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 Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Dimitrov previously played for Minyor Pernik, Lokomotiv Sofia, Marek Dupnitsa and CSKA Sofia, and was part of the Bulgarian UEFA Euro 2004 team. He has 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