Famous Soccer Players from Bulgaria

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Updated June 15, 2019 34.8K views 990 items

List of the best soccer players from Bulgaria. List includes the top soccer (or “football”) players from Bulgaria, along with photos when available. This list of best Bulgarian soccer players is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Bulgarian soccer player you can use the "search" box to find what you're looking for.

List players include Petar Zlatkov, Simeon Minchev and more.

This list answers the questions, "Who are the best Bulgarian footballers?" and "Who is the greatest Bulgarian soccer player of all time?"

You can click on the names of these popular soccer players of Bulgaria in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Bulgarian soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.
  • Stanislav Angelov

    Stanislav Angelov

    Age: 46
    Stanislav Angelov (Bulgarian: Станислав Ангелов; born 12 April 1978), also known as Peleto (Bulgarian: Пелето), is a former Bulgarian footballer. Angelov played as a defensive midfielder, sometimes as a fullback or centre back.
  • Stanislav Bachev

    Stanislav Bachev

    Age: 46
    Stanislav Bachev (Bulgarian: Станислав Бачев; born 30 January 1978) is a former Bulgarian footballer who played as a defender.In his career, he played for Pirin Blagoevgrad, Litex Lovech, with which he won two times the Bulgarian Cup, Marek Dupnitsa, FK Baku, with which he became a champion of Azerbaijan Premier League for 2008–09 season, and Beroe Stara Zagora .
  • Stanislav Genchev

    Stanislav Genchev

    Age: 43
    Stanislav Genchev (Bulgarian: Станислав Генчев; born 20 March 1981) is a Bulgarian former footballer who is an assistant manager in Ludogorets Razgrad and Bulgaria. He played much of his career in a centre midfielder role; after his arrival at Vaslui, he has been used on every position.
  • Stanislav Manolev

    Stanislav Manolev

    Age: 38
    Stanislav Manolev (Bulgarian: Станислав Манолев; born 16 December 1985) is a Bulgarian footballer who plays for Ludogorets Razgrad and the Bulgarian national team as a right back.
  • Stanislav Rumenov

    Stanislav Rumenov

    Age: 44
    Stanislav Rumenov (Bulgarian: Станислав Руменов; born 11 February 1980) is a Bulgarian former footballer who played as a forward.
  • Stanislav Stoyanov

    Stanislav Stoyanov

    Age: 47
    Stanislav Petrov Stoyanov (Bulgarian: Станислав Стоянов) (born 10 September 1976) is a former Bulgarian football midfielder, who has spent most of his career at Cherno More Varna. His natural position is at defensive midfielder, but he has also played at right and left back, at right side midfielder and attacking midfielder.
  • Stefan Aladzhov

    Stefan Aladzhov

    Age: 76
    Stefan Atanasov Aladzhov (Bulgarian: Стефан Атанасов Аладжов, born 18 October 1947) is a former Bulgarian football defender. In his career, he played mostly for Levski Sofia.In 1970 Aladzhov was named Bulgarian Footballer of the Year. For the Bulgaria national football team he played in two editions of the FIFA World Cup, in 1970 and in 1974. He was manager of Chornomorets Odessa between 11 April and 10 June 2007.
  • Stefan Bozhkov
    Dec. at 90 (1923-2014)
    Stefan Bozhilov Stefanov (Bulgarian: Стефан Божилов Стефанов; 20 September 1923 – 1 February 2014) was a Bulgarian football player and coach. He usually played the position of midfielder.
  • Stefan Donchev

    Stefan Donchev

    Age: 48
    Stefan Donchev (Bulgarian: Стефан Дончев; born 28 August 1975 in Varna) is a former Bulgarian footballer who played as a defender.
  • Stefan Todorov

    Stefan Todorov

    Age: 41
    Stefan Todorov (born 9 October 1982) is a Bulgarian footballer (striker) playing currently for Unia Janikowo. He joined that club from Wisła Płock, where he could not get to the first squad. Todorov started his career in CSKA Sofia. In the winter break 2006/2007 he was released free from Unia.
  • Stiliyan Alyoshev Petrov (Bulgarian: Стилиян Альошев Петров, born 5 July 1979) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Petrov joined Celtic from CSKA Sofia in 1999, and won ten trophies in his time at Celtic Park, including four Scottish Premier League titles. In 2006, he moved to Aston Villa in the Premier League, along with his former manager Martin O'Neill. Petrov became club captain at Villa Park, and was an inductee to the Aston Villa Hall of Fame in 2013. In addition he is Bulgaria's all-time most-capped player with 105 appearances for the side. In March 2012, Petrov was diagnosed with acute leukaemia, suspending his football career to have treatment which was ultimately successful. He announced his retirement from the game in May 2013, but began searching for a new team three years later. During the summer of 2016, Petrov trained with former club Aston Villa. He played during pre-season matches but was not offered a playing contract by manager Roberto Di Matteo.
  • Stoyan Kolev

    Stoyan Kolev

    Age: 48
    Stoyan Kolev Petrov (Bulgarian: Стоян Колев; born 3rd February 1976 in Sliven) is a former Bulgarian footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently a goalkeeper coach at Arda Kardzhali.
  • Stoycho Dimitrov Mladenov (Bulgarian: Стойчо Димитpoв Младенов; born 12 April 1957 in Ploski, Blagoevgrad Province) is a Bulgarian former football player who is currently manager of FC Kaisar.
  • Stoycho Mladenov, Jr.

    Stoycho Mladenov, Jr.

    Age: 38
    Stoycho Mladenov Jr. (Bulgarian: Стойчо Младенов - Младши) (born 19 June 1985) is a former Bulgarian football player, who played as a midfielder. He started his career in CSKA Sofia. He played for a few clubs, including Naftex Burgas, Lokomotiv Mezdra and FC Vihren Sandanski. He is the son of Stoycho Mladenov, a famous Bulgarian football player and manager.
  • Stoycho Stoilov

    Stoycho Stoilov

    Age: 52
    Stoycho Stoilov (Bulgarian: Стойчо Стоилов, born 15 October 1971) is a Bulgarian former football midfielder. He is employed in an official capacity with CSKA Sofia.
  • Stoyko Sakaliev

    Stoyko Sakaliev

    Age: 45
    Stoyko Sakaliev (Bulgarian: Стойко Маринов Сакалиев; born 25 March 1979) is a Bulgarian footballer, who currently plays for Chernomorets 1919 Burgas and Television personality.
  • Svetoslav Dyakov (Bulgarian: Светослав Дяков; born 31 May 1984) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays for Ludogorets Razgrad and the Bulgarian national team as a midfielder. He is the club captain of Ludogorets and, between 2015 and 2017, was the captain of the national team as well.
  • Svetoslav Todorov

    Svetoslav Todorov

    Age: 45
    Svetoslav Todorov (Bulgarian: Светослав Тодоров; born 30 August 1978 in Dobrich, Bulgaria) is a former Bulgarian international footballer. He played as a forward. Todorov is the all-time top scorer for Litex Lovech in the Bulgarian A Football Group.
  • Tanko Dyakov

    Tanko Dyakov

    Age: 39
    Tanko Dyakov (Bulgarian: Танко Дяков; born 18 August 1984) is a former Bulgarian footballer who played as a defender.
  • Tiago Silva dos Santos (born 4 April 1979 in Taquari, Rio Grande do Sul) is a Brazilian former footballer who played as a defender. He holds a Bulgarian passport.
  • Todor Diev
    Dec. at 60 (1934-1995)
    Todor Nedyalkov Diev (Bulgarian: Тодор Недялков Диев) (28 January 1934 – 6 January 1995) was a Bulgarian footballer, part of the Bulgarian squad that won the bronze medals in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne.
  • Todor Kolev

    Todor Kolev

    Age: 44
    Todor Kolev (Bulgarian: Тодор Колев; born 8 February 1980) is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a forward for Etar Veliko Tarnovo II.
  • Todor Marev

    Todor Marev

    Age: 69
    Todor Marev (Bulgarian: Тодор Марев), (born on 20 November 1954) is a former Bulgarian footballer. He played in the center of the defence for Cherno More Varna (1972-1990, 1994), Dorostol Silistra and Ovech Provadia (1990-1993). Marev was capped 16 times for the Bulgarian National team, 6 times for the Olympic team and 26 times for the U18 team of his country, with which he won the Balkan championship cup played in Thessaloniki in 1969. Todor Marev was voted Best player of Varna in 3 consecutive years (1976, 1977, 1978).
  • Todor Palankov

    Todor Palankov

    Age: 40
    Todor Palankov (Bulgarian: Тодор Паланков; born 13 January 1984) is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Dobrudzha Dobrich.
  • Todor Timonov

    Todor Timonov

    Age: 37
    Todor Ivanov Timonov (Bulgarian: Тодор Тимонов; born 3 September 1986 in Plovdiv) is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Maritsa Plovdiv.
  • Todor Todorov

    Todor Todorov

    Age: 41
    Todor Todorov (Bulgarian: Тодор Тодоров; born 9 May 1982 in Byala, Rousse Province) is a Bulgarian football goalkeeper. He is known for his skill in saving penalties.
  • Todor Yanchev

    Todor Yanchev

    Age: 47
    Todor Dimitrov Yanchev (Bulgarian: Тодор Янчев; born 19 May 1976) is a former Bulgarian footballer, who played as a midfielder and is currently a manager.
  • Trifon Marinov Ivanov (Bulgarian: Трифон Маринов Иванов; 27 July 1965 – 13 February 2016) was a Bulgarian international footballer who played as a defender. Ivanov made his debut for Bulgaria in 1988, earning 76 caps and scoring 6 goals over a ten-year international career. He appeared in the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 1996 UEFA European Championship. Ivanov died of a heart attack on 13 February 2016.
  • Tsanko Tsvetanov

    Tsanko Tsvetanov

    Age: 54
    Tsanko Nikolaev Tsvetanov (Bulgarian: Цанко Hиколaeв Цветанов; born 6 January 1970) is a Bulgarian former footballer who played as a left-back. After ending his playing career he began coaching. He is the assistant coach to Stanimir Stoilov at FC Astana.
  • Tsvetan Genkov

    Tsvetan Genkov

    Age: 40
    Tsvetan Valentinov Genkov (Bulgarian: Цветан Валентинов Генков; born 8 February 1984) is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a striker, most recently for Kazakhstan Premier League club FC Okzhetpes.