Eduard Spertsyan nominated for Marca's Best Footballer of the Year award alongside Messi, Ronaldo and Yamal

Armenia national team captain Eduard Spertsyan has been named among the 100 nominees for the Best Footballer of the 2025/26 Season award presented by the prestigious Spanish newspaper Marca. The Armenian midfielder has joined a star-studded list featuring some of the biggest names in world football, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.

The list of nominees was announced on October 15. Alongside Spertsyan, other contenders for the prestigious individual award include Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Pedri, Rodri and several other renowned players.

The winner will be determined through voting by a jury consisting of more than 200 members. Marca's Best Footballer of the Season will be announced on October 22.

For the 26-year-old Spertsyan, his inclusion among the nominees represents another moment of international recognition for his performances. During the 2025/26 season, the Armenian midfielder played for Russian club Krasnodar, making 42 appearances in all competitions and scoring 14 goals.

In the summer of 2026, Spertsyan joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli, continuing his career outside the Russian Premier League. In the opening eight rounds of the Saudi Pro League, he recorded two goals and three assists.

It is particularly noteworthy that the Armenia captain has been nominated alongside Ballon d'Or winners, world champions and leading players from Europe's biggest clubs.

It should be noted that Marca's award is a separate individual honour and is not affiliated with the Ballon d'Or, which is presented by France Football.