Nasko Sirakov

Nasko Petkov Sirakov (Bulgarian: Наско Петков Сираков; born 26 April 1962) is a retired Bulgarian footballer who played mainly as a striker. He is currently the major shareholder of Levski Sofia.

Nasko Sirakov
Personal information
Full name Nasko Petkov Sirakov
Date of birth (1962-04-26) 26 April 1962
Place of birth Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1975–1980 Levski Sofia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980 Levski Sofia 3 (0)
1980–1981 Spartak Varna 21 (4)
1981–1982 Haskovo 35 (8)
1983–1988 Levski Sofia 131 (89)
1988–1990 Real Zaragoza 41 (10)
1990–1991 Espanyol 24 (3)
1991–1992 Levski Sofia 27 (26)
1992 Lens 11 (3)
1993–1994 Levski Sofia 57 (51)
1995 Botev Plovdiv 20 (4)
1995–1998 Slavia Sofia 36 (19)
Total 406 (217)
National team
1983–1996 Bulgaria 78 (24)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Part of the Bulgarian team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup as it finished fourth, he was one of the most important footballers in the country in the 1980s/1990s, being a legend at Levski Sofia, a club he represented in four different spells.

Having surpassed the 200-goal mark as a professional – he was crowned the country's top division topscorer four times – Sirakov also worked with his main club in directorial capacities.

Club career

Born in Stara Zagora, the son of professional wrestler Petko Sirakov, Sirakov started playing as a striker, playing three games for Levski Sofia's first team in 1980, having joined the club's youth system at the age of 13. In the following years, he developed his game with Spartak Varna and lowly Haskovo, returning to Levski after two seasons (he also played briefly for the latter club in the 1982–83 season).

In his second stint at Levski, Sirakov began appearing regularly, scoring 14 goals in only 19 matches in 1984–85 A Group, as the team won the league. From 1986–88, with the club now renamed Vitosha, he helped to another championship, as well as leading the goal charts in both seasons, scoring 64 goals combined – 36 in just 30 matches in the first year, although the championship was eventually lost to CSKA Sofia, by three points. During this spell, he also won two Bulgarian Cups with the club.

Sirakov moved abroad for the first time in 1988, playing for the following three years in La Liga, with Real Zaragoza and RCD Español. Subsequently, he returned to Levski: in the first season upon his return, he netted 26 times in 27 matches, but the club again lost to CSKA.

In the summer of 1992, the 30-year-old Sirakov signed with Ligue 1 club RC Lens, but returned to his main club in the following transfer window, helping it to three consecutive league wins, whilst being crowned the competition's top scorer on another two occasions. He finished the 1994–95 season with Botev Plovdiv, still contributing decisively in Levski's championship win, scoring 12 in only 10 matches.

Sirakov closed his career at the age of 36, after three years with Slavia Sofia, winning a double in 1995–96 season. During his career in his country, he amassed totals of 294 matches and 196 goals in the top division, the second best achievement after Petar Zhekov; only with his main club, Levski, he scored 165 times in 205 games, a club record.

Sirakov briefly managed Slavia Sofia in 1997. In the following decade, he worked as director of football for Levski, being fired on 7 May 2008, and being succeeded by former club and national teammate Daniel Borimirov.[2]

International career

Sirakov was also a regular for Bulgaria during 13 years, making his debut on 7 August 1983, against Algeria.

He represented the nation at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico – scoring against Italy in the group stage (1–1) and helping the national team to the round of 16 – and at the 1994 World Cup in the United States: during the latter, as Bulgaria finished in a best-ever fourth position, he played in all the matches, scoring against Argentina for a 2–0 group stage win, also earning penalties against Greece and in the semifinal loss against Italy.[3]

Aged 34, Sirakov was also picked for UEFA Euro 1996 in England, playing the last of his 78 matches (24 goals) on 13 June, against Romania, after replacing Lyuboslav Penev in a 1–0 win.[4] Immediately after retiring from international play, Sirakov served as assistant to the national team, appearing with it at the 1998 World Cup.

Career statistics

National team
Bulgaria senior team
YearAppsGoals
198351
198431
198561
1986115
198763
198841
198900
199021
199153
199272
199342
1994132
199571
199651
Total7824

International goals
Nasko Sirakov: International Goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.7 September 1983Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo Norway1–21–2Euro 1984 qualification
2.5 December 1984Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Luxembourg1–04–01986 World Cup qualification
3.2 May 1985Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia France2–02–01986 World Cup qualification
4.9 April 1986Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Denmark1–03–0Friendly
5.9 April 1986Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Denmark2–03–0Friendly
6.31 May 1986Estadio Azteca, Mexico City Italy1–11–11986 World Cup
7.29 October 1986Stade El Menzah, Tunis Tunisia3–23–3Friendly
8.29 October 1986Stade El Menzah, Tunis Tunisia3–33–3Friendly
9.30 April 1987Stade Municipal, Luxembourg City Luxembourg0–21–4Euro 1988 qualification
10.20 May 1987Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Luxembourg1–03–0Euro 1988 qualification
11.23 September 1987Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Belgium1–02–0Euro 1988 qualification
12.23 March 1988Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Czechoslovakia1–02–0Friendly
13.17 October 1990Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest Romania0–10–3Euro 1992 qualification
14.1 May 1991Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Switzerland2–02–3Euro 1992 qualification
15.22 May 1991San Marino Stadium, Serravalle San Marino0–20–3Euro 1992 qualification
16.20 November 1991Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Romania1–11–1Euro 1992 qualification
17.28 April 1992Wankdorf Stadium, Bern  Switzerland0–10–2Friendly
18.2 December 1992Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan Israel0–10–21994 World Cup qualification
19.20 February 1993Dubai United Arab Emirates0–11–3Friendly
20.12 May 1993Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Israel2–22–21994 World Cup qualification
21.3 June 1994Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia Ukraine1–01–1Friendly
22.30 June 1994Cotton Bowl, Dallas Argentina0–20–21994 World Cup
23.14 February 1995Estadio Malvinas, Mendoza Argentina2–14–1Friendly
24.2 June 1996Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia United Arab Emirates4–14–1Friendly

Honours

Club
Levski Sofia
Slavia Sofia

International
Bulgaria

Individual

Personal life

Sirakov is married to Iliana Raeva, a distinguished Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. They have two daughters, named Slaveya and Violeta.[5] His father, the wrestler Petko Sirakov, was the first world champion from Bulgaria.

References
  1. "Профил на Наско Сираков". slava.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  2. Levski Sofia fires coach, executive director; The Sofia Echo, 7 May 2008
  3. Nasko Sirakov – FIFA competition record
  4. Календар: През 2001 г. Наско Сираков става треньор на Левски; Focus Sport, 18 September 2012
  5. Dimitrov, Georgi (4 September 2006). "Жените, без които Сираков не може. Славея обещава внуци на синия шеф, Виолета мечтае за собствена банка". 7sport.net. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
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