Hristo Yovov

Hristo Georgiev Yovov (Bulgarian: Христо Георгиев Йовов) (born 4 November 1977) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He spent all of his club career in his native Bulgaria with the exception of his three shorter stays abroad with German club 1860 Munich and Cypriot sides Aris Limassol and Apollon Limassol. He made 29 appearances scoring 5 goals for the Bulgaria national team between 1998 and 2007.

Hristo Yovov
Hristo Yovov
Personal information
Full name Hristo Georgiev Yovov
Date of birth (1977-11-04) 4 November 1977
Place of birth Svoge, Bulgaria
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Levski Sofia 56 (19)
1998–1999 1860 Munich 9 (1)
1999 → Lokomotiv Sofia (loan) 12 (6)
2000–2004 Litex Lovech 96 (47)
2004–2007 Levski Sofia 63 (22)
2008 Aris Limassol 14 (1)
2008 Apollon Limassol 7 (2)
2009–2013 Levski Sofia 96 (32)
Total 353 (130)
National team
1998–2007 Bulgaria 29 (5)
Teams managed
2012–2013 Levski Sofia (assistant)
2013 Levski Sofia (sports-technical director)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Yovov started his career with Levski Sofia. In 1998, he moved to Bundesliga club 1860 Munich. After playing little in one season and a half, he returned to Bulgaria joining Lokomotiv Sofia on loan for the second half of the 1998–99 season. He signed with Litex Lovech where he scored 47 goals in 96 matches over four-and-a-half seasons. Halfway through the 2004–05 season he began a second, three-year stint at Levski Sofia. He spent the second half of the 2007–08 season and the first half of the 2008–09 seasons in Cyprus, with Aris Limassol and Apollon Limassol. In 2009 he returned to Levski Sofia once more playing three-and-a-half seasons before retiring in summer 2013.

Career

Early career

During the 1994–95 season, before his 18th birthday, Yovov made his senior debut for Levski Sofia. His first match for Levski in European tournament competitions was on 22 August 1995, in the 1–1 draw (after extra time) against Romanian team Dinamo București in a UEFA Cup match. He scored 19 goals in 56 matches, before he moved to 1860 Munich in January 1998. Yovov spent most of his time with the German side on the substitutes' bench, making for the year only nine Bundesliga appearances in the 1997–98 season. He made his debut in a 3–0 defeat to Hansa Rostock on 31 January 1998, coming on as a 59th-minute substitute for Horst Heldt[1] and scored his first – and only – goal for 1860 in a 5–1 away win over 1. FC Nürnberg on 3 October 1998.[2]

In January 1999, Yovov joined Lokomotiv Sofia on loan and quickly became part of the main team. He made his league debut for Lokomotiv against Litex Lovech on 26 February 1999, in a 1–0 home win. He scored his first competitive goal in a Lokomotiv shirt against Minyor Pernik on 6 March in a 5–1 away win.

Litex Lovech

In January 2000, Yovov joined Litex Lovech. On 4 March, he made his league debut in a 4–1 home win against Dobrudzha Dobrich. Two weeks later, Yovov scored his first goal for Litex in a 1–1 draw against Pirin Blagoevgrad. He scored 9 goals in 12 games for Litex in his first season.

In the following 2000–01 season, Yovov formed an impressive partnership with Zoran Janković, contributing 20 goals in all competitions. Litex won the Bulgarian Cup, with he scoring three goals in the tournament.

On 15 August 2002, Yovov scored his first-ever UEFA Cup goals, scoring twice in a 5–0 home win over Atlantas in their qualifying round first leg tie.[3]

Levski Sofia

On 2 December 2005, Yovov scored a brilliant winning goal in a 1–0 home win over Marseille, after which he was called "The Jeweler" by fans and journalists.[4] With Levski, he reached quarter-finals of UEFA Cup in 2005–06. The next season, Levski reached the group-stage of UEFA Champions League, becoming the first Bulgarian team to do so.

Aris Limassol

On 4 January 2008, Yovov joined Cypriot club Aris Limassol for a transfer fee of around €100,000.[5] He was transferred because he no longer featured in the coach's plans. Yovov made his Cypriot First Division debut for Aris in a 1–0 home loss against Ethnikos Achna on 12 January, coming on as a 17th-minute substitute for Laurențiu Diniță.[6] He played 14 games for the club, scoring once in a 2–1 home win over Enosis Neon Paralimni,[7] but Aris were relegated at the end of the season and his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

Apollon Limassol

On 3 June 2008, Yovov signed a two-year contract with Apollon Limassol[8] and scored his first goal in a 2–1 home loss against Anorthosis Famagusta on 23 November 2008.[9]

Return to Levski Sofia

On 2 February 2009, he officially joinеd Levski Sofia, taking the number 10 shirt. He made his second debut for Levski came on 4 March in a 2–0 win over Vihren Sandanski.

Yovov holds the record of the fastest goal ever scored in A PFG, scoring in the 19th second of the match against Lokomotiv Plovdiv.

Yovov became a Champion of Bulgaria in 2009. On 21 July 2009, Yovov opened his goal account for the new 2009–10 season in the second match of the second qualifying round of the Champions League, where Levski beat Sant Julià away, 5–0. On 18 December 2009, Yovov scored the winning goal in a game against Lazio in a UEFA Europa League match.

In the 2009–10 season, Levski achieved qualification for the Europa League by finishing third in the final league table. During the season, Yovov finished as topscorer for Levski with 13 goals in all competitions.

Levski started the 2010–11 season with a match against Dundalk in a second qualifying round for Europa League. Levski won the first match and the result was 6–0, with Yovov scoring in the 11th minute, Levski's first goal.

During the 2011–12 season, Yovov continued to be first choice for Levski, managing 8 goals in 23 A PFG appearances, but was sent off on two occasions – on 15 March 2012, in a Bulgarian Cup match against Lokomotiv Plovdiv, and on 2 April in a championship game against Ludogorets Razgrad.[10]

On 19 July 2012, Yovov played for Levski in the 1–0 home win over FK Sarajevo in a Europa League match and thus became the player with the most appearances for Bulgarian teams in European competitions, surpassing the record set by former Levski teammate Elin Topuzakov.[11] Yovov has participated in 66 matches for Bulgarian teams in European club tournaments (50 with Levski and 16 with Litex Lovech).[12] His milestone was itself eclipsed on 4 October 2018 when both Svetoslav Dyakov and Cosmin Moți played in Ludogorets' 0:1 away loss against FC Zürich in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.[13] On 6 May 2013, in the 2–1 home win over Minyor Pernik, Yovov made his 300th A PFG appearance.[14]

International career

Yovov earned his first cap for the Bulgaria national team on 10 March 1998, in the 2–0 away loss against Argentina in a friendly match, coming on as a late second half substitute for Marian Hristov.[15]

Political career

During the 2011 local elections in Bulgaria, Yovov was a mayoral candidate for his home town of Svoge, finishing in third place after the first election round.[16]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[17]
Club Season League Cups Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Levski Sofia 1994–95[18] A Group 001000–10
1995–96[18] A Group 25106130–3311
1996–97[18] A Group 2167300–289
1997–98[18] A Group 1133120–164
Total 561917550007824
1860 Munich 1997–98[19] Bundesliga 5000——50
1998–99[19] Bundesliga 4120——61
Total 91200000111
Lokomotiv Sofia (loan) 1998–99 A Group 126——156
Litex Lovech 1999–2000[20][19] A Group 12900129
2000–01[20][19] A Group 2017002017
2001–02[20][19] A Group 3112803912
2002–03[20][19] A Group 20742249
2003–04[20][19] A Group 401050
2004–05[20][19] A Group 9230129
Total 9647001620011249
Levski Sofia 2004–05[18] A Group 942000–114
2005–06[18] A Group 19420133–347
2006–07[18] A Group 24135190103914
2007–08[18] A Group 111102010151
Total 6322101243209926
Aris Limassol 2007–08 Cypriot First Division 141??——141
Apollon Limassol 2008–09 Cypriot First Division 72??——72
Levski Sofia 2008–09[18] A Group 1142000–134
2009–10[18] A Group 241100113–3514
2010–11[18] A Group 1670071–238
2011–12[18] A Group 2583020–308
2012–13[18] A Group 2026110–272
Total 96321112140012837
Career total 35313043766920464146

International goals
Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Yovov goal.[21][22]
List of international goals scored by Hristo Yovov
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.16 February 1999Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong Egypt1–31–3Carlsberg Cup
19 February 1999Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong Hong Kong League XI2–03–0 Carsberg Cup, considered unofficial friendly
3–0
2.3 March 1999Stadion Beroe, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria Slovakia2–02–0Friendly match
3.27 March 1999Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels, Belgium Belgium1–01–0Friendly match
4.14 November 2000Stade du 5 Juillet, Algiers, Algeria Algeria2–12–1Friendly match
5.6 February 2007GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Latvia2–02–0Friendly match

Awards

References
  1. "Hansa Rostock 3-0 1860 München". footballzz.com. 31 January 1998. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  2. "1. FC Nuremberg 1-5 1860 München". footballzz.com. 3 October 1998. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  3. "Five-star Litex sink Atlantas". uefa.com. 15 August 2002. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  4. "Yovov sends Levski through". uefa.com. 2 December 2005. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  5. "Yovov Signs with Aris Limassol". pfclevski.eu. 4 January 2008. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  6. "Йовов дебютира за Арис със загуба" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 12 January 2008. Archived from the original on 15 January 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  7. "Христо Йовов с първи гол за Арис" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 1 March 2008. Archived from the original on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  8. "Hristo Yovov Prefers Cyprus to FC Levski". standartnews.com. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  9. "Христо Йовов се разписа за Аполон при загуба от Анортозис" (in Bulgarian). btv.bg. 23 November 2008. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012.
  10. "Hristo Yovov match log". soccerway.com. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  11. "Йовов стана играчът с най-много участия за български отбори в евротурнирите" (in Bulgarian). stigabe.com. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  12. "Йовов счупи нов рекорд" (in Bulgarian). football24.bg. 20 July 2012. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  13. ""Лудогорец" загуби в Цюрих с гол в края на мача" (in Bulgarian). dariknews.bg. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  14. "Левски" продължава да мечтае след уникална драма с "Миньор", вездесъщ холандец носи нов успех на "сините"" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  15. "Match log for Hristo Yovov". eu-football.info. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  16. ЦИК - Резултати за община Своге Archived 6 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  17. "Hristo Yovov UEFA Career Statistics". uefa.com. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  18. "Hristo Yovov Career Stats" (in Bulgarian). levskisofia.info. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  19. "Hristo Yovov » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  20. Hristo Yovov at National-Football-Teams.com
  21. "Hristo Yovov - matches and goals for Bulgaria". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  22. Filipov, Georgi (6 March 1999). "Херо: по-добрата схема 4-4-2". capital.bg. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
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