Bulgaria squad at Euro 2004

Bulgaria

Euro 2004 Home | Squad | Star Player | Key Man

Bulgaria are the dark horses in Group C, although unfancied they have a bright young team that will hope to rise to the level that the Bulgarian team achieved in the '94 World Cup. In Berbatov, could they have the new Stoichkov? I think they'll go out in the group stage, but will cause at least one shock in the process.

Squad

Coach: Plamen Markov

Goalkeepers:
1-Zdravko Zdravkov (Litex Lovech),
Dimitar 23-Ivankov (Levski Sofia),
12-Stoyan Kolev (CSKA Sofia)
Defenders:
2-Vladimir Ivanov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv),
3-Rosen Kirilov (Litex Lovech),
6-Kiril Kotev (Lokomotiv Plovdiv),
Predrag Pazhin (Shakhtar Donetsk),
5-Zlatomir Zagorcic (Litex Lovech),
4-Ivailo Petkov (Fenerbahce),
22-Ilian Stoyanov (Levski Sofia)
Midfielders:
15-Marian Hristov (Kaiserslautern),
7-Daniel Borimirov (Levski Sofia),
19-Stilian Petrov (Celtic),
8-Milen Petkov (AEK Athens),
13-Georgi Peev (Dynamo Kiev),
10-Velizar Dimitrov (CSKA Sofia)
Forwards
21-Zoran Jankovic (Dalian Shide),
11-Zdravko Lazarov (Gaziantepspor),
17-Martin Petrov (VfL Wolfsburg),
16-Vladimir Manchev (Lille),
14-Georgi Chilikov (Levski Sofia),
20-Valeri Bojinov (Lecce),
9-Dimitar Berbatov (Bayer Leverkusen)

Star Player

 Stilian Petrov is perhaps the best known of the current crop of Bulgarian players as he plys his trade in the Scottish Premier League for Celtic. Recent European campaigns have allowed him to demonstrate his talents in front of a larger audience.

Petrov is the national team captain and plays with a combative style in the centre of midfield. At 24, he has a bright future ahead of him and a good showing this summer could prompt interest from some of the biggest Spanish and Italian clubs.
Key Man At 23, Dimitar Berbatov is another exciting young prospect for Bulgarian football. He has an impressive international scoring record, with 17 goals in 28 appearances and is Bayer Leverkusen's top scorer this season. It's his fourth season in Germany, having begun his career with CSKA Sofia.

Berbatov will be key to Bulgaria's progression in the tournament as the team are likely to try and play to his strengths. He may be isolated up front, but is tall and good in the air with a deft touch. However, question marks do remain over his finishing ability.

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