Hristo Stoichkov

Hristo Stoichkov is a former professional football player and manager from Bulgaria. In 1994, he won a Ballon d’Or while playing for FC Barcelona, was awarded the FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe, and FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball, and was named to the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team in the same year. In 2004, he was named by Pele to the FIFA 100.

Player Profile and Youth Career

Hristo Stoichkov was born on February 8, 1966, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He stands 178 cm tall. He began his youth career when he was just 11, playing for his hometown club, Maritsa Plovdiv.

Professional Career

He turned pro in 1982 and signed with FC Hebroes. He played 32 matches with the team before he signed with CSKA Sofia, playing with them from 1984 to 1990. Stoichkov’s career did not take off until he signed with Barcelona in 1990. While with the team, he won the 1994 Ballon d’Or.

In the same year, he received a number of other honors, including the FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe, and FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball, and he was also named to the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team for 1994. He was also honored back home and named the Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year. This was after the country had an impressive showing at the FIFA World Cup, finishing fourth.

From Barcelona, he played for Parma for a season before returning to Barcelona. In 1998, he played two matches for Al-Nassar before going to Japan to play for Kashiwa Reysol. In 2000, he hopped over to the United States and played for Chicago Fire and DC United before eventually retiring in 2003.

In 2004, he was tapped to coach the Bulgaria National Football Team. He also coached Celta Vigo in 2007. Then from 2009-2010, he coached the Mamelodi Sundowns, then he coached Litex Lovi and CSKA Sofia.

Pele also named him to the FIFA 100 list in 2004. Stoichkov was also named to the 2007 World Soccer's 100 Greatest Players of the 20th Century list.

Career Highlights:

Player

CSKA Sofia

• A Group - 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90
• Bulgarian Cup - 1984–85, 1986–87,

1987–88, 1988–89

• Bulgarian Supercup - 1989

Barcelona

• La Liga - 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93,

1993–94, 1997–98

• Copa del Rey - 1996–97
• Supercopa de España - 1992, 1994,

1996

• European Cup - 1991–92
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup - 1996–97
• European Super Cup - 1992, 1997

Al-Nassr

• Asian Cup Winners' Cup - 1997–98

Chicago Fire

• U.S. Open Cup - 2000

Bulgaria

• FIFA World Cup Semi-finals (4th

place) - ] 1994

Individual

• Ballon d'Or - 1994
• Bulgarian Footballer of the Year -

1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994

• Bulgarian League Top Scorer - 1989,

1990

• European Cup Winners' Cup Top Scorer
• 1989
• European Golden Shoe - 1990
• Onze d'Or - 1992
• FIFA World Player of the Year Silver

Ball - 1992, 1994

• FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe - 1994
• FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball - 1994
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team - 1994
• Bulgarian Sportsperson of the Year -

1994

• FIFA 100 - 2004 [58]
• World Soccer's 100 Greatest Players

of the 20th Century - 2007

• Golden Foot - 2007, as football

legend

Team History:

International Career

• 1986–1987 - Bulgaria U21
• 1986–1999 - Bulgaria

Management Career

• 2004–2007 - Bulgaria
• 2007 - Celta Vigo
• 2009–2010 - Mamelodi Sundowns
• 2012–2013 - Litex Lovech
• 2013 - CSKA Sofia