Nasko Sirakov

At a glance

Source: Wikipedia: Nasko Sirakov¹

Playing career

Born in Stara Zagora, Sirakov joined Levski Sofia’s youth system at 13 and made three first-team appearances in 1980. He then played for Spartak Varna and Haskovo before returning to Levski. In his second spell, he became a regular, scoring 14 goals in 19 league matches in 1984–85 as the club won the title.¹

Sirakov helped Levski win further championships and Bulgarian Cups, and was the league’s leading scorer in 1986–87 and 1987–88. He played in Spain for Real Zaragoza and Espanyol, and later had a spell with French club Lens. After returning to Levski, he helped the club win three consecutive league titles. He ended his playing career with Slavia Sofia in 1998.¹

Bulgaria career

Sirakov made his Bulgaria debut against Algeria on 7 August 1983. He earned 78 caps and scored 24 goals between 1983 and 1996. At the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, he scored against Italy as Bulgaria reached the last 16.¹

At the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Sirakov played in every match as Bulgaria finished fourth. He scored against Argentina in the group stage. He also represented Bulgaria at UEFA Euro 1996, making his final international appearance against Romania on 13 June.¹

After playing

Sirakov briefly managed Slavia Sofia in 1997. He later worked as Levski Sofia’s director of football, but was dismissed on 7 May 2008. He is the club’s major shareholder.¹

In Bulgarian league football, Sirakov scored 196 goals in 294 top-division matches. At Levski, he scored 165 goals in 205 games, a club record. His honours include five league titles with Levski and a league and cup double with Slavia in 1995–96.¹

As of 2026 he is a major shareholder of Levski Sofia.¹