is assured.

Launched in 1996, the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™—regarded as the jewel in the crown of ASEAN football—will be held from July 24 to August 26 as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.