Bozhidar Iskrenov

Bozidar Georgiev Iskrenov (Bulgarian: Божидар Гeopгиeв Искренов, born 1 August 1962), nicknamed Gibona (Гибона means "The Gibbon"), Gibi (Гиби) and The Joy of the People (Радостта на народа), is a former Bulgarian footballer who spent most of his career playing for Levski Sofia as a forward.

Bozhidar Iskrenov
Personal information
Full name Bozhidar Georgiev Iskrenov
Date of birth (1962-08-01) 1 August 1962
Place of birth Sofia, Bulgaria
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Attacking Midfielder
Youth career
1971–1979 Levski Sofia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1988 Levski Sofia 199 (40)
1989 Real Zaragoza 10 (1)
1989 Levski Sofia 9 (1)
1990–1991 Lausanne Sports 41 (7)
1991–1992 Botev Plovdiv 36 (4)
1993–1994 Shumen 17 (4)
1993 → CSKA Sofia (loan) 22 (7)
1995 Septemvri Sofia 10 (2)
1995–1997 Washington Warthogs 68 (19)
Total 412 (85)
National team
1982–1983 Bulgaria U21 7 (1)
1983–1993 Bulgaria 50 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
In this Eastern Slavic name, the patronymic is Georgiev and the family name is Iskrenov.

Iskrenov also had a brief film career. He appeared in the movie Manevri na petiya etazh as the elevator technician.

Career

A native of the capital Sofia, Iskrenov played for Levski between 1979 and 1989, scoring 41 goals in 208 matches.[1] He was then transferred to the Spanish Real Zaragoza in 1989-1990, but could not establish himself in the first team and went on as a Lausanne Sports player in Switzerland in 1990–1991.[1] Spells at Botev Plovdiv (1991–1992), CSKA Sofia and PFC Shumen (1994) followed, with Iskrenov ending his career at Septemvri Sofia (1994–1995).[1]

Iskrenov won the top Bulgarian league, the A PFG, three times (all with Levski): in 1984, 1985 and 1988, as well as the Bulgarian Cup in 1982, 1984 and 1986 (with Levski) and 1993 (with CSKA).[1] He played a total of 263 matches and scored 58 goals in the A PFG. A very skillful player, known for his feints as well as the ability to shoot with both legs,[2] Iskrenov was also nicknamed Radostta na naroda (Радостта на народа; "The Joy of the people").[1]

International career

For the Bulgaria national team, Bozhidar Iskrenov has 50 matches and 5 goals, debuting on 28 October 1981 in a 0–3 defeat by Brazil and retiring from international football on 12 May 1993 after a 2–2 draw between Bulgaria and Israel in Sofia.[1] He played at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, when Bulgaria reached the round of 16.

Honours
Club

Levski Sofia

International

Bulgaria

References
  1. "Честит рожден ден на Божидар Искренов". Bulgarian Football Union. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  2. "Божидар Искренов на 58!". levski.bg. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  • Paytashev, Rumen (2001). Svetovna Futbolna Entsiklopediya. Sofia: KK Trud. p. 187. ISBN 978-954-528-201-0.

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