Bulgarian international Simeon Nikolov was named to the symbolic team of the season in the Russian Super League for 2025/26, according to the
BO Sport
ranking by Almaz Khairov.
The setter for
Lokomotiv
| (Novosibirsk) had an impressive campaign and established himself as one of the most attractive players in his position. At just 19 years old, Nikolov combined game organization with direct scoring, finishing the season with 247 points in 43 matches – a rare achievement for a setter. | With his height of 209 cm, he often acted as an additional attacker, and to that he added a strong serve, a stable block, and a solid defensive performance. His contribution was key to | Lokomotiv |
|---|---|---|
| (Saint Petersburg), Vladislav Babkevich, placed first with 74 points, one point ahead of Maxim Sapozhkov ( | In the individual ranking for the season, the opposite hitter for | Lokomotiv |
| (Saint Petersburg), Vladislav Babkevich, placed first with 74 points, one point ahead of Maxim Sapozhkov ( | Dynamo | ), while Dmitry Volkov ( |
| Position | ) finished third with 50. | Zenit SPb |
| Position | Player | Team |
| Outside Hitter | Dmitry Volkov | Zenit-Kazan |
| Outside Hitter | Osniel Mergarejo | Dynamo-LO |
| Middle Blocker | Ivan Yakovlev | Belogorie |
| Middle Blocker | Dmitry Lyzik | Lokomotiv |
| Libero | Ilya Fedorov | Zenit-Kazan |
| Libero | Jenya Grebennikov | Zenit SPb |
The selection confirms the dominance of the leading clubs – Zenit, Dynamo, and Lokomotiv. The Bulgarian presence is noticeable among setters, with Nikolov standing out with the strongest influence on the game and the highest potential among young stars, while Slavi Kostadinov, who also has Bulgarian blood, was key to the successes of Gazprom-Yugra.
