Vančo Trajanov

Vančo Trajanov (Macedonian: Ванчо Трајанов; born 9 August 1978) is a former Macedonian footballer who played as a midfielder.

Vančo Trajanov
Vančo Trajanov in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth (1978-08-09) 9 August 1978
Place of birth Delčevo, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Bregalnica Delčevo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Pelister 1 (0)
1999–2000 Napredok 15 (1)
2000–2001 Velbazhd Kyustendil 25 (3)
2001–2004 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 72 (4)
2004–2006 Arminia Bielefeld 1 (0)
2006–2009 Chernomorets Burgas 59 (1)
2009–2010 Maccabi Petah Tikva 21 (0)
2010–2012 Minyor Pernik 50 (2)
2013–2014 Chernomorets Burgas 37 (1)
2014–2018 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 95 (1)
2018–2019 Oborishte 6 (0)
Total 382 (13)
National team
2001–2009 Macedonia 36 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He was the first – and, to date, only – non-Bulgarian to have made more than 300 Bulgarian First League appearances (making him the highest-appearing non-Bulgarian in the First League's history). At international level, Trajanov played for the Macedonian national team 35 times between 2001 and 2009.

Club career

Trajanov began his career in FK Bregalnica Delčevo.

In 2002, Trajanov was signed by fellow Bulgarian A Group club Lokomotiv Plovdiv with whom he would win the league in the season of 2003–04.

After success in Bulgaria, he moved to Germany to play for Arminia Bielefeld but failed to establish himself within the first team. Trajanov made his début for Arminia in a 4–2 win over 1. FC Köln II in the DFB-Pokal on 21 September 2004, coming on as a substitute. He made his Bundesliga début on 12 December 2004 as a second-half substitute in a 5–0 defeat to VfL Wolfsburg at Volkswagen Arena. This was to be his last appearance for Arminia.

In October 2006, Trajanov returned to Bulgaria to play for Chernomorets Burgas.[1] For two-and-a-half seasons, he earned 59 appearances and scored one goal in a 1–0 home win against Marek Dupnitsa on 26 October 2007.[2]

On 15 September 2010, Trajanov joined Minyor Pernik; fourth Bulgarian team in his career.[3] At the start of the 2012–13 season he was selected as the new team captain. On 6 November 2012, Trajanov dissolved his contract due to financial reasons.[4]

On 8 January 2013, Trajanov re-signed for Chernomorets Burgas on a free transfer.[5] On 20 February 2017, he reached a historic milestone - Trajanov became the first foreign player to appear in 300 matches in the top Bulgarian division. Serbian Nebojša Jelenković (with 293 games) is in second place among foreign footballers.[6]

On 14 June 2018, Trajanov announced his retirement as an active footballer,[7] though he subsequently made a few appearances for Oborishte.

International career

He made his senior debut for Macedonia in a June 2001 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Moldova in Skopje. On 16 October 2002, Trajanov scored goal during Macedonia's Euro 2004 qualifying match against England at St Mary's Stadium, which finished 2–2.[8] In all Trajanov gained 36 caps, making his final appearance for Macedonia in the 4–0 loss against Netherlands on 1 April 2009.[9][10]

Vančo Trajanov: International Goals
#DateVenueOpponentResultCompetition
1.5 September 2001Baku, Azerbaijan Azerbaijan1–1World Cup 2002 Qual.
2.16 October 2002Southampton, England England2–2UEFA Euro 2004 Qual.

Honours

Club

Lokomotiv Plovdiv

References
  1. "Ванчо Траянов: Дойдох в Черноморец заради Херо" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 24 November 2006. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  2. "Chernomorets 1–0 Marek". guardian.co.uk. 26 October 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  3. "Миньор привлече Ванчо Траянов" (in Bulgarian). football24.bg. 15 September 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  4. "Ванчо Траянов разтрогна с Миньор" (in Bulgarian). novsport.com. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  5. "Ванчо Траянов в Черноморец" (in Bulgarian). football24.bg. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  6. "Ванчо Траянов е първият чужденец с 300 мача в елита". sport.marica.bg (in Bulgarian). 13 May 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  7. "Ванчо Траянов сложи край на своята състезателна кариера" (in Bulgarian). lokomotivpd.com. 14 June 2018.
  8. "Macedonia hold ragged England". bbc.co.uk. 16 October 2002. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  9. "Netherlands 4–0 Macedonia". soccerway.com. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  10. "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
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