Skip to content

LEAGUES News

Kvaratskhelia named Serie A's top player after helping Napoli to title

Francesco Pecoraro / Getty Images Sport / Getty

NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was named Serie A player of the year on Friday and will be presented with his trophy on a bumper day of celebration for the southern team.

Kvaratskhelia will receive the award before Napoli kicks off its final match of the season on Sunday, at home to Sampdoria. Luciano Spalletti will also be presented with the coach of the year prize.

That will just be the start of the trophy presentations, as Napoli will finally get its hands on the Serie A trophy after the match. The team clinched it with five rounds to spare.

Kvaratskhelia was a relative unknown when he joined Napoli in the offseason from Georgian team Dinamo Batumi for a reported fee of 10 million euros ($10.7 million).

But the 22-year-old forward was fundamental in Napoli earning its first Serie A title in 33 years. So much so that he earned the nickname "Kvaradona" in homage to Napoli hero Diego Maradona, who led the team to its only two previous league titles.

"Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's impact on the league has been impressive," Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo said. "Congratulations to Napoli for having brought to Italy this talent, who from the very first matches showed off his repertoire of technique, dribbling, personality and creativity.

"With 12 goals and 10 assists, Kvaratskhelia was one of the leading players for the Azzurri, who won the Scudetto and made many fans and lovers of beautiful football dream."

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

RELATED NEWS

The rookie gets it done 😤 Matt Shaw walks it off for the @...
Matt Shaw plays hero in 10th as Cubs walk off Rockies 🎉
TAKE A BOW, TYRESE HALIBURTON 👏 🔥 32 PTS 🔥 15 AST (0 TO)...
Hali puts on a show 😲
GAME OVER 🚨 CHRISTIAN YELICH WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM
Brewers' Yelich crushes walk-off grand slam to send Red Sox packing 👋
Chris Taylor robs Paul Goldschmidt of extra bases to start t...
Angels' Taylor lays out at full speed to make great catch vs. Yankees 👏
Rat penalty, Worm goal 👊 #LetsGoOilers
Nugent-Hopkins tallies 9th point of conference finals on Perry's tap-in 😮‍💨
ANOTHER ONE FOR ELLY DE LA CRUZ, AND THIS TIME HE PUT IT INT...
Reds' De La Cruz deposits 2nd HR of game into Kauffman Stadium fountains ⛲️
Leon laser-beam 🎯 #LetsGoOilers
Draisaitl opens scoring from his office 🏢
Matt Shaw leaves us in awe... again. 😲
Cubs' Shaw makes insane backhand throw to nail runner at 1st 😲