Esequiel Barco named best player in Russian league

Argentine midfielder Esequiel Barco has been named the best player of the season in the Russian league. The award was presented during the Nikita Pavlovich Simonyan awards ceremony, with Brazilian football legend Rivaldo presenting the trophy.

Barco, 25, joined Spartak Moscow in 2024 and became a central figure in the team's tactics. During the previous campaign, he played 38 official matches across the local tournament, the Russian Cup, and the national Super Cup, recording eight goals and nine assists. He also helped the team win the Russian Cup.

Following his performance, Spartak Moscow management recently formalized a contract renewal to extend Barco's tenure with the club until 2030. In the current season, he has already recorded one goal and one assist in six matches.