Bulgaria History
Back from the wilderness
Bulgaria's most famous international successes came at the finals of the 1994
FIFA World Cup in the United States, but the Balkan nation boasts a long history
of participation in world football.
Early years
The game was introduced to Bulgaria in the late 19th century with schoolboys
said to be the first players. There was a thriving football scene in the early
20th century which led to the Bulgarian capital's first two major clubs - PFC
Slavia Sofia and PFC Levski Sofia - being formed in 1913 and 1914 respectively.
First international
The Bulgarian Football Union was founded in 1923 and the first international
played by the national team was a friendly against Austria in Vienna on 21 May
1924 - the Bulgarians losing 6-0.
Game participants
Bulgaria first entered the qualifying stages of the World Cup in 1934, but while
they were always game participants, it was not until the early 1960s that they
began to make an impact at the highest levels. Having taken part in the
inaugural UEFA European Championship in 1960, Bulgaria successfully qualified
for the finals of the 1962 World Cup in Chile.
Frustrating run
However, they were to enjoy little success in their opening tournament, losing
their opening games against Argentina and Czechoslovakia before regaining some
composure to hold out for a goalless draw against England. It was to be the
beginning of a frustrating run of results in the competition.
Losing streak
Indeed, while Bulgaria qualified for the finals of the World Cup in 1966, 1970,
1974 and 1986, they were not to record a victory in any of them. However, closer
to home, the 1960s were to bring more tangible rewards in the European
Championship.
Olympic success
They reached the quarter-finals of the 1968 tournament after easing through a
qualifying group containing Portugal, Sweden and Norway, only to lose out to
finals' hosts Italy. In the same year, they also won footballing silver at the
Olympic Games to add to the bronze medal they had won in 1960. Georgi Asparuhov
was the star in this period, but was tragically killed in a car crash in June
1971, together with another Bulgarian international, Nikola Kotkov.
Stoitchkov generation
However, the best was yet to come, and while the likes of Hristo Bonev and
Dimitar Penev all performed wonderfully in the 1960s and 1970s and Bulgaria
reached the second round of the 1986 World Cup, it was the team constructed
around the sumptuous skills of Hristo Stoitchkov that were to bring Bulgaria's
greatest achievements in 1994.
Sensational win
Having lost to Nigeria in their opening game, Bulgaria won their
first-ever match in the World Cup finals as Stoitchkov scored two penalties in a
4-0 win against Greece. They then caused an absolute sensation by winning 2-0
against Argentina, with Stoitchkov scoring again - this time from open play.
Letchkov header
Having negotiated their way past Mexico on a penalty shoot-out, Bulgaria met
Germany in the quarter-finals. Once again, they shocked the world coming from a
goal behind to equalise through Stoitchkov before Iordan Letchkov rose up to
head a winning goal after 76 minutes to propel Bulgaria into the semi-finals.
Peak position
Defeat against Italy in the semis - and against Sweden in the third-place
play-off game - ended Bulgaria's hopes, although with six goals, Stoitchkov was
to emerge as the tournament's joint-top scorer.
New side
It was to be the pinnacle of the team's achievements. Bulgaria qualified for the
finals of EURO '96™ but made little impact and it seemed that they were set for
a return to the footballing wilderness until Plamen Markov's new-look side won a
place at the finals of UEFA EURO 2004™.
Country Info
A new passion
for Europe
AREA: 110,910 sq km
POPULATION: 7,537,929
NEIGHBOURS: Greece, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey
LANGUAGES: Bulgarian
CAPITAL CITY: Sofia
The success of Plamen Markov's youthful national team in qualifying for the finals of UEFA EURO 2004™ was a sign of hope for Bulgaria, a nation that is emerging from a turbulent past with hope and a real passion to be involved in Europe.
Ancient empires
In the fourth century BC the territory of modern-day Bulgaria was part of the
Macedonian Hellenic Empire of Philip II and his son Alexander the Great, until
the Romans intervened. As the old empires waned in the early part of the first
millennium, the Slavs had already colonised almost the whole Balkan peninsula,
when the Proto-Bulgarians arrived in the seventh century, giving their name to
the modern nation."
Ottoman occupation
The nation rose and fell in the subsequent centuries, battling for territory
with neighbouring Byzantium and subsequently Turkey until the whole country fell
to the Ottoman empire in the 14th century.
Emergent nation
Ottoman power was to survive until the late 19th century when, with help
from other European countries and Russia in particular, Bulgaria was able to
emerge as a nation in its own right once more. However, the first and second
world wars destabilised the country, and Bulgaria overthrew its monarchy to
emerge as a communist nation after 1945.
Footballing boost
Following the collapse of communism in 1989, Bulgaria has begun to recover
from its troubled past, and the nation received a massive morale boost in 1994
as a team of hard workers enlivened by the mercurial genius of Hristo Stoitchkov
took the national side to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in the United
States, knocking out holders Germany in the quarter-finals.
Young pioneers
Football has come to represent much of the vitality of the modern Bulgaria,
with promising young players like Celtic FC's Stilian Petrov and Bayer 04
Leverkusen's Dimitar Berbatov showing what the nation can offer at the highest
level of European club football.
Today year 2004 Bulgaria team
Player name list
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|
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| Group C | |||||||
| PLD | W | D | L | GS | GA | PTS | |
|
Sweden |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 |
|
Denmark |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
|
Italy |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
|
Bulgaria |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0 |