Emil Kostadinov
At a glance
| In Bulgarian | Емил Любчов Костадинов |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 August 1967, Sofia |
| Role | Former professional footballer; forward |
| International career | Bulgaria, 1988–1998 |
| International record | 70 caps and 27 goals |
| World Cups | 1994 and 1998 |
| Clubs | CSKA Sofia, Porto, Deportivo, Bayern Munich, Fenerbahçe, Mainz 05 and Tigres |
Source: Wikipedia: Emil Kostadinov1
Club career
Born in Sofia, Kostadinov began his career at CSKA Sofia. In the late 1980s, he formed an attacking trio with Hristo Stoichkov and Luboslav Penev. The team won the Bulgarian Championship and Bulgarian Cup three times each, and reached the semi-final of the Cup Winners’ Cup. Kostadinov played for Porto from 1990 to 1994, then also represented Deportivo de La Coruña, Bayern Munich, Fenerbahçe, Mainz 05 and UANL Tigres. With Bayern, he won the UEFA Cup in 1996 and scored in the final.1
International career
Kostadinov scored twice at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship and played for Bulgaria’s senior team from 1988 to 1998, earning 70 caps and scoring 27 goals. In the final match of 1994 World Cup qualifying, he scored twice against France. His second goal came in the last second and secured Bulgaria’s qualification. At the 1994 finals, Bulgaria reached the semi-finals; Kostadinov played all seven matches but did not score. He also appeared at Euro 96 and the 1998 World Cup, scoring Bulgaria’s only goal at the latter tournament, against Spain. He retired before qualifying for Euro 2000.1
Honours
Kostadinov won three Bulgarian league titles, three Bulgarian Cups, three Cups of the Soviet Army and a Bulgarian Supercup with CSKA Sofia. With Porto, he won the Primeira Liga in the 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1994–95 seasons, along with two Portuguese Cups and four Portuguese Supercups. His honours also include the 1995–96 UEFA Cup with Bayern Munich and fourth place with Bulgaria at the 1994 World Cup.1
Sources
Facts checked 13 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information.
