Stiliyan Petrov

At a glance

Source: Wikipedia: Stiliyan Petrov¹

Early career

Born in Montana, Bulgaria, Petrov began playing for local club FC Montana. At 18, scout and coach Dimitar Penev brought him to CSKA Sofia for a fee of €30,000. Petrov won the Bulgarian Championship in 1997 and the Bulgarian Cup in 1997 and 1999 before moving abroad.¹

Celtic signed Petrov in 1999. He went on to win four Scottish Premier League titles, three Scottish Cups and three Scottish League Cups with the club. He was named the SPFA Young Player of the Year in 2001 and Celtic Player of the Year in 2005. Celtic reached the 2003 UEFA Cup final, where Petrov received a runners-up medal.¹

Villa and Bulgaria

In 2006, Petrov joined Aston Villa from Celtic, reuniting with former manager Martin O’Neill. He became Villa captain in 2009 and made 219 competitive appearances for the club. In 2013, he was inducted into the Aston Villa Hall of Fame.¹

Petrov made his Bulgaria debut in 1998 and played at Euro 2004, where he captained the national team. He was named Bulgarian Footballer of the Year in 2003. His 105 appearances made him Bulgaria’s most-capped player. He scored eight goals for the national side and retired from international football in 2013.¹

Illness and later work

In March 2012, Petrov was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and paused his playing career for treatment. His condition was announced to be in remission in August 2012. He retired from professional football in May 2013 and received a tribute from supporters at Villa Park.¹

Petrov worked in Aston Villa’s youth coaching staff in 2013 and returned to a first-team coaching role in 2015. In 2016, he trained with the club’s senior side and played in pre-season matches, but was not offered a playing contract. By 2020, he had completed his UEFA Pro coaching licence and was a director of Player 4 Player, a business supporting players’ transition into retirement. He has also worked as a football pundit.¹

In 2025 he said he had no interest in politics.¹