Dynamo Kyiv Forward Ponomarenko Wins Ukrainian Premier League's Best Young Player Award

Top Young Footballer in the Ukrainian Premier League

According to Главком: Matviy Ponomarenko, a forward for Dynamo Kyiv, has been named the best young player in the Ukrainian Premier League for the 2025/26 season. He secured first place in this prestigious competition, which featured 14 clubs, by earning 54 points. Ponomarenko also became the UPL's top scorer of the season, netting 13 goals in 15 matches.

In the race for the best young footballer title, Ponomarenko outpaced Nazar Domchak, the goalkeeper for Lviv-based Karpaty, who finished second with 18 points. Domchak received first-place votes from two clubs and was ranked second by six other teams. Notably, Domchak played 27 matches for Karpaty, conceding 27 goals while keeping 14 clean sheets.

Dynamo's Achievements

Ponomarenko, who becomes the fifth Dynamo player to claim this award, also scored 8 goals in the National League U-19 during the first half of the season. Previous winners of the UPL's best young player honor from Dynamo include:

• Viktor Tsygankov
• Vitaliy Mykolenko
• Illya Zabarnyi
• Taras Mykhavko

Incidentally, Taras Mykhavko finished third with 7 points.

The best young footballer award has been presented since the 2010/11 season, with Yevhen Konoplyanka of Dnipro being the first recipient. This year, five Brazilian players from Shakhtar Donetsk were also among the contenders.

During the 2025/26 season, Dynamo also triumphed in the Ukrainian Cup final, defeating Chernihiv. In that match, midfielder Buyalsky scored a brace, while winger Yarmolenko added the third goal. These achievements underscore Dynamo's strong performance in the recent season, which contributed to Matviy Ponomarenko's success.

Recognition as the best young footballer marks a significant milestone in Matviy Ponomarenko's career and highlights the growing impact of young players in Ukrainian football.

Dynamo's successes this season also reflect the team's coaching strength and its capacity to nurture emerging talent. By celebrating Ponomarenko's accomplishments, the club continues to solidify its reputation as a national football leader and inspires other young players to strive for excellence at the highest level.

In addition to his impressive accolade, Ponomarenko's goal-scoring prowess has also been a highlight this season, making him a standout player. For a deeper dive into his remarkable achievement as the leading scorer in the league, explore how he managed to outshine his competitors in the 2025/26 season.