Borislav Mihaylov

At a glance

Source: Wikipedia: Borislav Mihaylov¹

Playing career

Born in Sofia in 1963, Mihaylov played as a goalkeeper and began his senior club career with Levski Sofia in 1981. He later played for Belenenses in Portugal, Mulhouse in France, Botev Plovdiv, Reading in England, Slavia Sofia and FC Zürich. His club career record includes 333 league appearances, with no goals.¹

Mihaylov represented Bulgaria from 1983 to 1998, winning 102 caps. He was captain during Bulgaria’s fourth-place finish at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and at UEFA Euro 1996. He also played at the 1986 and 1998 World Cups. He was Bulgaria’s second most-capped player and made 60 appearances as captain, more than any other Bulgarian footballer.¹

Football administration

After retiring from playing, Mihaylov moved into football administration. He was vice-president of the Bulgarian Football Union from 2001 until 2005, when he succeeded Ivan Slavkov as president. On 22 March 2011, he was elected to UEFA’s executive committee.¹

Mihaylov resigned as BFU president in October 2019 after being asked to step down over the handling of racist behaviour during games. He returned to the post in April 2021. In November 2023, he resigned again after pressure from football fans and calls from public figures and politicians to leave office. Across his two terms, he led the union for a total of 16 years.¹

Personal life and honours

Mihaylov married former rhythmic gymnast Maria Petrova in 1998. His father, Biser Mihaylov, was also a goalkeeper, as was his son Nikolay. His younger daughter is a tennis player. In November 2025, he was admitted to hospital after suffering a stroke, according to Bulgarian news agency BGNES.¹

His honours included three Bulgarian league titles and three Bulgarian Cups with Levski Sofia, as well as three Cups of the Soviet Army. In 1986, he was named Bulgarian Footballer of the Year. Mihaylov died in a hospital in Sofia on 31 March 2026, aged 63.¹