Credit: Imago

Scott Mason

Mon 23 March 2026 8:10, UK

Illan Meslier has issued a congratulatory message to Leeds United teammate Ilia Gruev after he was named Bulgarian Player of the Year.

Meslier has become an outcast at Elland Road this campaign, with the French goalkeeper failing to make a single appearance in any competition for the senior team.

Both Lucas Perri and Karl Darlow have been preferred this campaign, with the two swapping roles as the Whites’ number one.

For his teammate Gruev, he has found his position in the Leeds pecking order to be sporadic, with periods of retained starts followed by spells on the bench.

Most recently, Gruev was an unused substitute in Leeds’ goalless draw versus Brentford, but he had plenty to celebrate afterwards.

Illan Meslier sends Ilia Gruev message after national award

Although he may not hold the same role for Leeds, Gruev is a key player for his national team and started in four of their six World Cup qualifiers.

Unfortunately, Bulgaria did have a tough group containing Spain, Turkey and Georgia and ultimately finished bottom.

However, while there was disappointment for Gruev and his hopes of competing in the 2026 World Cup, he is proud of his latest achievement.

Gruev was named the Bulgarian Player of the Year on Sunday, with plenty of his teammates reacting, including Meslier.

Taking to his Instagram story, Meslier issued a three-word message to his teammate stating: “Congratulations, my brother.”

Underneath Gruev’s post, teammates such as Anton Stach calling him “maestro”, Willy Gnonto simply stating “Gru” followed by a love heart and a goat emoji, and Joel Piroe writing “Well done brattaaa” can also be found.

It appears that the Bulgarian international is a popular member within the squad.

Why Leeds have an Ilia Gruev decision to make

Gruev’s award is sure to fill him with confidence, and Daniel Farke will be hoping he can use it as fuel to produce on the pitch.

However, after this season, the Whites have a decision to make as to whether the Bulgarian will be part of the squad moving forward.

Gruev’s contract is expiring in 2027, and if he is not sold this summer or is not offered a new deal, they could end up losing him for free.

For teams typically competing at the bottom of the Premier League, missing out on any income from player sales can be a detriment.

Those at LS11 will have to weigh up the pros and cons, but with Gruev only starting in 48 per cent of the available games played so far, bringing in a player who could have more impact might be smart.