Kristian Dimitrov

Kristian Dimitrov (Bulgarian: Кристиан Димитров; born 27 February 1997) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who currently plays as a defender for Hajduk Split in the Prva HNL.[1]

Kristian Dimitrov
Personal information
Full name Kristian Traychev Dimitrov
Date of birth (1997-02-27) 27 February 1997
Place of birth Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Club information
Current team
 Hajduk Split
Number 5
Youth career
2005–2013 Lokomotiv Plovdiv
2013–2016 Botev Plovdiv
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Botev Plovdiv 64 (5)
2018 → Montana (loan) 13 (1)
2020– Hajduk Split 26 (2)
National team‡
2016 Bulgaria U19 3 (0)
2017–2018 Bulgaria U21 3 (0)
2019– Bulgaria 12 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 November 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 November 2020

Club career

Botev Plovdiv

In the summer of 2013, Dimitrov joined Botev Plovdiv at under-17 level from Lokomotiv Plovdiv and progressed through the club's academy system.[2]

Dimitrov made his first-team debut on 13 March 2016, when he came off the bench to replace Serkan Yusein in the 81st minute of a 3–1 league win over Cherno More Varna.[3] His first senior goal came in the last round of the 2015–16 season; he scored the second goal in a 2–1 win over Ludogorets Razgrad on 27 May.[4]

Dimitrov began to establish himself in the Botev first team from the 2016–17 season, making eight league starts. On 8 June 2017, he signed a new two-year contract with the club.[5]

On 5 February 2018, Dimitrov joined Second League club Montana on loan for the remainder of the 2017–18 season.[6] He made 13 appearances in total. His only goal came on 5 May 2018 when he opened the scoring in a 2–0 away win over Botev Galabovo.[7]

In June 2018, Dimitrov returned to Botev and continued his progress during 2018–19, becoming a regular in the defence. On 24 April 2019, he scored a last-minute goal against CSKA Sofia, bringing the score to 3:3 and enabling his team (which had been reduced to nine men) to progress to the final of the Bulgarian Cup 6:5 on aggregate.[8]

Hajduk Split

On 11 February 2020, it was announced that Dimitrov had signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Hajduk Split.[9][10]

International career

In May 2019, following his good performances for Botev, Dimitrov was called up to the national team by new manager Krasimir Balakov. On 7 June 2019, he made his debut, playing the full 90 minutes in the 1–2 away loss against the Czech Republic in a Euro 2020 qualifier.[11]

Career statistics

Club
As of 24 August 2020
Club performanceLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
ClubLeagueSeasonAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Botev Plovdiv First League 2015–16 31000[lower-alpha 1]0–31
2016–17 12010––130
2017–18 0020000020
Montana (loan) Second League 2017–18 13100––131
Botev Plovdiv First League 2018–19 31451––365
2019–20 18000––180
Total 645810000726
Hajduk Split 1. HNL 2019–20 14100––141
2020–21 210000–21
Total 162000000162
Career statistics9388100001019
  1. UEFA Europa League matches.

International goals
Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first.[12]
NoDateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 10 June 2019Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria6 Kosovo2–12–3UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Style of play

Krassimir Balakov compared Dimitrov with the legendary Bulgarian defender Trifon Ivanov, while being manager of Bulgaria.[13]

Honours

Club

Botev Plovdiv

Individual

References
  1. "Kristian Dimitrov Botev". botevplovdiv.bg.
  2. "Школата на Ботев с най-много трансферни удари" (in Bulgarian). viasport.bg. 20 August 2013.
  3. "Botev Plovdiv 3–1 Cherno More". soccerway.com. 13 March 2016.
  4. "Botev Plovdiv 2–1 Ludogorets Razgrad". soccerway.com. 27 May 2016.
  5. "Кристиан Димитров подписа нов договор с Ботев" (in Bulgarian). botevplovdiv.bg. 8 June 2017.
  6. "Ботев преотстъпи двама във Втора лига" (in Bulgarian). botevplovdiv.bg. 5 February 2018.
  7. "Botev Galabovo vs. Montana" (in Bulgarian). soccerway.com. 5 May 2018.
  8. Vutov, Viktor (24 April 2019). "Пловдивско дерби във финала за Купата на България! Героичен Ботев постави ЦСКА на колене с девет души в истински трилър" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  9. "Ботев трансферира Кристиан Димитров в Хайдук" [Botev transferred Kristian Dimitrov to Hajduk]. www.botevplovdiv.bg (in Bulgarian). Botev Plovdiv. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  10. "Kristian Dimitrov novi je igrač Hajduka". www.hajduk.hr (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  11. "Czech Republic vs. Bulgaria 2-1". flashscore.com. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  12. "Dimitrov, Kristian". National Football Teams. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  13. Кристиан Димитров разкри какво му е казал Балъков
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