Soltmurad Bakaev

Soltmurad Bakaev came through the Spartak Moscow academy and was part of the side that won the Russian Youth Championship in the 2016/17 season. He went on to make 55 appearances for Spartak-2 in the First League, scoring nine goals, before earning his senior debut in August 2019, when he featured twice in the Premier League and once in Europa League qualifying.

In January 2020, Spartak sold him to Rubin Kazan for around 20 million roubles while keeping a buy-back option worth €4 million that was never used. Bakaev went on to make more than 80 appearances for Rubin and scored six goals, and in the 2022/23 season he was part of the squad that won the First League and returned the club to the Premier League.

A loan to Rodina Moscow followed in September 2023, where he made eight appearances before joining Akron Tolyatti on a free transfer in July 2024. At Akron he became a regular in the Premier League, making 38 appearances and scoring three goals in the 2024/25 season, adding 13 more the following campaign. In February 2026, Bakaev returned to Rodina Moscow permanently on a free transfer, signing a contract until June 2028.

At international level, Bakaev was capped once for Russia's under-20 side in 2017 and twice for the under-21s in 2020, scoring one goal at that level.