Velizar Dimitrov
 Dimitrov with Metalurh Donetsk in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 April 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Pernik, Bulgaria | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Minyor Pernik | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–1998 | Lokomotiv Sofia | 3 | (0) |
| 1998–2000 | Minyor Pernik | 28 | (6) |
| 1999 | → Litex (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2000 | Lokomotiv Sofia | 2 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Marek Dupnitsa | 43 | (18) |
| 2002–2008 | CSKA Sofia | 115 | (36) |
| 2008–2013 | Metalurh Donetsk | 108 | (18) |
| Total | 296 | (78) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002–2010 | Bulgaria | 31 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2014–2015 | Metalurh Donetsk (Scout) | ||
| 2016–2021 | CSKA Sofia (Scout) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Velizar Kostadinov Dimitrov (Bulgarian: Велизар Димитров; born 13 April 1979) is a former Bulgarian professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
He has previously played for Minyor Pernik, Lokomotiv Sofia, Marek Dupnitsa and CSKA Sofia. Dimitrov was part of the Bulgarian 2004 European Football Championship team, who exited in the first round, finishing bottom of Group C, having finished top of Qualifying Group 8 in the pre-tournament phase. He has also worked as a pundit since his retirement.
Career
[edit]He joined CSKA Sofia in 2002, brought in the team by the manager Stoycho Mladenov.[citation needed].
In 2003, when Dimitrov won a number of individual awards as one of the best players in the A PFG, he was close to securing a move to FC Porto, but the deal eventually fell through due to financial reasons.[1]
Metalurh Donetsk
[edit]On 11 June 2008, Dimitrov signed with Metalurh Donetsk on a 2+1-year deal for a reported fee of €500,000.[2] He made his Ukrainian Premier League debut against Karpaty Lviv on 19 July, playing the full 90 minutes.[3]
On 17 November 2012, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Dynamo Kyiv.[4][5] He marked his 100th league appearance for Metalurh against Hoverla Uzhhorod on 20 April 2013, by scoring a winning goal for a 2–1 home win.[6]
International career
[edit]Dimitrov played for the league based national side in an unofficial friendly against Azerbaijan on 21 February 2002, scoring a goal for a 3–0 home win.[7] He made his competitive debut for the national team in a 1–0 away loss against Spain on 20 November 2002, coming on as a second-half substitute.[8] On 20 August 2003, Dimitrov opened his senior international goals tally, scoring twice for a 3–0 win over Lithuania.
He was included in the Bulgaria Euro 2004 squad in May 2004 by Plamen Markov and came on as a second-half substitute in Bulgaria's opening game against Sweden on 14 June.[9] He was brought on once again in the match against Italy.
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]| Club | League | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Lokomotiv Sofia | A Group | 1997–98 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
| Minyor Pernik | 1998–99 | 23 | 4 | ? | ? | — | 22 | 4 | ||
| Litex (loan)[10] | 1999–00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Minyor Pernik | 1999–00 | 5 | 2 | ? | ? | — | 5 | 2 | ||
| Lokomotiv Sofia | 2000–01 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Marek Dupnitsa | B Group | 2000–01 | 8 | 4 | ? | ? | — | 8 | 4 | |
| A Group | 2001–02 | 35 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | 35 | 14 | ||
| Total | 43 | 18 | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | 43 | 18 | ||
| Career total | 78 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 12 | ||
International goals
[edit]- Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 August 2003 | Vasil Levski, Sofia, Bulgaria |  Lithuania |
2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 3–0 | |||||
| 3 | 17 November 2007 | Vasil Levski, Sofia, Bulgaria |  Romania |
1–0 | 1–0 | Euro 2008 qualifier |
Honours
[edit]Club
[edit]- CSKA Sofia
- A PFG: 2002–03, 2004–05, 2007–08
- Bulgarian Cup: 2005–06
- Bulgarian Supercup: 2006
- Metalurh Donetsk
- Ukrainian Cup: Runner-up 2009–10, 2011–12
- Ukrainian Super Cup: Runner-up 2012
References
[edit]- ^ "Велизар разкри учителите си за "велизарките", "подражавах на Емо Костадинов и Гиби Искренов". topsport.bg. 15 February 2014.
- ^ "Велизар Димитров е играч на Металург Донецк" (in Bulgarian). sportline.bg. 11 June 2008.
- ^ "Metalurh Donetsk 1–0 Karpaty Lviv". soccerway.com. 19 July 2008.
- ^ "Велизар Димитров в идеалния отбор на 16-ия кръг в Украйна" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 21 November 2012.
- ^ "Metalurh Donetsk 1–0 Dynamo Kyiv". soccerway.com. 17 November 2012.
- ^ "Като в приказка" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 21 April 2013.
- ^ "Националите ни с лекота се справиха с азерите" (in Bulgarian). more.info.bg. 21 February 2002. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013.
- ^ "Испания – България 1:0" (in Bulgarian). more.info.bg. 20 November 2002. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013.
- ^ "Sweden 5–0 Bulgaria". BBC. 14 June 2004.
- ^ "Dimitrov Statistics for Litex". worldfootball.net.
External links
[edit]- Velizar Dimitrov at National-Football-Teams.com
- Velizar Dimitrov at UAF and archived FFU page (in Ukrainian)
 | ||
- 1979 births
- Living people
- Bulgarian men's footballers
- Bulgarian expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in Ukraine
- Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Ukraine
- FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia players
- FC Minyor Pernik players
- FC Marek Dupnitsa players
- PFC CSKA Sofia players
- FC Metalurh Donetsk players
- UEFA Euro 2004 players
- First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players
- Ukrainian Premier League players
- Bulgaria men's international footballers
- Sportspeople from Pernik
- Men's association football midfielders