Ivaylo Yordanov

Ivaylo Stoimenov Yordanov (Bulgarian: Ивайло Йорданов; born 22 April 1968) is a Bulgarian retired footballer. Known for his professional approach to the game, he played mainly as a striker.

For the Bulgarian Olympic wrestler, see Ivaylo Yordanov (wrestler).
This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is Stoimenov and the family name is Yordanov.

Ivaylo Yordanov
Yordanov in 2016
Personal information
Full name Ivaylo Stoimenov Yordanov
Date of birth (1968-04-22) 22 April 1968
Place of birth Samokov, Bulgaria
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position(s) Striker / Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Bulgaria U21 (assistant)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1989 Rilski Sportist 199 (23)
1989–1991 Lokomotiv GO 51 (23)
1991–2001 Sporting CP 184 (56)
Total 434 (102)
National team
1991–2000 Bulgaria 51 (4)
Teams managed
2001–2002 Sporting B (assistant)
2004–2005 Bulgaria (assistant)
2010 Litex Lovech (assistant)
2016 Beroe (assistant)
2019– Bulgaria U21 (assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

During his career, he represented mainly Sporting in Portugal, appearing in more than 250 official games in one full decade and winning two major titles.

A Bulgarian international for nine years, Yordanov represented the nation in two World Cups and Euro 1996.

Club career

Born in Samokov, Yordanov began his career at local PFC Rilski Sportist, where he first appeared professionally at not yet 15, moving to FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa in 1989. In the last of his two seasons, he topped the First Professional Football League scoring charts, at 21 goals, helping lowly Lokomotiv to a comfortable ninth place.

In 1991–92, Yordanov joined Sporting CP, signing alongside compatriot Boncho Genchev – who had been his predecessor at Lokomotiv GO – where he would play in a variety of positions (including central defender, due to injuries to teammates). Persistent injury problems and the 1997 diagnosis of multiple sclerosis[1] led to a 2001 retirement,[2] still with the Lisbon club (he contributed with 11 matches and one goal in the team's Primeira Liga conquest the previous year).

Upon retiring, Yordanov stayed connected with Sporting, in its youth teams.[3] On 7 June 2010 he joined Angel Chervenkov's staff at PFC Litex Lovech, as part of the scouting departments.[4]

In 2017, Yordanov took up the role of director of football at his former club Lokomotiv GO.[5]

International career

Yordanov was capped 51 times and scored four goals for the Bulgaria national team, including seven FIFA World Cup games in the 1994 and 1998 editions combined.

In the former, in another display of "team-first" attitude – and first discovering his versatile qualities – during the round-of-16 tie against Mexico (as Bulgaria prevailed in a penalty shootout) he filled in at stopper, due to the absence of Trifon Ivanov (suspension) and Nikolay Iliev (injury). During the match, he set up Hristo Stoichkov's goal in the 1–1 draw.[6]

Yordanov would also appear at UEFA Euro 1996, playing all three group stage matches (two complete) as Bulgaria finished third in their group.

Honours

Club

Sporting

References
  1. Georgiev, Stoyan (18 June 2004). "Yordanov: There is hope for Bulgaria". Novinite. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  2. Unlucky seven; UEFA, 11 July 2003
  3. Iordanov sees hope for Bulgaria; UEFA, 17 June 2004
  4. "Ивайло Йорданов почна с Литекс" [Ivaylo Yordanov started at Litex] (in Bulgarian). Gong.bg. 7 June 2010. Archived from the original on 11 June 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  5. "Ивайло Йорданов стана спортен директор на Локомотив (Горна Оряховица)" [Ivaylo Yordanov became sports director of Lokomotiv (Gorna Oryahovitsa)] (in Bulgarian). Top Sport. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  6. "World Cup '94; Bulgaria has winning touch at shootout time". The New York Times. 6 July 1994. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
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