Bulgaria at the FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup, sometimes called the Football World Cup or the Soccer World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946, due to World War II.

The tournament consists of two parts, the qualification phase and the final phase (officially called the World Cup Finals). The qualification phase, which currently take place over the three years preceding the Finals, is used to determine which teams qualify for the Finals. The current format of the Finals involves 32 teams competing for the title, at venues within the host nation (or nations) over a period of about a month. The World Cup Finals is the most widely viewed sporting event in the world, with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the 2006 tournament final.

Bulgaria have appeared in the finals of the FIFA World Cup on seven occasions, the first being at the 1962 FIFA World Cup. They appeared in the FIFA World Cup subsequently in 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986, 1994 and 1998. Their best performance was in 1994, where they finished in fourth place. They have failed to qualify for a FIFA World Cup since 1998.

Record at the FIFA World Cup

Bulgaria's first appearance at the World Cup was at the seventh edition of the tournament in 1962. Between 1962 and 1974, they participated at four consecutive World Cup tournaments but did not survive the first round. Their best result followed in 1994, where they reached the semi-finals.

FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Position Pld W D L GF GA
1930 Did not enter Was not invited
1934 Did not qualify 3rd 3 0 0 3 3 14
1938 2nd 2 0 1 1 1 7
1950 Did not enter -
1954 Did not qualify 3rd 4 0 1 3 3 7
1958 2nd 4 2 0 2 11 7
1962 Group stage 13th 3 0 1 2 1 7 1st 5 4 0 1 7 4
1966 12th 3 0 0 3 1 8 1st 5 4 0 1 11 7
1970 12th 3 0 1 2 5 9 1st 6 4 1 1 12 7
1974 11th 3 0 2 1 2 5 1st 6 4 2 0 13 3
1978 Did not qualify 2nd 4 1 2 1 5 6
1982 3rd 8 4 1 3 11 10
1986 Round of 16 10th 4 0 2 2 2 6 2nd 8 5 1 2 13 5
1990 Did not qualify 4th 6 1 1 4 6 8
1994 Fourth Place 4th 7 3 1 3 10 11 2nd 10 6 2 2 19 10
1998 Group stage 22nd 3 0 1 2 1 7 1st 8 6 0 2 18 9
2002 Did not qualify 3rd 10 5 2 3 14 15
2006 3rd 10 4 3 3 17 17
2010 3rd 10 3 5 2 17 13
2014 4th 10 3 4 3 14 9
2018 4th 10 4 1 5 14 19
2022 To be determined To be determined
2026 To be determined To be determined
Total Fourth Place 7/21 26 3 8 15 22 53 Total 129 60 27 42 209 177
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks

By Match
World Cup Round Opponent Score Result Venue Scorers
1962Group stage Argentina0–1LRancagua—
 Hungary1–6LRancaguaG. Sokolov
 England0–0DRancagua—
1966Group stage Brazil0–2LLiverpool—
 Portugal0–3LManchester—
 Hungary1–3LManchesterG. Asparuhov
1970Group stage Peru2–3LLeónD. Dermendzhiev, H. Bonev
 West Germany2–5LLeónA. Nikodimov, T. Kolev
 Morocco1–1DLeónD. Zhechev
1974Group stage Sweden0–0DDüsseldorf—
 Uruguay1–1DHanoverH. Bonev
 Netherlands1–4LDortmundR. Krol (o.g.)
1986Group stage Italy1–1DMexico CityN. Sirakov
 South Korea1–1DMexico CityP. Getov
 Argentina0–2LMexico City—
Round of 16 Mexico0–2LMexico City—
1994Group stage Nigeria0–3LDallas—
 Greece4–0WChicagoH. Stoichkov (2), Y. Letchkov, D. Borimirov
 Argentina2–0WDallasH. Stoichkov, N. Sirakov
Round of 16 Mexico1–1 (a.e.t.)
(3–1 pen.)		DEast RutherfordH. Stoichkov
Quarter-finals Germany2–1WEast RutherfordH. Stoichkov, Y. Letchkov
Semi-finals Italy1–2LEast RutherfordH. Stoichkov
Third place play-off Sweden0–4LPasadena—
1998Group stage Paraguay0–0DMontpellier—
 Nigeria0–1LParis—
 Spain1–6LLensE. Kostadinov

Record by Opponent
FIFA World Cup matches (by team)
Opponent Wins Draws Losses Total Goals Scored Goals Conceded
 Argentina102323
 Brazil001102
 England010100
 Germany100121
 Greece100140
 Hungary002229
 Italy011223
 Mexico011213
 Morocco010111
 Netherlands001114
 Nigeria002204
 Paraguay010100
 Peru001123
 Portugal001103
 South Korea010111
 Spain001116
 Sweden011204
 Uruguay010111
 West Germany001125

Tournament Summary

1962 FIFA World Cup
Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
 Hungary 3 2 1 0 8 2 4.000 5
 England 3 1 1 1 4 3 1.333 3
 Argentina 3 1 1 1 2 3 0.667 3
 Bulgaria 3 0 1 2 1 7 0.143 1
Source:
Argentina 1–0 Bulgaria
Facundo  4' Report
Attendance: 7,134
Hungary 6–1 Bulgaria
Albert  1', 6', 53'
Tichy  8', 70'
Solymosi  12'		 Report Sokolov  64'[1]
Attendance: 7,442
England 0–0 Bulgaria
Report
Attendance: 5,700

1966 FIFA World Cup
Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
 Portugal 3 3 0 0 9 2 4.500 6
 Hungary 3 2 0 1 7 5 1.400 4
 Brazil 3 1 0 2 4 6 0.667 2
 Bulgaria 3 0 0 3 1 8 0.125 0
Source:
Brazil 2–0 Bulgaria
Pelé  15'
Garrincha  63'		 Report
Attendance: 48,000
Portugal 3–0 Bulgaria
Vutsov  17' (o.g.)
Eusébio  38'
Torres  81'		 Report
Attendance: 26,000
Referee: José María Codesal (Uruguay)
Hungary 3–1 Bulgaria
Davidov  43' (o.g.)
Mészöly  45'
Bene  54'		 Report Asparuhov  15'
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Roberto Goicoechea (Argentina)

1970 FIFA World Cup
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 West Germany 3 3 0 0 10 4 +6 6
 Peru 3 2 0 1 7 5 +2 4
 Bulgaria 3 0 1 2 5 9 −4 1
 Morocco 3 0 1 2 2 6 −4 1
Source:

All times local (UTC−6)

Peru 3–2 Bulgaria
Gallardo  50'
Chumpitaz  55'
Cubillas  73'		 Report Dermendzhiev  13'
Bonev  49'
Attendance: 13,765

Assistant referees:
Abel Aguilar Elizalde (Mexico)
Yoshiyuki Maruyama (Japan)

Bulgaria 2–5 West Germany
Nikodimov  12'
Kolev  89'		 Report Libuda  20'
Müller  27', 52' (pen.), 88'
Seeler  67'
Attendance: 12,710
Referee: José María Ortiz de Mendibil (Spain)

Assistant referees:
Guillermo Velasquez (Colombia)
Antonio Saldanha Ribeiro (Portugal)

Bulgaria 1–1 Morocco
Zhechev  40' Report Ghazouani  61'
Attendance: 12,299
Referee: Antonio Ribeiro Saldanha (Portugal)

Assistant referees:
Tofiq Bahramov (Soviet Union)
Laurens van Ravens (Netherlands)

1974 FIFA World Cup
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Netherlands 3 2 1 0 6 1 +5 5
 Sweden 3 1 2 0 3 0 +3 4
 Bulgaria 3 0 2 1 2 5 −3 2
 Uruguay 3 0 1 2 1 6 −5 1
Source:
Sweden 0–0 Bulgaria
Report
Attendance: 22,500
Referee: Edison Perez Nunez (Peru)
 Bulgaria1–1Uruguay 
Bonev  75' Report Pavoni  87'
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Jack Taylor (England)
Netherlands 4–1 Bulgaria
Neeskens  5' (pen.), 44' (pen.)
Rep  71'
de Jong  88'		 Report Krol  78' (o.g.)
Attendance: 52,100

1986 FIFA World Cup

Bulgaria qualified for the World Cup in Mexico by finishing second in Group Four, behind France with 11 points, but worse goal difference, ahead of the teams of Yugoslavia, East Germany, and Luxembourg. This was their fifth World Cup appearance. They were drawn in Group A with Italy, Argentina, and South Korea. In the opening match of the World Cup, the Bulgarians held the defending champions Italy to a 1–1 draw. Alessandro Altobelli gave the Italians the lead, but an 85th-minute equalizer by Nasko Sirakov gave the Bulgarians the point. The next match was another 1–1 draw against South Korea with the goal for Bulgaria coming from Plamen Getov in the 11th minute. They lost the final match of the group 2–0 against Argentina, who ended up winning the tournament. Despite not recording a win, the Bulgarians advanced to the knockout stage by being the third-best third placed team. That way, Bulgaria and also Uruguay became the first nations to qualify for the knockout stage without winning a game in the first round. In the Round of 16, they faced World Cup hosts Mexico and lost the match 2–0. Ivan Vutsov was the manager of the team.

Bulgaria 1–1 Italy
Sirakov  85' Report Altobelli  43'
Attendance: 96,000
South Korea 1–1 Bulgaria
Kim Jong-boo  70' Report Getov  11'
Attendance: 45,000
Argentina 2–0 Bulgaria
Valdano  3'
Burruchaga  76'		 Report
Attendance: 65,000
Mexico 2–0 Bulgaria
Negrete  34'
Servín  61'		 Report
Attendance: 114,580

1994 FIFA World Cup

Certainly one of the most important dates in Bulgarian football history is 17 November 1993, when Emil Kostadinov scored two goals to beat France in Paris, allowing Bulgaria to qualify for the World Cup in the United States in 1994. Under the management of Dimitar Penev, the Bulgarians, led by players such as Hristo Stoichkov, Yordan Letchkov, and Krasimir Balakov — along with a multitude of other talented players remembered in Bulgaria as the "Golden Generation" — made a strong impression by reaching the semi-finals. They entered Group D with Argentina, Nigeria, and Greece. Before that, the Bulgarians hadn't won a single match in five World Cup finals appearances. The first match ended with a 3–0 defeat by Nigeria. Despite the bad start, the team won 4–0 against World Cup-debuting featherweights Greece and 2–0 against Argentina. Argentina had actually been winning the group going into injury-time. A 91st-minute strike from Nasko Sirakov, however, meant that they dropped two places and finished third. Bulgaria continued to the next round, where they faced Mexico. The match ended 1–1 and after no goals were scored in extra time, penalties would decide which team would go through. Team captain Borislav Mikhailov made a good performance saving two of the penalty kicks. Bulgaria won 3–1 on penalties with Mihaylov becoming the hero for the Bulgarian team. In the quarter-finals, Bulgaria faced Germany. Lothar Matthäus scored from a penalty. The Bulgarians, however, managed to turn the game over with two goals by Hristo Stoichkov and Yordan Letchkov, giving them a 2–1 win and recording one of the most memorable wins for the team. Millions of Bulgarians celebrated this win in the Bulgarian capital city of Sofia and other Bulgarian cities. Having reached the semi-finals, this was the best Bulgarian performance in the World Cup. In the semi-finals, they lost 2–1 to Italy. The third-place match was lost to Sweden, 4–0, and Bulgaria eventually finished in fourth place. Hristo Stoichkov was awarded the Golden Boot as the top scorer in the tournament with six goals (shared with Oleg Salenko). Krasimir Balakov was named in the all-star team along with Stoichkov. Starting 11: GK-Mihaylov(c); RB-Kiryakov/Kremenliev, CB/SW-Hubchev, CB-Ivanov, LB-Tsvetanov; DM-Yankov, CM-Lechkov, CM-Balakov, AM/CF-Sirakov/Borimirov; CF/RW-Kostadinov, CF/LW-Stoichkov.[2][3]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Nigeria 3 2 0 1 6 2 +4 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Bulgaria 3 2 0 1 6 3 +3 6
3  Argentina 3 2 0 1 6 3 +3 6
4  Greece 3 0 0 3 0 10 −10 0
Source: FIFA

All times local (EDT/UTC–4, CDT/UTC–5, PDT/UTC–7)

Nigeria 3–0 Bulgaria
Yekini  21'
Amokachi  43'
Amuneke  55'		 Report
Attendance: 44,132

Assistant referees:
Gordon Dunster (Australia)
Eugene Brazzale (Australia)
Fourth official:
Ali Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)

Bulgaria 4–0 Greece
Stoichkov  5' (pen.), 55' (pen.)
Letchkov  65'
Borimirov  90'		 Report
Attendance: 63,160

Assistant referees:
Abdulla Al Ghattan (Bahrain)
Raimundo Calix Garcia (Honduras)
Fourth official:
Arturo Angeles (United States)

Argentina 0–2 Bulgaria
Report Stoichkov  61'
Sirakov  90'
Attendance: 63,998
Referee: Neji Jouini (Tunisia)

Assistant referees:
Tapio Yli-Karro (Finland)
El Jilali Rharib (Morocco)
Fourth official:
Lim Kee Chong (Mauritius)

Mexico 1 – 1
(a.e.t.)		 Bulgaria
García Aspe  18' (pen.) Report Stoichkov  6'
Penalties
García Aspe
Bernal
Rodríguez
Suárez 		1–3 Balakov
Guentchev
Borimirov
Letchkov
Attendance: 71,030
Bulgaria 2–1 Germany
Stoichkov  75'
Letchkov  78'		 Report Matthäus  47' (pen.)
Attendance: 72,000
Bulgaria 1–2 Italy
Stoichkov  44' (pen.) Report R. Baggio  21', 25'
Attendance: 74,110
Sweden 4–0 Bulgaria
Brolin  8'
Mild  30'
Larsson  37'
K. Andersson  40'		 Report
Attendance: 91,500

1998 FIFA World Cup

Bulgaria qualified for the World Cup in France by finishing first in the Group 5, followed by Russia. They entered the competition with a new manager Hristo Bonev, since Dimitar Penev was sacked after Euro 1996. Bulgaria drew Spain, Nigeria, and Paraguay in Group D. The first match ended in a 0–0 goalless draw against Paraguay. In the second match, the Bulgarians lost 1–0 for a second-straight World Cup to Nigeria. The final match ended with a disappointing 6–1 defeat to Spain. Following the bad results, Bulgaria finished fourth in the group, with only one point, and didn't go through the next round. This was the last major appearance at World Cup level for Bulgaria.

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Nigeria 3 2 0 1 5 5 0 6
 Paraguay 3 1 2 0 3 1 +2 5
 Spain 3 1 1 1 8 4 +4 4
 Bulgaria 3 0 1 2 1 7 −6 1
Source:
Paraguay 0–0 Bulgaria
Report
Attendance: 27,650

Assistant referees:
Achmat Salie (South Africa)
Hussain Ghadanfari (Kuwait)
Fourth official:
Nikolai Levnikov (Russia)

Nigeria 1–0 Bulgaria
Ikpeba  26' Report
Attendance: 45,500

Assistant referees:
Jorge Diaz Galvez (Chile)
Arnaldo Pinto (Brazil)
Fourth official:
Marcio Rezende (Brazil)

Spain 6–1 Bulgaria
Hierro  5' (pen.)
Luis Enrique  18'
Morientes  53', 80'
Kiko  88', 90'		 Report Kostadinov  56'
Attendance: 38,100

Assistant referees:
Nicolae Grigorescu (Romania)
Claudio Rossi (Argentina)
Fourth official:
Nikolai Levnikov (Russia)

Record players
No. Name Matches World Cups
1 Borislav Mikhailov111986 and 1994
Nasko Sirakov111986 and 1994
3 Krasimir Balakov101994 and 1998
Emil Kostadinov101994 and 1998
Hristo Stoichkov101994 and 1998
6 Dimitar Penev91966, 1970 and 1974
Trifon Ivanov91994 and 1998
8Zlatko Yankov81994 and 1998
9 Georgi Asparuhov71962, 1966 and 1970
Petar Houbchev71994
Yordan Letchkov71994
Daniel Borimirov71994 and 1998
Ivaylo Yordanov71994 and 1998

Top goalscorers
No. Name Goals World Cups
1Hristo Stoichkov61994
2 Hristo Bonev21970 and 1974
Nasko Sirakov21986 and 1994
Yordan Letchkov21994
5 Georgi Sokolov11962
Georgi Asparuhov11966
Dinko Dermendzhiev11970
Todor Kolev11970
Asparuh Nikodimov11970
Dobromir Zhechev11970
Plamen Getov11986
Daniel Borimirov11994
Emil Kostadinov11998

Individual Awards

References
  1. RSSSF credits this goal to Georgi Asparuhov.
  2. "WORLD CUP '94; Bulgaria, a Small Foot in Soccer, Steps Closer to Glass Slipper – New York Times". Germany; Bulgaria: Nytimes.com. 1994-07-11. Retrieved 2014-03-09.
  3. "Bulgaria: Can Soccer Success Mean Business? – Baltimore Sun". Articles.baltimoresun.com. 1994-07-31. Retrieved 2014-03-09.
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