Hristo Stoichkov Stoichkov (Bulgarian: Христо Стоичков Стоичков; born 8 February 1966) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer and current football commentator for TUDN. A prolific forward, he is widely regarded as the greatest Bulgarian footballer of all time. He was the runner-up for the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1992 and 1994 and received the Ballon d'Or in 1994. In 2004, Stoichkov was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.[2]
At the club level, Stoichkov spent six years at CSKA Sofia and became the top goalscorer in Europe in 1990, receiving the European Golden Shoe. In 1990, he joined Barcelona, where he earned the Spanish nickname "El Pistolero" (lit.'The Gunslinger') and was part of Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team," which won four consecutive La Liga titles and the 1992 European Cup. During his time at the club, he formed a prolific strike partnership with Romário. Cruyff played a crucial role in bringing him to Barcelona, where he quickly developed into one of the most prolific forwards in the world.
Stoichkov was a member of the Bulgaria national team that finished fourth at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where he emerged as the top scorer with six goals, earning the World Cup Golden Boot. He was ranked as the third-best player at the World Cup, following Romário and Roberto Baggio, and received the World Cup Bronze Ball. In addition to his exceptional footballing talent, he was known for his fiery temperament on the pitch.[3] During his playing career, he was also nicknamed The Dagger (Камата).[4]
Stoichkov began his football career playing for his hometown club Maritsa Plovdiv at the age of 11. In 1982, he transferred to Hebros Harmanli, where he scored 14 goals in the third level of Bulgarian football.
CSKA Sofia
In early 1985, Stoichkov joined CSKA Sofia. At the beginning of his five-year tenure at CSKA, Stoichkov (who later became known for his short temper) was involved in a fight during the 1985 Bulgarian Cup Final, which resulted in an initial lifelong ban that was later reduced to a one-year suspension.[5] He made his comeback for CSKA on 30 April 1986, in a 3–1 away victory over Sliven in a match of the Cup of the Soviet Army. On 21 May, Stoichkov opened the scoring in the tournament final against Lokomotiv Sofia, which CSKA won 2–0.[6]
He continued his progress during the 1986–87 season, becoming a regular on the left side of CSKA's attack. Stoichkov earned his first A Group title winner's medal at the end of the season, scoring 6 league goals.
After five years with CSKA, Stoichkov transferred to Barcelona. In his first season with the club, Stoichkov was suspended for two months for stomping on a referee's foot,[7] but he still managed to score 14 league goals and an additional six in the European Cup Winners' Cup. He became part of manager Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team" and contributed to one of the most successful eras in the club's history, winning La Liga four consecutive times (from 1991 to 1994) and the European Cup after defeating Sampdoria in the 1992 final.[8] During his time at Barcelona, he became an idol among the club's fans and played alongside Romário in the attack. Stoichkov was also known for ensuring Romário attended training sessions on time, as the latter often indulged in late-night festivities.[9] Stoichkov was twice named runner-up for the FIFA World Player of the Year award, in 1992 and 1994, and he won the 1994 Ballon d'Or after leading his national team to the 1994 World Cup semi-finals.[3]
Later career
Stoichkov then had a brief spell in Italy with Parma, scoring a total of seven goals, before soon returning to FC Barcelona, where he played until early 1998. He also had a second stint with CSKA Sofia in the spring of 1998.[10] In April 1998, he signed a two-match contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, helping them win the Asian Cup Winners' Cup. In the semi-final against Kopetdag, he earned a penalty and assisted the winning goal, and in the final against Suwon Bluewings, he scored the only goal in the 12th minute. For those two games, Hristo received $200,000. He subsequently went to Japan to play with Kashiwa Reysol, before finishing his career in the United States with the Chicago Fire and D.C. United, winning the U.S. Open Cup (and scoring the first goal in the final) with the former.[3]
During qualification for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Stoichkov scored five goals, helping Bulgaria qualify for its first major tournament since the 1986 World Cup. At the tournament finals, he was awarded the World Cup Golden Boot as the joint top goal scorer (alongside Oleg Salenko), netting six goals, and he also received the Bronze Ball award. Stoichkov led Bulgaria past Germany in the quarter-finals with a 2–1 shock result, as Germany were the defending champions. In the semi-finals, Bulgaria lost 2–1 to Italy, and they subsequently fell to Sweden in the third-place play-off, losing 4–0.[3]
Bulgaria finished second in the qualifying group for Euro 1996 behind Germany. Stoichkov scored ten goals for his team during the qualifiers, helping Bulgaria qualify as one of the six best runners-up. In the first match against Germany in Sofia, Bulgaria was 2–0 down at half-time. Stoichkov equalized with two penalty goals, and Emil Kostadinov also scored, resulting in a 3–2 victory. Bulgaria lost the second match in Germany 3–1. During the finals, Bulgaria lost 3–1 in the decisive group match against a strong France side; in the other match, Spain defeated Romania 2–1, leading to Bulgaria's elimination. In that tournament, Stoichkov scored three goals in three matches.[3]
He was also part of the squad that was eliminated in the first round of the 1998 World Cup. Bulgaria was not nearly as strong as in previous years, earning only one point from a 0–0 draw against Paraguay and scoring just one goal through Kostadinov in a 6–1 defeat by Spain. Stoichkov retired from international football in 1999 with 37 goals in 83 appearances.[3] His last game was during the Euro 2000 qualification against England, which ended 1–1; Stoichkov assisted Georgi Markov for the equalizing goal from a free kick. In the same game, he was substituted for Martin Petrov, who made his debut in the Bulgarian shirt. Ironically, both are Bulgaria's only goalscorers in a UEFA Euro tournament: Stoichkov was the sole scorer in 1996 with three goals, while Petrov scored in 2004 in the 2–1 loss against Italy. Bulgaria failed to qualify for Euro 2000 in Belgium and the Netherlands after that match, as they needed a win to keep their chances alive.
He later served as coach of the Bulgaria national team from 2004 to April 2007.[3]
Style of play
"That season [1993–1994] Romário and Stoichkov were a force of nature, blowing everyone and everything to bits."
— Football writer Sid Lowe on the strike partnership at Barcelona.[9]
Stoichkov possessed explosive pace and was a creative, tenacious, and prolific left-footed forward. Primarily used as a striker, he was also capable of playing in a creative role or as a second striker, thanks to his ability to provide assists for teammates,[12][13] forming a strike partnership with Romário at Barcelona. Occasionally, he played as a left winger during his time at the club, although he was also capable of playing on the right.[14][15] In his early years, he also played as a left full-back. A powerful, physically strong, and technically gifted player, Stoichkov was known for his explosive acceleration, dribbling ability at speed, and his tendency to take unpredictable, powerful shots on goal.[16][17] As the top goalscorer at the 1994 World Cup, he was also renowned for his prowess at taking free kicks and penalties,[18] and he was also an excellent crosser and passer of the ball.[19] Manager Dimitar Dimitrov described Stoichkov as "one of the greatest players of all time" in 2006 and as a player who had "a winning mentality."[20]
Stoichkov faced criticism for his work rate at times,[21] and he gained a reputation for his aggressive temperament on the pitch despite his evident talent. He could frequently be seen arguing with referees and opponents alike.[22] During Euro 1996, after Bulgaria's final group stage match against France, Stoichkov was accused by French defender Marcel Desailly of making insulting remarks regarding Desailly's race.[23] Throughout his playing career, Stoichkov was often referred to by the nickname The Dagger (Камата).[4]
In 2006, Stoichkov was sued by a former American University student whose leg he broke with a violent tackle during a friendly match for D.C. United in 2003. The case was settled out of court in 2007 with undisclosed financial terms.[24] The student's coach described Stoichkov's challenge as "criminal." Ray Hudson, who was the coach of D.C. United at the time, referred to it as a "rash tackle." Following an investigation by Major League Soccer (MLS), Stoichkov received a two-game suspension and a fine of US$2,000.[25]
In 2018, Hristo Stoichkov published his authorized biography titled *Hristo Stoichkov: The Story*.[29] The official unveiling of the autobiography took place in November and was attended by numerous footballers, other sports figures, and former Bulgarian presidents, including Petar Stoyanov, Georgi Parvanov, and Rosen Plevneliev. Notably, former Spanish referee Ildefonso Urízar Azpitarte, who had sent off Stoichkov during the first match of the 1990 Spanish Super Cup final, had the opportunity to symbolically stomp on Stoichkov's foot during the event.[30]
Managerial career
In the 2003–04 season, Hristo Stoichkov began his managerial career as a forwards coach at Barcelona. Following the resignation of Bulgarian national team manager Plamen Markov after the team's first-round exit from UEFA Euro 2004, Stoichkov was appointed as the new national team manager on July 15, 2004.
However, his tenure as manager got off to a rocky start, as he failed to lead Bulgaria to qualification for the 2006 World Cup. Stoichkov's fiery temperament, which had characterized his playing days, carried over into his coaching style. This led to several proven players quitting the national team due to personal conflicts with him. A notable incident occurred on September 5, 2005, during a match against Sweden when Stoichkov was sent off for insulting the referee.
The most significant setback in his management came on October 12, 2006, when Stiliyan Petrov, the team captain, announced that he would no longer play for Bulgaria as long as Stoichkov was at the helm. This marked the third player and the second captain to leave the squad due to disagreements with Stoichkov. However, on March 17, 2007, Petrov revealed that he had a private conversation with Stoichkov, where they were able to resolve their differences, leading to his return to the national team.[31][32]
On 10 April 2007, the Bulgarian Football Union announced that they had accepted the resignation of Stoichkov from his position with the national team. This decision was a result of the team's poor performance in the ongoing Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, which was followed by widespread criticism and debate regarding the manager's capabilities. The specific match that intensified pressure on Stoichkov was the 0–0 home draw against Albania, despite the fact that the Bulgarians generally controlled the game and struck the post twice. He had a brief and disappointing tenure as manager at Celta Vigo, where he was dismissed following the team's decline into the lower reaches of the Spanish Second Division.
In January 2012, Stoichkov was appointed manager of the Bulgarian side Litex Lovech, replacing Lyuboslav Penev, who left to become the manager of the Bulgaria national team. In May 2013, Stoichkov was recognized as the A PFG Manager of the Season following a vote by professional footballers in the Bulgarian league.[37] In June 2013, he was named the manager of the Bulgarian powerhouse—and former club—CSKA Sofia, but resigned one month later after losing faith in the troubled club.
^Two appearances and one goal in Supercopa de España, two appearances and one goal in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance and one goal in Intercontinental Cup
In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Bulgaria by the Bulgarian Football Union as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.[66]
In 2011 he was named honorary consul of Bulgaria in Barcelona. In October 2017 he was removed from the position on the request of the Spanish government over his criticisms of this government (especially the deputy prime minister, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría) in relation with the Catalan independence referendum, as well as the fact that he lives mainly in the United States.[67]
^"Caclcio Dal Mundo" [Football from the World]. repubblica.it (in Italian). La Repubblica. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
^Marino Bortoletti. "Stoichkov, Hristo". treccani.it. Enciclopedia Treccani. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
^"Potenza di Hristo Solo Un Assaggio" [Just a taste of Hristo's power]. repubblica.it (in Italian). La Repubblica. 29 July 1995. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
^Leonardo Coen (16 May 1994). "L'Ora Dell'Implacabile" [The hour of the unstoppable]. repubblica.it (in Italian). La Repubblica. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
^Fulvio Bianchi (12 July 1994). "Stoichkov, L'Adorabile Spaccone" [Stoichkov, the adorable boaster]. repubblica.it (in Italian). La Repubblica. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
^"L'Anno di Hristo, Genio Dei Pigri" [The year of Hristo, Genius of the lazy]. repubblica.it (in Italian). La Repubblica. 20 December 1994. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
^Jeff Wallenfeldt (2 May 2015). "Hristo Stoichkov". britannica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
