The
golden era of Bulgarian football was available in two eras. The first one was
during the 1960s that they could qualify in 3 consecutive World cup
tournaments. Despite there were many great players in that team like Asparuhov,
Yakimov, Bonev, Kolev and Penev but they could not go farther than the first
round. The time had passed for two decades until their glory years were
appeared once again after Emil Kostadinov shocked French football’s fan with
shooting winning goal in the very late game in the WC 1994 qualification round.
Moreover, Stoichkov, Balakov and Letchkov all were the most important players
to lead Bulgaria winning fourth place in the final tournament. Most legends are
from CSKA Sofia in which is the greatest club in history of Bulgarian league.
Bulgaria
Location :
Southeastern Europe
European Championship Participation : 2
Times (1996, 2004)
World Cup Participation
: 7 Times (1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986,
1994, 1998)
Achievement : None
Most Caps : Stilian Petrov (105 Games)
Top Scorer : Dimitar Berbatov (48 Goals)
The Greatest Player Ever
: Hristo Stoichkov
All-Time Bulgarian Squad
Date Of Birth : 21
December 1931
Height : 179 cm, Position : Goalkeeper
Major Club : Spartak Sofia, CSKA Sofia
Caps : 51 Games
World Cup Participation : 1962, 1966 (5 Games)
Club Honours : 8
Times Bulgarian League
3 Times Bulgarian
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
2 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year (1959, 1961)
1961 Eastern European Footballer of the Year
2 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year (1959, 1961)
1961 Eastern European Footballer of the Year
Class : Prince
Silver
2. Aleksander Shalamanov
Date Of Birth : 4
September 1941
Height : 178 cm, Position : Right-Back
Major Club : CSKA
Sofia
Caps : 42
Games
World Cup
Participation : 1966, 1970 (5 Games)
Club Honours : 3 Times Bulgarian Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
2 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year
(1963, 1966)
Class : Prince
Silver
3. Boris Gaganelov
Date Of Birth : 7
October 1941
Position : Center-Back/ Left-Back
Height :
178 cm
Major Club : CSKA Sofia
Caps :
51 Games
World Cup
Participation : 1966, 1970 (4 Games)
Club Honours : 6 Times Bulgarian League
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : None
Class : Prince
Bronze
4. Manol Manolov
Date Of Birth : 4
August 1925
Position : Center-Back
Height : Unknown
Major Club :
CSKA Sofia
Caps :
57 Games
World Cup
Participation : None
Club Honours : 12
Times Bulgarian League
5 Times Bulgarian
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : 1958 Bulgarian Footballer of the Year
Class : Prince
Silver
5. Dimitar Penev
Date Of Birth : 12
July 1945
Position : Center-Back
Position : Center-Back
Height : 176 cm
Major Club : CSKA Sofia
Caps : 90
Games
World Cup
Participation : 1966, 1970 , 1974 (9 Games)
Club Honours : 7
Times Bulgarian League
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
2 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year
(1967, 1971)
Class : Prince
Silver
6. Stefan Bozhkov
Date Of Birth : 20 September 1923
Date Of Birth : 20 September 1923
Position : Defensive Holding Midfielder
Height : Unknown
Major Club : CSKA Sofia
Caps : 53 Games
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours : 10
Times Bulgarian League
3 Times Bulgarian
Cup
International
Honours : 1956 Olympic Games Bronze Medal
Individual
Achievement : 1955 Bulgarian Footballer of the Year
Class : Prince
Gold
7. Hristo Bonev
Date Of Birth : 3
February 1947
Height : 179 cm, Position : Attacking Midfielder
Major Club : Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Caps : 96 Games (47 Goals)
World Cup
Participation : 1970, 1974 (6 Games With 2 Goals)
Professional
Scores Record : 185 Goals/ 410 Games
Club Honours, International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
3 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year
(1969,1972,1973)
Class : Queen Bronze
8. Dimitar Yakimov
Date Of Birth : 12
august 1941
Position : Playmaker
Height : 176
cm,
Major Club : CSKA
Sofia
World Cup
Participation : 1962,1966,1970 (6 Games)
Club Honours : 7 Times Bulgarian League
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
1 Time Bulgarian League Top Scorer
1 Time Bulgarian League Top Scorer
CSKA Sofia
Greatest Player Ever
Class : Prince Silver
9. Georgi Asparuhov
Date Of Birth : 4
May 1943
Height : 184 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club :
Levski Sofia, Caps : 50
Games (19 Goals)
World Cup
Participation : 1962,1966,1970 (8 Games/1 Goal)
Professional Score
Record : 150 Goals/ 247 Games
Club Honours : 3
Times Bulgarian League, 4 Times Bulgarian
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : 1 Time Bulgarian League Top Scorer
1963 Cup Winners Cup Top Scorer
1963 Cup Winners Cup Top Scorer
1965 Bulgarian
Footballer/Sportsman of The Year
Levski Sofia
Greatest Player Ever
IFFHS Bulgaria
Greatest Player Ever
Class : Prince
Gold
Date Of Birth : 29
March 1966
Position : Playmaker
Height : 176 cm,
Major Club :
VFB Stuttgart
World Cup
Participation : 1994, 1998 (10 Games)
Club Honours : 1
Time DFB-Pokal
1 Time Portuguese
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
2 Times Bulgarian Footballer of The Year
(1995, 1997)
1994 FIFA World
Cup All-Star Team
Class : Prince
Gold
11. Hristo Stoichkov
Date Of Birth : 8 February 1966,
Height : 178 cm
Nation : Bulgaria, Caps : 83 Games
(37 Goals)
Position : Left-Side Forward, Major Club
: CSKA Sofia, Barcelona
World Cup Participation : 1994, 1998 (10
Games / 6 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 269 Goals/ 550
Games
Club Honours : 3 Times Bulgarian League,
4 Times Bulgaria Cup
4 Times Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
1992 European Cup, 1994 Runner-Up, 1997 Cup Winners' Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 2 Times
Bulgarian League Top Scorer
4 Times Bulgarian Footballer of The Year
2 Times European Top Scorer (1990, 1994)
1994 IFFHS International Top Scorer
1994 IFFHS International Top Scorer
1990 World League Top Scorer, 1994 La Liga Best Foreign
Player
2 Times Silver Ball FIFA World Player of The Year (1992,
1994),
1996 UEFA Euro Best XI, 1994 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe - Bronze Ball
1996 UEFA Euro Best XI, 1994 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe - Bronze Ball
Bulgarian League All-Time Highest Scorer in a Single Season
UEFA Jubilee Award (Bulgaria)
Class : Queen
Silver
___________________________________________________
Substitution
12. Apostol Sokolov
Date Of Birth : 23
October 1917
Position :
Goalkeeper
Height : Unknown
Major Club :
Levski Sofia
Caps :
57 Games
World Cup
Participation : None
Club Honours : 4 Times Bulgarian League
4 times Bulgarian
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : None
Class : Prince Silver
13. Kiril Rakarov
Date Of Birth : 21
June 1946
Position :
Right-Back
Height : 178 cm
Major Club :
CSKA Sofia
Caps : 57
Games
World Cup
Participation : 1962 (2 Games)
Club Honours : 10 Times Bulgarian League
3 Time Bulgarian
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual Achievement :
None
Class : Prince
Bronze
14. Trifon Ivanov
Date Of Birth : 27 July 1965
Position : Center-Back/Left-Back
Height : 181 cm,
Major Club : CSKA Sofia
World Cup Participation : 1994 (7 Games)
Club Honours : 2 Times Bulgarian League
1 Time Austrian League, 1 Time Bulgarian Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 1996 Bulgarian Footballers of The Year
Class : Prince Bronze
16. Dobromir Zhechev
18. Emil Kostadinov
20. Nikola Kotkov
22. Petar Zhekov
Manager
15. Georgi Dimitrov
Date Of Birth : 14
January 1959
Position : Center-Back
Height :
187 cm
Major Club : CSKA
Sofia
Caps : 77
Games
World Cup
Participation : 1986 (4 Games)
Club Honours : 5 Times Bulgarian League
6 Times Bulgarain
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
1985 Bulgarain footballer of the Year
1985 Bulgarain footballer of the Year
Class : Prince
Silver
Date Of Birth : 12
November 1942
Position : Destroyer
Height : 182
cm
Major Club : Levski Sofia
Caps : 73
Games
World Cup
Participation : 1962,1966,1970,1974 (4 Games)
Club Honours : 2
Times Bulgarian League
4 Times Bulgarian
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual Achievement : None
Class : Prince
Bronze
17. Yordan Letchkov
Date Of Birth : 9
July 1967
Position : Box-To-Box Midfielder
Height : 180 cm
Major Club :
Hamburg
Caps : 45
Games
World Cup
Participation : 1994 (7 Games)
Club Honours : 1
Time Bulgarian League
1 Time Turkish Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : None
Class : Prince
Silver
Date Of Birth : 12
August 1967
Height : 177 cm, Position : Right-Winger/Forward
Major Club : CSKA
Sofia, FC Porto
Caps :
70 Games (26 Goals)
World Cup
Participation : 1994, 1998 (10 Games)
Club Honours :
1 Time Portuguese
League,
3 Times Bulgarian League, 3 Times Bulgarian
Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : 1993 Bulgarian Footballers of The Year
Class : Prince Bronze
19. Ivan Kolev
Date Of Birth : 1
November 1930
Position : Left-Winger/Forward
Height : 169 cm
Major Club : CSKA
Sofia
Caps : 75
Games (25 Goals)
World Cup
Participation : 1962, 1966 (5 Games and No Goal)
Club Honours : 6
Times Bulgarian League
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
2 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year (1956, 1962)
2 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year (1956, 1962)
Class : Prince
Silver
20. Nikola Kotkov
Date Of Birth : 9 December 1938
Height : 174 cm, Position : Deep-lying Forward
Major Club : Lokomotive Sofia
Caps : 26 Games (12 Goals)
Professional
Scores Record : 273 Goals/ 332 Games
World Cup
Participation : 1966 (1 Games/No Goal)
Club Honours : 2 Times Bulgarian League
2 Times Bulgarian Cup
2 Times Bulgarian Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : 1964 Bulgarian Footballer of the Year
Deserved Master of Sports
Deserved Master of Sports
Class : Prince Silver
21. Dimitar Berbatov
Date Of Birth : 30
January 1981
Position : Target
Striker, Height : 188 cm
Major Club : Leverkusen, Tottenham,
Manchester Utd
Caps : 77
Games (48 Games)
World Cup
Participation : None
Professional
Scores Record : 252 Goals/ 550 Games
Club Honours : 7 Times Bulgarian League
International
Honours : 1 Time English Premier League
1 Time Bulgarian
Cup, 1 Time English League Cup
2008 FIFA Club
World Cup, 2009 Champion League Runner-Up
Individual
Achievement : Bulgaria All-Time Top Scorer
6 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year
2007 Eastern European Footballer of the Year
2001 UEFA Cup Top Scorer, 2009 Bulgarian Sport Personality of The Year
6 Times Bulgarian Footballers of The Year
2007 Eastern European Footballer of the Year
2001 UEFA Cup Top Scorer, 2009 Bulgarian Sport Personality of The Year
Class : Prince
Silver
Date Of Birth : 10
October 1944
Height : 178 cm, Position : Target
Striker
Major Club : CSKA Sofia
Caps : 44
Games (25 Goals)
World Cup
Participation : 1966, 1970 (4 Games and No Goal)
Club Honours : 3 Times Bulgarian Cup
Professional
Scores Record : 253 Goals/ 353 Games
International
Honours : 5 Times Bulgarian League
Individual
Achievement : CSKA Sofia All-Time Top Scorer
Bulgarian League All-Time Most Top Scorers (6 Times)
Bulgarian League All-Time Most Top Scorers (6 Times)
1969 European
Golden Shoe, World League
Top Scorer
Bulgarian League
All-Time Top Scorer
Class : Prince
Silver
Manager
Dimitar Penev
Year Of Birth :
12 July 1945
Major Team :
Bulgaria
Major Achievement : 3 Times Bulgarian League
4 Times Bulgarian Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup Fourth Place
Individual Achievement : None
Class
: Prince Silver
Conclusion of Squad
GK : Georgi Naydenov, Apostol Sokolov
DF : Aleksander Shalamanov, Dimitar Penev, Georgi Dimitrov, Manol
Manolov, Trifon Ivanov, Kiril Ivkov, Boris Gaganelov
MF : Stefan Bozhkov, Dobomir Zhechev, Jordan Letchkov, Krasimir
Balakov, Dimitar Yakimov, Hristo Bonev
FW : Georgi Asparuhov, Ivan Kolev, Emil Kostadinov, Nikola Kotkov,
Hristo Stoichkov (Captain), Petar Zhekov, Dimitar Berbatov
Player-Manager : Dimitar Penev
Formation XI (4-3-2-1)
Explanation of Squad
Georgi Naydenov is stand as
first choice. Dimitar Penev was one of the best defenders to come from Eastern
Europe in his era. Manolov was known for his very reliability. Shalamanov is
one of the best right-backs ever in history of Balkan Peninsula football.
Gaganelov has no candidate as a left-back. Bozhkov is the only world-class
defensive midfielder in history of Bulgarian football. Yakimov is on the
left-midfielder and Bonev is on the right-midfielder. Balakov perform in
playmaker role. This couple occasionally switches to perform as
side-midfielder. Asparuhov will be on
the right-side forward while the captain Stoichkov will be on the left.
Vasil Levski Stadium
Opened : 1953 (Newest Renovated In 2002)
City :
Sofia
Capacity : 43,632 Seats
Field Dimension : 105x68m
Statistics
By Decade
|
By Class
|
By Club
|
1930s : -
1940s : 1
1950s : 4
1960s : 6
1970s : 2
1980s : 2
1990s : 5
2000s : 2
|
Queen : 2
Prince : 20
|
CSKA Sofia : 16
Levski Sofia : 2
Other : 4
|
Major Reserved Group
Todor
Diev
Date Of Birth : 28 January 1934
Height : 182 cm, Position : Right Side-Forward
Major Club : Spartak Plovdiv
Caps : 55 Games (16 Goals)
Professional Scores Record : 146 Goals/ 308 Games
World Cup Participation : 1962
Club Honours : 1 Time Bulgarian League
4 Times Bulgarian Cup
4 Times Bulgarian Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 3 Times Bulgarian League Top Scorer
Class : Prince Bronze
Nasko Sirakov
Date Of Birth : 26 April 1962
Height : 182 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club : Levski Sofia
Caps : 82 Games (37 Goals)
Professional Scores Record : 217 Goals/ 406 Games
World Cup Participation : 1986, 1994 (11 Games/2 Goals)
Club Honours : 4 Times Bulgarian League
4 Times Bulgarian Cup
4 Times Bulgarian Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 4 Times Bulgarian League Top Scorer
Levski Sofia All-Time Top Scorer
Class : Prince Bronze
Bozhin Laskov
Date Of Birth : 26 April 1962
Height : Unknon, Position : Forward
Major Club : Levski Sofia, SK Bratislava
Caps : 9 Games (2 Goals)
Professional Scores Record : 138 Goals/225 Games
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours : 2 Times Bulgarian League
3 Times Czechoslovak League
3 Times Bulgarian Cup
3 Times Czechoslovak League
3 Times Bulgarian Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 1946 Balkan Cup Best Player
1949 France Football European Best Player
1949 France Football European Best Player
Class : Prince Silver
Reserved Group
Goalkeeper
Borislav Mikhailov
Defender
Kiril Ivkov
Kiril Ivkov
Midfielder
Stiliyan Petrov
Andrey Zelyazkov
Nikola Mutafchiev
Georgi Sokolov
Forward
Martin Petrov
Liubomir Angelov
The Greatest Bulgarian Footballers of All-Time
1. Hristo Stoichkov
2. Hristo Bonev
3.
4. Dimitar Yakimov
5.
6. Dimitar Penev
7.
8.
9. Nikola Kotkov
10. Georgi Naydenov
Hello friend my site is finally in the air check out my version of Bulgaria
ReplyDeletehttp://alexandrefiorelli.wix.com/mestresdofutebol#!sobre-1/cnjx
That is a great work Congratulation ! May I ask what country are you from ?
DeleteThanks buddy, you can ask yes, I'm from Brazil
ReplyDeleteYou missed Lyuboslav Penev!
ReplyDeleteIn only club career, I think he has a strong profile but I'd not go on more deeper details when his NT career is too lower than standard. As a forward, 13 goals in 62 games is really out of expectation.
DeleteBulgarian footballer of XX century.
ReplyDelete400 footbaall specialists and journalists voted best bulgarian players 1900-1999. Results were published and awards were presented on 25/03/1999.
1.G.Asparukhov - 3398 pts
2.H.Stoitchkov - 3325
3.H.Bonev - 1664
4.D.Yakimov - 1578
5.K.Balakov - 1408
6.N.Kotkov - 818
7.I.Kolev - 764
8.D.Penev - 730
9.E.Kostadinov - 643
10.N.Sirakov - 575
Thanks for such a great info. I imply Asparuhov is as talented as Stoichkov. Anyway, his career is short and won Bulgarian player of the year just once while Bonev won three although standard of candidates are not totally equal but not different by much. I would reconsider N. Kotkov again as his high place in this list indicates some important regard.
DeleteAdds for profile.
ReplyDeleteStefan Bozhkov - Bulgarian Footballer of The Year (1955), Ivan Kolev - Bulgarian Footballer of The Year (1956, 1962), Georgi Naydenov - Bulgarian Footballer of The Year (1959, 1961).
Stiliyan Petrov holds the new record of caps (105)
ReplyDeleteWhat your idea about Bozin Laskov (latelly France Football named him the best european footballer in 1949) and Liubomir Angelov (26 goals in 44 games for Bulgaria NT between 1931-1940)?
ReplyDeleteThanks for Laskov ! I have really never heard of him but his career biography is outstanding enough. I have made profile but start in reserved list since his NT career is too short. I can't find any info how great was Angelov.
ReplyDeleteAbout Angelov, I can help you providing some links:
Deletehttps://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=644
http://www.fanface.bg/glasat-na-fena/item/6068-%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5-%D0%B8-%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D1%85%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0-%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B6%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82-%D0%B4%D0%B0-%D0%B3%D0%B8-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BC.html
https://www.blitz.bg/article/28989
http://m.24chasa.bg/sport/article/6270154
I read the article in Bulgarian wikipedia. Angelov is described as a skillful technical player with a tactical quality. Additional info in rsssf shows he failed to score any goal in five World Cup qualifying matches that Bulgaria lost all but remained scoring 4 goals.
DeleteI think he is at least good enough in reserved group but now I'd prefer not to make profile for him.
stoichkov queen Gold
ReplyDeleteasparuhov at least Queen
Many experts consider him as the best bulgarian footballer
Georgi Denev
ReplyDelete