Football in Bulgaria

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Football in Bulgaria
Vasil Levski National Stadium
CountryBulgaria
Governing bodyBulgarian Football Union
National team(s)Bulgaria national football team
First played1894; 130 years ago (1894)
National competitions
Club competitions
League
Bulgarian Super Cup
International competitions

Botev Plovdiv was founded in 1912, Slavia Sofia in 1913, and Levski Sofia
in 1914.

The Bulgaria national football team debuted on 21 May 1924 in a 1924 Summer Olympics qualifier, losing 0–6 to Austria in Vienna. In the 1950s and 1960s Bulgarian football achieved its biggest Olympic success, being third in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne and second in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, also finishing fifth in Euro 1968. In 1962, Bulgaria first qualified for a FIFA World Cup tournament, in total of seven participations to date. In the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Bulgaria did reach the round of 16. Then, in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, came Bulgaria's biggest World Cup success, the fourth place, the elimination of reigning world champions Germany and Hristo Stoichkov's top goalscorer prize.[1][2][3] Bulgaria is also three times European champion in under-19, three times Balkan champion, and three times Balkan Youth champion. The titles won by the national team make Bulgaria one of the best performing nations in European football competitions.

Bulgarian football competitions

Crime and corruption

Between 2003 and 2013, 15 club presidents or previous owners of Bulgarian top league clubs were murdered. A

illegal gambling, match fixing, money laundering, and tax evasion abound in Bulgarian football, which has become a symbol of organised crime's corrupt influence on important institutions.[4][5][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bulgaria: Can Soccer Success Mean Business? - Baltimore Sun". Articles.baltimoresun.com. 31 July 1994. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  2. ^ "WORLD CUP '94; Bulgaria, a Small Foot in Soccer, Steps Closer to Glass Slipper - New York Times". The New York Times. Germany; Bulgaria. 11 July 1994. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  3. ^ "BBC SPORT | Football | Euro 2004 | Bulgaria | The alternative guide to Bulgaria". BBC News. 21 May 2004. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  4. ^ "WikiLeaks: Bulgarian Soccer Symbol of Organized Crime, Corruption - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency". www.novinite.com. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Bulgarian football's 'mafia links' exposed in cables". Yahoo News. 3 January 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Welcome to the beautiful game". The Economist. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  • Пайташев, Румен (2001). "Футболът в България". Световна футболна енциклопедия. София: КК Труд. pp. 10–11.
    ISBN 954-528-201-0
    .
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