Georgi Asparuhov

At a glance

Source: Wikipedia: Georgi Asparuhov¹

Career and clubs

Born in Sofia, Asparuhov began his senior career with Levski Sofia in 1959–60, aged 17. He moved to Botev Plovdiv in 1961 while completing military service. There he won the Bulgarian Cup in 1962, and the club finished second in the Bulgarian championship in 1963.¹

Asparuhov made his European debut for Botev in 1962, scoring six goals in the Cup Winners’ Cup as the team reached the quarter-finals. He returned to Levski in October 1963. With the club he won three league titles and three Bulgarian Cups. In 1964–65, he was the league’s top scorer with 27 goals in 29 matches.¹

International career

Asparuhov made his Bulgaria debut against Austria on 6 May 1962, aged 19. He played at the 1962, 1966 and 1970 FIFA World Cups, earning 49 caps and scoring 18 goals. He scored Bulgaria’s only goal in a 1–3 defeat by Hungary at the 1966 tournament.¹

At the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, he played in three matches but did not score. His wife later said that he was injured and had not been expected to play, but that the country’s Party and State leadership insisted he join the squad.¹

Honours and legacy

Asparuhov was named Bulgarian footballer of the year and Bulgarian sportsperson of the year in 1965. He finished eighth in the 1965 Ballon d’Or standings and was also 14th in 1966 and 1968. In 1999, he was named the best Bulgarian footballer of the 20th century.¹

On 30 June 1971, Asparuhov and fellow footballer Nikola Kotkov died in a vehicle accident at Vitinya Pass while travelling to a friendly match in Vratsa. More than 550,000 people attended their funeral in Sofia. Levski Sofia’s stadium is named in Asparuhov’s honour. In 2014, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Stara Planina, first degree.¹