Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Roman Shirokov was named the most valuable player of the 2011-12 Russian league at the Russian Football Union’s annual ceremony in Moscow on Saturday.
The 30-year-old Russia international led the charge for champions Zenit, who also saw Igor Denisov named Premier League player of the year and Vyacheslav Malafeev named the best goalkeeper, while Belgian defender Nicolas Lombaerts received the award for the best foreign player.
Underlining the St. Petersburg team's domination, Zenit were then named team of the year, before their Italian coach Luciano Spalletti won the award for best coach.
“Thank you, it is a rather unexpected award,” Shirokov said upon receiving his prize.
Shirokov said he hoped to follow up the award by helping Russia to perform well at Euro 2012.
“I hope we will put in a good performance.”
The only men’s playing award not to go to a Zenit player was picked up by Dynamo Moscow’s Alexander Kokorin, named breakthrough player of the year after a season that saw him earn his first Russia cap.
Russia striker Olga Petrova was named women’s player of the year after leading her Rossiyanka team to the top of the women’s league standings with five games to go.
