Bulgarian Player of the Year Stilian Petrov fights for the ball in the Euro 2004 qualifiers.
By Joe Bernstein. Thursday, 10 June 2004.
SPOTLIGHT ON EURO 2004: Bulgarian captain Stilian Petrov believes his side’s toughest task will be keeping Celtic team-mate Henrik Larsson quiet.
| Each day from now until the tournament kicks-off, TheFA.com will be profiling all the countries participating at Euro 2004. |
Bulgaria are in Euro 2004 Group C with Sweden, Italy and Denmark. Their manager is Plamen Markov and they are one of only three teams without a Premiership player (Spain and Italy are the others) – although skipper Stilian Petrov plays for Celtic
The Facts
Bulgaria lost their first international 6-0 to Austria in 1924
Their best performance in a major international tournament came 70 years later when they reached the 1994 World Cup semi-finals, beating Germany on the way
Striker Hristo Stoichkov shared the Golden Boot at the 1994 World Cup with six goals
Bulgaria have only been to one previous European Championship finals and failed to qualify from their group at Euro 96. They beat Romania but could only draw with Spain and lost 3-1 to France
Striker Dimitar Berbatov of Bayer Leverkusen scored five goals in six qualifying games for Euro 2004
Bulgaria haven’t beaten England in eight games between the countries. Their last meeting was a Euro 2000 qualifier in Sofia when Alan Shearer scored England’s goal in a 1-1 draw.
The Opinion Even though Italy are favourites for Group C, Bulgaria skipper Stilian Petrov isn’t looking beyond Monday’s opening game against Sweden whose main goal threat is his Celtic team-mate Henrik Larsson.
"It will be strange playing against him – we have been team-mates for so long," admits Petrov.
"It will be the first time I hope he has a bad day! Our defenders know all about Henrik anyway but I can tell them he can score from the smallest opportunity.
"He decided quite late to go to Euro 2004. It was a good decision for football fans but not for Bulgaria."
Bulgaria attracted worldwide attention when the bald Letchkov scored in the 1994 World Cup quarter-final against Germany.
This side is less well known than their Hristo Stoichkov-inspired team from a decade ago. But confidence is high after finishing above Croatia and Belgium in qualifying.
"We will give all our opponents a hard time and hope it’s enough to take us out of the group," he says.
"This is a young team and the people back home are excited. They think we can do something."
With several Bulgarian players like Dimitar Berbatov and Marian Hristov playing in the Bundesliga, you write them off at your peril.
The Colour
Tempremental Bulgarian superstar Hristo Stoichkov was a close friend of Diego Maradona. "We are both crazy heads," says Maradona.
Stoichkov won nine successive championships – five for CSKA Sofia and then four in Spain with Barcelona
The first electronic computer was built in 1939 by John Atasanoff, the American son of Bulgarian immigrants
6ft 4ins midfield player Marian Hristov is son of a famous Bulgarian basketball star
Bulgaria became independent in 1878. Before that it was part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Around 9% of Bulgarians are of Turkish ethnic origin
Bulgaria have won two Olympic medals in football, the bronze in 1956 and silver in 1968
Stilian Petrov’s wedding in 2001 was broadcast live on Bulgarian television
The Matches
Spotlight on Euro 2004
Spotlight on CroatiaSpotlight on GermanySpotlight on Holland
Spotlight on Czech RepublicSpotlight on GreeceSpotlight on SwitzerlandSpotlight on SwedenSpotlight on SpainSpotlight on DenmarkSpotlight on LatviaSpotlight on ItalySpotlight on Portugal