Football(Bulgarian:футбол,futbol) is the most popular sportinBulgaria.It was introduced in 1893–1894 bySwissgymnastics teachers invited to the country. A football (initially called ритнитоп,ritnitop,"kickball" ) match was first played inVarna's High School for Boys in 1894, where it was introduced byGeorges de Regibus,and the game was brought toSofiabyCharles Champaudthe following year. The rules of the game were published in Bulgarian by Swiss teachers in theUchilishten pregledmagazine in 1897, and football continued to gain popularity in the early 20th century. Among the founders of theTurkishteamGalatasarayin 1905 was the BulgarianLycée de Galatasaraystudent Blagoy Balakchiev, and the first Bulgarian club,Futbol Klub,was established in Sofia in 1909 on the initiative of Sava Kirov.Botev Plovdivwas founded in 1912,Slavia Sofiain 1913, andLevski Sofiain 1914.
| Football in Bulgaria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Governing body | Bulgarian Football Union |
| National team(s) | Bulgaria national football team |
| First played | 1894 |
National competitions | |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
TheBulgaria national football teamdebuted on 21 May 1924 in a1924 Summer Olympicsqualifier, losing 0–6 toAustriainVienna.In the 1950s and 1960s Bulgarian football achieved its biggest Olympic success, being third in the1956 Summer OlympicsinMelbourneand second in the1968 Summer OlympicsinMexico City,also finishing fifth inEuro 1968.In1962,Bulgaria first qualified for aFIFA World Cuptournament, in total of seven participations to date. In the1986 FIFA World Cup,Bulgaria did reach the round of 16. Then, in the1994 FIFA World Cup,came Bulgaria'sbiggest World Cup success,the fourth place, the elimination of reigning world championsGermanyandHristo Stoichkov's top goalscorer prize.[1][2][3]Bulgaria is also three times European champion inunder-19,three timesBalkanchampion, and three timesBalkan Youth champion.The titles won by the national team make Bulgariaone of the best performing nationsin European football competitions.
Bulgarian football competitions
edit- Championships:
- Top division:First League- 14 teams
- Second division:Second League- 16 teams
- Third division:Third League- 4 groups with 12-18 teams each
- Fourth division:Regional Groups- divided by region
- Cup:Bulgarian Cup
- Super Cup:Bulgarian Super Cup
- AFL Cup:Cup of Bulgarian Amateur Football League
Crime and corruption
editBetween 2003 and 2013, 15 club presidents or previous owners of Bulgarian top league clubs were murdered. Aleaked US diplomatic cableof 2010 claimed that since the end of Communism, allegations ofillegal gambling,match fixing,money laundering,andtax evasionabound in Bulgarian football, which has become a symbol of organised crime's corrupt influence on important institutions.[4][5][6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Bulgaria: Can Soccer Success Mean Business? - Baltimore Sun".Articles.baltimoresun.com. 31 July 1994.Archivedfrom the original on 9 March 2014.Retrieved10 March2014.
- ^"WORLD CUP '94; Bulgaria, a Small Foot in Soccer, Steps Closer to Glass Slipper - New York Times".The New York Times.Germany; Bulgaria. 11 July 1994.Retrieved10 March2014.
- ^"BBC SPORT | Football | Euro 2004 | Bulgaria | The alternative guide to Bulgaria".BBC News.21 May 2004.Retrieved10 March2014.
- ^"WikiLeaks: Bulgarian Soccer Symbol of Organized Crime, Corruption - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency".www.novinite.com.Retrieved13 November2023.
- ^"Bulgarian football's 'mafia links' exposed in cables".Yahoo News.3 January 2011.Retrieved13 November2023.
- ^"Welcome to the beautiful game".The Economist.13 July 2013.Retrieved3 August2013.
- Пайташев, Румен (2001). "Футболът в България".Световна футболна енциклопедия.София: КК Труд. pp. 10–11.ISBN954-528-201-0.