Tsvetelin Chunchukov

Tsvetelin Chunchukov
Personal information
Full name Tsvetelin Lukov Chunchukov
Date of birth (1994-12-26) 26 December 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Pazardzhik, Bulgaria
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Slavia Sofia
Number 23
Youth career
2002–2011 Benkovski Pazardzhik
2011–2013 Levski Sofia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2015 Botev Plovdiv 30 (5)
2013–2014 → Rakovski (loan) 16 (1)
2015–2017 Ludogorets II 31 (8)
2015–2017 Ludogorets Razgrad 8 (0)
2017 Cherno More 9 (1)
2018–2021 Slavia Sofia 64 (15)
2020–2021 → Academica Clinceni (loan) 31 (6)
2021–2022 Sepsi OSK 19 (1)
2022 → Chindia Târgoviște (loan) 14 (0)
2022–2024 Steaua București 43 (8)
2024– Slavia Sofia 0 (0)
International career‡
2014–2016 Bulgaria U21 7 (1)
2019 Bulgaria 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 July 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 June 2019

Tsvetelin Lukov Chunchukov (Bulgarian: Цветелин Луков Чунчуков; born 26 December 1994) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Slavia Sofia.[1]

Club career

Early career

Born in Pazardzhik, Chunchukov began playing football for local side Benkovski. On 2 May 2010, at the age of 15 years and 4 months, he made his debut as a second-half substitute against Germanea Sapareva Banya in a game of the South-West V AFG, the third level of Bulgarian football.[2] On 12 May, he scored his first goal in a 1–1 home draw against Malesh Mikrevo.[3]

In 2011, Chunchukov was spotted by a Levski Sofia scout and joined the club as an academy player.[4]

Botev Plovdiv

On 5 April 2013, Chunchukov joined Botev Plovdiv, signing first professional contract in his career. He signed a three-year deal with the club.[5]

Chunchukov playing for Botev

Chunchukov made his debut for the first team of Botev Plovdiv during the 2014–15 season. He came on as a substitute in the first qualifying round of the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League against underdogs A.C. Libertas. Botev Plovdiv won this match 4–0.[6] Chunchukov scored his first goal for Botev Plovdiv on 17 July 2014 during a 2–1 win against St. Pölten in the next round of Europa League.[7] Three days after that Chunchukov was at the starting lineup against Lokomotiv Sofia and he made a debut in A Grupa.[8] Botev Plovdiv won this game with 1–0 after a goal from a penalty kick which has given after a fault against Chunchukov.

Chunchukov scored his first goal in A Grupa on 17 August 2014. He opened the scoring in an away game against Levski Sofia but Botev Plovdiv lost the match with 2–1.[9]

On 27 September Chunchukov scored a goal, provided an assist for the goal of Ivan Tsvetkov and was among the best players on the pitch during the derby match against Lokomotiv Plovdiv. Botev Plovdiv achieved a 2–0 home win.[10]

Chunchukov scored his third goal in A Grupa on 19 October but Lokomotiv Sofia defeated Botev Plovdiv 3–1.[11]

After a seven-game goal drought, Chunchukov scored again on 7 December 2014 against PFC Haskovo.[12]

Chunchukov scored again in the next round of A Grupa which was the first official game for 2015. He netted the opening goal and assisted for the last goal during the 3–0 home win over PFC Marek Dupnitsa.[13] In the next round Chunchukov played during the 2–0 win over the local rivals Lokomotiv Plovdiv, missed the game with CSKA Sofia due to a ban, and on 22 March he was again in the starting lineup for 0–0 draw with Ludogorets Razgrad.[14]

On 18 April Chunchukov came on as a substitute and made an assist during the 1–1 draw with Beroe Stara Zagora.[15] A month later, on 23 May, he made an assist again versus the same team. Despite his efforts this time Botev Plovdiv was defeated with 2–1 during the visit to Beroe Stara Zagora.[16]

At the end of the season, Chunchukov was announced as the A Group Youth Player of the Year for his contributions to the club. His teammate Milen Gamakov was named runner-up in the same contest.[17][18]

Rakovski (loan)

Chunchukov was loaned by Botev Plovdiv to Rakovski and spent 2013–14 season in the B Group. He appeared in 16 matches for the club,[19] scoring goals against Bansko[20] and Dobrudzha Dobrich, the latter of which came in a match for the Bulgarian Cup.[21]

Ludogorets

On 23 June 2015, Chunchukov was transferred from Botev Plovdiv to Ludogorets Razgrad for an undisclosed fee, considered to be in the range of 175 000 EUR, as reported by several Bulgarian media outlets.[22][23] On 1 July Chunchukov scored the only goal for his new team in a 1–0 friendly win against Romanian club Universitatea Craiova.[24]

Unfortunately, on 4 October 2016, Chunchukov broke his left leg foot during a training session of the Bulgaria U21 team and as a result, he was ruled out from the squad for several months.[25] After recovery, he spent most of his playing time at Ludogorets's reserve squad in the Bulgarian Second League. He was released from the club on 7 June 2017.[26]

Cherno More

On 19 June 2017 he signed with Cherno More Varna.[27] On 15 July, he made his debut in a 1–0 home win over Vitosha Bistritsa.[28] He scored his first goal on 21 July in a 4–0 away win over Vereya.[29] On 14 December 2017, his contract was terminated by mutual consent.[30]

Slavia Sofia

On 28 December 2017, Chunchukov signed with Slavia Sofia.[31]

International career

Chunchukov made his debut for Bulgaria U21 in the 2-2 draw with Estonia U21 on 3 September 2014, contributing with a goal.[32] On 31 March 2015 he played during the first half of the 1-3 away defeat from Wales U21.[33]

On 25 March 2016 Chunchukov came on as a substitute during the goalless draw with Wales U21.[34][35]

He made his debut for the senior national team on 7 June 2019 in a Euro 2020 qualifier against the Czech Republic, as an 82nd-minute substitute for Todor Nedelev.[36]

Personal life

In an interview for Botev Plovdiv's club channel Chunchukov stated that he was encouraged to play football by his grandfather and has no favorite foreign football club.[37]

Career statistics

Club

As of 13 May 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Rakovski 2013–14 B Group 16 1 2 1 – – 18 2
Botev Plovdiv 2014–15 A Group 30 5 2 0 3 1 1 0 36 6
Ludogorets Razgrad II 2015–16 B Group 14 2 – – – 14 2
2016–17 Vtora Liga 17 6 – – – 17 6
Total 31 8 0 0 – – 31 8
Ludogorets Razgrad 2015–16 A Group 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 7 0
2016–17 Bulgarian First League 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Total 8 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 11 0
Cherno More 2017–18 Bulgarian First League 9 1 0 0 – – 9 1
Slavia Sofia 2017–18 Bulgarian First League 8 0 3 0 – – 11 0
2018–19 32 11 2 1 3 0 0 0 37 12
2019–20 23 4 1 2 – – 24 6
2020–21 1 0 0 0 – – 1 0
Total 64 15 6 3 3 0 0 0 73 18
Academica Clinceni 2020–21 Liga I 31 6 0 0 – – 31 6
Sepsi OSK 2021–22 Liga I 19 1 2 0 2 0 – 23 1
Chindia Târgoviște (loan) 2021–22 Liga I 14 0 – – – 14 0
Career total 222 37 13 4 10 1 1 0 246 42

Honours

Ludogorets Razgrad

Slavia Sofia

Individual

References

  1. ^ Steaua și-a luat atacant din Liga 1! Al șaselea transfer al formației din Ghencea, adversar pe post pentru golgheterul Bogdan Chipirliu prosport.ro (in Romanian)
  2. ^ "Бенковски с убедителна победа вкъщи" (in Bulgarian). pzsport.info. 2 May 2010.
  3. ^ "15-годишен посече Малеш" (in Bulgarian). pzsport.info. 12 May 2010.
  4. ^ "Levski Sofia Youth team U19 (Born in 1994)". levskisofia.info.
  5. ^ "Ботев подписа с нападател от школата на Левски" (in Bulgarian). botevplovdiv.bg. 5 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Ботев Пд с нов успех в Европа - играчите се скъсаха да пропускат в Сан Марино (видео)". Sportal.bg.
  7. ^ "Ботев изравни европейски рекорд на ЦСКА". Gong.bg.
  8. ^ "Ботев тръгна с победа в "А" група, 1:0 срещу Локомотив Сф".
  9. ^ "Ботев с първа загуба в първенството".
  10. ^ "Ботев взе 97-ото градско дерби с 2:0".
  11. ^ "Ботев излезе от първата шестица след загуба в Надежда".
  12. ^ "Петър Пенчев започна с победа, 2:0 над Хасково".
  13. ^ "Ботев започна пролетта с класика над Марек".
  14. ^ "Ботев с минимална загуба от Лудогорец".
  15. ^ "Ботев изпусна Берое".
  16. ^ "Ботев допусна обрат в Стара Загора".
  17. ^ a b "Ботев с трима призьори в класацията "Футболист на футболистите"".
  18. ^ a b "Марселиньо спечели приза "Футболист на футболистите"". Sportal.bg.
  19. ^ "Цветелин Чунчуков (статистика на sportal.bg)".
  20. ^ "С голове на Венци Гюзелев и Цветлин Чунчуков опашкарят "Раковски" победи "Банско" с 1:2".
  21. ^ "Чунчуков лиши "Добруджа" от победа". 18 November 2013. Archived from the original on 24 November 2013.
  22. ^ "Ботев продаде Цветелин Чунчуков на Лудогорец".
  23. ^ "Лудогорец подписа с младежки национал". www.ludogorets.com.
  24. ^ "ВИДЕО: Изтощен от жега Лудогорец тресна румънци". Gong.bg.
  25. ^ "Български национал от Лудогорец счупи крак". Gong.bg.
  26. ^ "Трети футболист аут от Лудогорец!". Sportal.bg.
  27. ^ "Черно море привлича Цветелин Чунчуков" (in Bulgarian). chernomorepfc.bg. 19 June 2017.
  28. ^ "Cherno More vs. Vitosha Bistritsa 1–0". soccerway.com. 15 July 2017.
  29. ^ "Vereya vs. Cherno More 0–4". soccerway.com. 21 July 2017.
  30. ^ "Черно море се раздели с нападател" (in Bulgarian). chernomorepfc.bg. 14 December 2017.
  31. ^ "Александров и Чунчуков са футболисти на Славия" (in Bulgarian). pfcslavia.com. 28 December 2017.
  32. ^ "History: Estonia-Bulgaria | UEFA Under-21 2015". UEFA.com.
  33. ^ "History: Wales-Bulgaria | UEFA Under-21 2017". UEFA.com.
  34. ^ "България не успя да преклони Уелс". Gong.bg.
  35. ^ "Младежите не успяха да се справят с Уелс (видео)". Sportal.bg.
  36. ^ "Czech Republic v Bulgaria game report". UEFA. 7 June 2019.
  37. ^ "ИНТЕРВЮ С ЦВЕТЕЛИН ЧУНЧУКОВ". 1 October 2014 – via YouTube.