Famous Bulgarians

[berbafan]

The best Bulgarian footballer of all time, by a very large margin - was Gundi (also #9).  He was also the most beloved Bulgarian athlete ever - when he died in 1971, 10% of the Bulgarian populace - thats right 10%! - went to his funeral!

OMG!!!
I bet you are "Levski" fan.
To place Gundi in front of Stoichkov(and even some others) is really funny. Not to mention the  "even by a large margin"... haha
I could give you enough arguments for better players even in his generation, but that's another story.

I don't want to start CSKA vs Levski debate here but let's not send false statements/info to the others.

I don't want to debate teenagers here period.  Gundi was easily elected "The Best Bulgarian Footballer of the 20th Century" by the adults - well ahead of Stoichkov.  When you grow up - or when 10% of the Bulgarian population goes to Stoichkov's funeral - we can talk more.  That has nothing to do with teams and everything to do with actually appreciating the game and its players!

BTW a good piece about Gundi on Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2011/06/30/2469354/a-tribute-to-the-40th-best-player-of-all-time-georgi-asparuhov-a-

[HatterDon]

The best Bulgarian footballer of all time, by a very large margin - was Gundi (also #9).  He was also the most beloved Bulgarian athlete ever - when he died in 1971, 10% of the Bulgarian populace - thats right 10%! - went to his funeral!

OMG!!!
I bet you are "Levski" fan.
To place Gundi in front of Stoichkov(and even some others) is really funny. Not to mention the  "even by a large margin"... haha
I could give you enough arguments for better players even in his generation, but that's another story.

I don't want to start CSKA vs Levski debate here but let's not send false statements/info to the others.

I don't want to debate teenagers here period.  Gundi was easily elected "The Best Bulgarian Footballer of the 20th Century" by the adults - well ahead of Stoichkov.  When you grow up - or when 10% of the Bulgarian population goes to Stoichkov's funeral - we can talk more.  That has nothing to do with teams and everything to do with actually appreciating the game and its players!

BTW a good piece about Gundi on Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2011/06/30/2469354/a-tribute-to-the-40th-best-player-of-all-time-georgi-asparuhov-a-

What's Bulgarian for "fight... FIGHT!"

[ALFI]

The best Bulgarian footballer of all time, by a very large margin - was Gundi (also #9).  He was also the most beloved Bulgarian athlete ever - when he died in 1971, 10% of the Bulgarian populace - thats right 10%! - went to his funeral!

OMG!!!
I bet you are "Levski" fan.
To place Gundi in front of Stoichkov(and even some others) is really funny. Not to mention the  "even by a large margin"... haha
I could give you enough arguments for better players even in his generation, but that's another story.

I don't want to start CSKA vs Levski debate here but let's not send false statements/info to the others.

I don't want to debate teenagers here period.  Gundi was easily elected "The Best Bulgarian Footballer of the 20th Century" by the adults - well ahead of Stoichkov.  When you grow up - or when 10% of the Bulgarian population goes to Stoichkov's funeral - we can talk more.  That has nothing to do with teams and everything to do with actually appreciating the game and its players!

BTW a good piece about Gundi on Goal.com:
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1717/editorial/2011/06/30/2469354/a-tribute-to-the-40th-best-player-of-all-time-georgi-asparuhov-a-

As I said, I don't want this debate here. So my answer will be short.

Achievements:
Gundi: Has won nothing significant outside our league.
Stoichkov: World cup bronze medalist, European cup (former Champions League) winner with Barcelona,  four consecutive league titles in Spain, golden boot, golden ball, 76 goals for Barcelona, part of their dream team ... etc.
Edit: And btw the person who bought him there was Johan Cruyff.


Teams:
Gundi: "Mighty" Levski Sofia
Stoichkov: One of the best ever barcelona players (according to non Bulgarian journalists and fans). Just look at some of the players around him in the next links:
http://worldsoccer.about.com/od/players/tp/Ten-Of-The-Best-Barcelona-Players.htm
http://elcentrocampista.com/2012/04/top-ten-barcelona-players-of-all-time/6/
You really don't realize that he is among the best ever Barcelona players (and to even be in the top 10 there is achievement itself)

Do you actually realize that the link you sent me is an article from Bulgarian author? He could be placed in top 40 ever only by some Bulgarians (and fans of specific club).

[ALFI]

What's Bulgarian for "fight... FIGHT!"

Бой ;)

In order to have a good fight ( in this case using words yee-haw! ) you need to have two arguments that are solid.
Due to the pure achievements and popularity, this is not even debatable.

Imagine you arguing with someone about who the better player is - top barcelona player known around the world vs some player from the mighty Bulgarian league that has done nothing (and almost nobody knows of).

This is how I feel. All I could do is to laugh  077.gif

[jazz hardrockin]

Well,well...the mighty,feisty Bulgarians....shut up already. Those are players of different generation. Back in the 60's football wasn't commercialized to the point is it today.Gundy was one of the best of his generation in Europe at the time who enjoyed great success in a game that was more about tranquility and beauty than "tactics" ,big EGO managers and players alike which is the case today.Stoichkov quite the opposite.But none of them is guilty of being born when they were born and played the game.The BIG diference between the two>"Gundy" was gentlemen,Stoichkov is anything but gentlemen. A BIG,BIG egomaniac who spent more time on the pitch arguing with referees as of how the game should be played and arguing with everyone about everything.Apart of football {as a player not a coach,because he is still trying to be the one} his IQ is probably less than a baboon could muster. His bloopers are countless and well documented.Yes he will remain in to people's "heads" with time because of the statistic,but never ever will be in their hearts. Disgusting and arrogant beyond believe.  fp.gif

[jazz hardrockin]

More famous Bulgarians.... 064.gif

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2208313/Bulgarian-team-ordered-lie-detector-tests-bosses-amid-match-fixing-claims.html

[Count Berbatov]

Well,well...the mighty,feisty Bulgarians....shut up already. Those are players of different generation. Back in the 60's football wasn't commercialized to the point is it today.Gundy was one of the best of his generation in Europe at the time who enjoyed great success in a game that was more about tranquility and beauty than "tactics" ,big EGO managers and players alike which is the case today.Stoichkov quite the opposite.But none of them is guilty of being born when they were born and played the game.The BIG diference between the two>"Gundy" was gentlemen,Stoichkov is anything but gentlemen. A BIG,BIG egomaniac who spent more time on the pitch arguing with referees as of how the game should be played and arguing with everyone about everything.Apart of football {as a player not a coach,because he is still trying to be the one} his IQ is probably less than a baboon could muster. His bloopers are countless and well documented.Yes he will remain in to people's "heads" with time because of the statistic,but never ever will be in their hearts. Disgusting and arrogant beyond believe.  fp.gif

Unfortunately, I'd have to agree that Stoichkov is not all that "bright". That said, nor are the majority of footballers of any generation. And how do we know how much of a gentleman Gundi was? The communist media? It was the very essence of the communism to control and misinform. I'm not saying Gundi was not a gentleman. But we'd never know, unless we'd actually met him
As for football skills, Berba is the type of footballer I associate myself with, but my God how good Stoichkov actually was! He might be anything, but he's born a winner

[F(f)CUK]

Thanks to whoever told me that Slavi was the "bald Bulgarian TV presenter". When I put that term into Google so that I could name him all I got was Clare Balding.

[ClarksOriginal]

Most pointless thread ever.... but Stiliyan Petrov?

[Scrumpy]

Can't believe no one has mentioned Vasil Levski.

When I went to CSKA v Fulham a few years back, there was a statue of the bloke around every corner! Dubbed the Apostle of Freedom, Levski ideologised and strategised a revolutionary movement to liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule. He was captured and hanged. Levski is commemorated with loads of monuments in Bulgaria, and numerous national institutions bear his name. In 2007, he topped a nationwide television poll as the all-time greatest Bulgarian.

I've got to say, that trip to Sofia was definitely one of my favourites. The Bulgarians are a passionate lot and the atmosphere in the ground that evening was amazing. We were pretty outnumbered that day  093.gif so I'm pleased to have a few more on our side thanks to Berba.

[cmg]

Pointless it may well be (although it would be far from unique in that respect!), but I think there is a bit of style in having a vehement argument concerning the nuances of Bulgarian football on a Fulham forum. Indicates the cosmopolitan nature of our following.

Just a small comment on Asparuhov's (who I was fortunate enough to see in a couple of World Cups) lack of extra-Bulgarian experience - I don't think that Bulgarian footballers (or Bulgarian anything, for that matter) of the mid 60s enjoyed the kind of freedom of movement that exists today.

[domprague]

 :011:

They are 2 Bulgarian cosmonauts ,one of them almost lost his life on re-entry and this thread is ridiculous to put it softly.

I nearly lost my life on re-entry once. The Husband came home early!

[berbafan]

Talking about Stoichkov, Bulgaria not only has the best a**holes in the world but also the best a**es:

http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2007/11/bulgarian-babe-wins-best-bum-contest.html

[jazz hardrockin]

Talking about Stoichkov, Bulgaria not only has the best a**holes in the world but also the best a**es:

http://jammiewearingfool.blogspot.com/2007/11/bulgarian-babe-wins-best-bum-contest.html

Stoichkov easily wins the butt-head contest.... :011: