Vitaly Mutko, Fedor Smolov and Sergey Pryadkin (left to right)

© Sergey Fadeichev/TASS

KRASNODAR, March 24. /TASS/. Vice-Premier of the Russian Federation Vitaly Mutko and the President of the Russian football Premier League Sergey Pryadkin awarded the prize for the best Russian player for the 2016 Theodore Smolova before the friendly match between Russia and côte d’ivoire in Krasnodar.

Fedor Smolov! pic.twitter.com/GSdwaTUOHd

— Russian National Team (@TeamRussia) March 24, 2017

The award was established by the publication “Sport-Express” in conjunction with the Premier League and the Russian football Union.

Previously, pitch was voted the best player of Russia in 2016, according to a poll of journalists, who conducts the weekly “Football”. The striker became the best scorer of the championship of Russia of a season-2015/16 in 29 matches scoring 20 goals, this is directly in 2016 in the championship-2015/16 he scored 14 goals in 11 games .

Smolov is the leader to win the race of the championship-2016/17 – 11 goals in 13 games. In addition, in the asset striker “Krasnodar” six goals in eight Europa League matches of the season-2016/17. For the Russian national team striker in 2016, has played nine games, scoring two goals – in particular, he participated in the European championship to be managed; including the Cup of Russia, Smolov in 2016 in total I played 42 games and scored 31 goals.