Seydou Doumbia Named Best Player in Russian League Despite World Cup Snub
Seydou Doumbia, the Ivorian striker, is making the most of his time away from football after missing out on the 2014 World Cup squad. Currently on vacation with his family in Madagascar, Doumbia recently received news of a personal accolade that offers some consolation — he was named Best Player in the Russian Premier League.
Despite a season disrupted by injuries, the former FC Basel forward finished with an impressive tally of 18 goals and celebrated his second consecutive Russian league title with CSKA Moscow. Yet, the question lingers over his exclusion from Ivory Coast’s World Cup squad, a decision that has prompted Doumbia to close the door on future national team appearances.
With his contract at CSKA Moscow coming to an end, Doumbia is poised for a move, attracting interest from several clubs, notably in England, who have already made inquiries about the prolific striker.
CSKA Moscow also enjoyed further recognition at the awards, with coach Leonid Slutski named Best Coach of the Season and the club honored as Club of the Year. Other winners included Aleksei Miranchuk of Lokomotiv Moscow, named Best Young Player; Aleksei Nikolaev, awarded Best Referee; and Sergei Galitski, founder and president of FC Krasnodar, who received a special award for his contribution to the development of Russian football, following Krasnodar’s first-ever qualification for European competition.
