Strahil Popov

Strahil Venkov Popov (Bulgarian: Страхил Попов; born 31 August 1990) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays for Turkish club Hatayspor and the Bulgarian national team. He mainly plays as a right back.

In this Eastern Slavic name, the patronymic is Venkov and the family name is Popov.
Strahil Popov
Personal information
Full name Strahil Venkov Popov[1]
Date of birth (1990-08-31) 31 August 1990
Place of birth Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Right back
Club information
Current team
 Hatayspor
Number 90
Youth career
Pirin Blagoevgrad
Pirin 2001
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2016 Litex Lovech 138 (6)
2009 → Lokomotiv Mezdra (loan) 14 (0)
2010 → Montana (loan) 2 (0)
2016–2019 Kasımpaşa 125 (1)
2020– Hatayspor 36 (0)
National team‡
2008 Bulgaria U19 3 (0)
2009–2012 Bulgaria U21 3 (0)
2014– Bulgaria 34 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 January 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:44, 18 November 2020 (UTC)

Popov began his professional career at Litex Lovech in 2008. After loan spells at Lokomotiv Mezdra and Montana he became a regular in their team, playing 159 total games and scoring 6 goals for Litex. He signed for Kasımpaşa in January 2016.

Popov is a Bulgaria international, having represented his country at under-19 and under-21 level. He made his senior international debut in May 2014, aged 23, in a friendly match against Canada.

Club career

Born in Blagoevgrad, Popov began his career playing for Pirin Blagoevgrad before departing for Pirin 2001.[2]

Litex Lovech

In 2008, Popov joined Litex Lovech.[3]

Lokomotiv Mezdra (loan)

On 9 July 2009, Popov joined Lokomotiv Mezdra on loan until December 2009.[4] He made his team début on 10 July, scoring goal in a 1–2 friendly loss against Sivasspor.

Montana (loan)

On 18 January 2010, Popov was loaned out to Montana for the rest of the season.[5] He made his competitive debut on 20 March in a 0–0 home league draw against Litex, coming on as a second-half substitute, and participated in only one more game to the end of the season.

Return to Litex

Popov returned to Litex at the end of the 2009–10 season. He played only three league games during a following campaign and became a regular first team player in the 2011–12 season. On 21 March 2012, Popov was sent off for the first time in his professional career in a 1–1 away draw against Beroe Stara Zagora.

On 21 July 2013, Popov scored his first goal for Litex, with a header, netting the third in a 4–1 home win over Neftochimic Burgas. He then scored the winning goal in Litex's 2–1 away win against Slavia Sofia on 7 December.

On 3 August 2014, Popov was announced as Litex's new club captain.[6] Six days later, he added his third goal for Litex against Botev Plovdiv in a 3–3 away draw.

Kasımpaşa

On 5 January 2016, he moved to the Turkish Süper Lig team Kasımpaşa for a reported fee of €750 000. He was given the number 90 jersey.[7]

On 27 October 2017, he scored his first league goal in a match against Göztepe.[8]

International career

After first being called up for a friendly match against Belarus in March 2014, but remaining an unused substitute,[9] Popov made his debut for the national side on 23 May 2014, in the 1–1 draw with Canada.[10] He played as a starter on 10 October 2015, in the 0-3 loss against Croatia in a Euro 2016 qualifier, remaining on the pitch for the full 90 minutes.[11]

On 13 October 2018, he provided 2 decisive assist in a 2–1 home win against Cyprus, in a match for the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League. He became second top assistant with 4 assists in all over group in the competition.[12]

Statistics

Club
As of 25 December 2019[13]
Club performanceLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
ClubLeagueSeasonAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
BulgariaLeagueBulgarian CupEuropeOther[lower-alpha 1]Total
Litex Lovech A Group 2008–09 300000–30
Lokomotiv Mezdra (loan) 2009–10 14000––140
Montana (loan) 2000––20
Litex Lovech 2010–11 300000–30
2011–12 180200010210
2012–13 27030––300
2013–14 37230––402
2014–15 3134040–393
2015–16 1912020–231
Total 138614060101596
TurkeyLeagueTurkish CupEuropeOther[lower-alpha 2]Total
Kasımpaşa Süper Lig 2015–16 13000––130
2016–17 33071––401
2017–18 32100––321
2018–19 33030––360
2019–20 14000––140
Total 125110100001352
Career statistics280725160103128

International
As of 22 November 2018
Team Year Tournament Friendly Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bulgaria
2014 001010
2015 100010
2016 404080
2017 600060
2018 402060
Total 15070220
Career total 21080290
  1. Includes Bulgarian Supercup matches.
  2. Includes Turkish Super Cup matches.

Awards

Club
Litex Lovech

Individual

References
  1. "European Championship 2020: Booking List before Qualifying Round Matchday 10" (PDF). UEFA. 17 November 2019. p. 1. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  2. "Интервю със Страхил Попов от Литекс" (in Bulgarian). fmbulgaria.com.
  3. "Stats Centre: Strahil Popov Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-03-30.
  4. "Литекс даде Страхил Попов на Локо (Мездра)" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 9 July 2009.
  5. "Младежки национал от Литекс под наем в Монтана" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 18 January 2010.
  6. "Страхил Попов е новият капитан на Литекс" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 3 August 2014.
  7. Капитанът на Литекс подписа с турски отбор
  8. Страхил Попов с важен гол за Касъмпаша
  9. "Националите тренираха в пълен състав, "лъвовете" ще тренират и преди мача с Беларус" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 4 March 2014.
  10. "Bulgaria vs. Canada 1-1". flashscore.com. 23 May 2014.
  11. "Ново начало? Хърватия ни развинти за 3:0" (in Bulgarian). news7.bg. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  12. Страхил Попов изпревари едни от най-големите европейски звезди в Лигата на нациите
  13. Popov Stats
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