The list for the National Award “Top Five” has been unveiled, recognizing standout young talents in Russian football. This honor is presented by the Viktor Gorlov Children’s Football League to the most impressive under-21 players across the Russian Premier League (RPL) for the year.
Among the contenders are Viktor Alexandrov of Paris NN, Sergei Volkov, Nikita Krivtsov of Krasnodar, Yaroslav Gladyshev, Konstantin Tyukavin from Dynamo, Daniil Denisov of Spartak, Igor Dmitriev, and Ilya Ishkov—both from Ural. Also in the mix are Artem Karpukas from Lokomotiv, Kirill Kravtsov of Sochi, Viktor Melekhin, Andrey Langovich, Kirill Shchetinin from Rostov, Yaroslav Mikhailov (Paris NN / Orenburg), Nikita Saltykov, and Vladislav Shitov (both from Wings of the Soviets). (Source attribution: Viktor Gorlov League nominees and roster information.)
Nominees must be Russian citizens, age 21 or younger, and must have appeared in at least one third of their team’s league matches during the calendar year. This criteria ensures the award highlights players who consistently contribute at a high level across the season. (Source attribution: award rules and eligibility.)
In the previous year, the award went to Sergei Pinyaev, who was then with Krylia Sovetov. Historically, the winners have largely come from CSKA, with recipients including Igor Akinfeev, Alan Dzagoev, Georgy Shchennikov, Konstantin Bazelyuk, Alexander Golovin, Fedor Chalov, Ilzat Akhmetov, and Igor Diveev. (Source attribution: past winners timeline.)
Konstantin Tyukavin has repeatedly drawn attention as a strong candidate. In the current RPL season, the striker has appeared in 16 matches, contributing 7 goals and 4 assists, and has emerged as the team’s top scorer. His performance underscores the level of talent cultivated in the league’s youth system. (Source attribution: Tyukavin season stats and role.)
There was commentary from a former Dynamo representative noting that the club explored a forward addition during the summer transfer window, reflecting ongoing efforts by clubs to strengthen attacking options and develop young players for both domestic competition and potential national-team prospects. (Source attribution: transfer discussions and club strategy.)