Ivaylo Yordanov

Ivaylo Yordanov

Personal information
Full name	Ivaylo Stoimenov Yordanov
Date of birth	(1968-04-22) 22 April 1968
Place of birth	Samokov, Bulgaria
Height
Position(s)	Striker / Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1982–1989	Rilski Sportist	199	(23)
1989–1991	Lokomotiv GO	51	(23)
1991–2001	Sporting CP	184	(56)
Total		434	(102)
International career
1991–2000	Bulgaria	51	(4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is Stoimenov and the family name is Yordanov.

Ivaylo Stoimenov Yordanov (Bulgarian: Ивайло Йорданов; born 22 April 1968) is a Bulgarian retired footballer. Known for his professional approach to the game, he played mainly as a striker.

During his career, he represented mainly Sporting in Portugal, appearing in more than 250 official games in one full decade and winning two major titles.

A Bulgarian international for nine years, Yordanov represented the nation in one World Cup and one European Championship.

Club career

Born in Samokov, Yordanov began his career at local PFC Rilski Sportist, where he first appeared professionally at not yet 15, moving to FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa in 1989. In the last of his two seasons, he topped the first division scoring charts, at 21 goals, helping lowly Lokomotiv to a comfortable ninth place.

In 1991–92, Yordanov joined Sporting Clube de Portugal, signing alongside compatriot Boncho Genchev – who had been his predecessor at Lokomotiv GO – where he would play in a variety of positions (including central defender, due to injuries to teammates). Persistent injury problems and multiple sclerosis led to a 2001 retirement, still with the Lisbon club (he contributed with 11 matches and one goal in the team's Primeira Liga conquest the previous year).

Upon retiring, Yordanov stayed connected with Sporting, in its youth teams. On 7 June 2010, he joined Angel Chervenkov's staff at PFC Litex Lovech, as part of the scouting departments.

International career

Yordanov was capped 51 times and scored four goals for the Bulgarian national team, including seven FIFA World Cup games in the 1994 and 1998 editions combined.

In the former, in another display of "team-first" attitude – and first discovering his versatile qualities – during the round-of-16 contest against Mexico (as Bulgaria prevailed in a penalty shootout) he filled in at stopper, due to the absence of Trifon Ivanov (suspension) and Nikolay Iliev (injury). During the match, he set up Hristo Stoichkov's goal in the 1–1 draw.

Yordanov would also appear at UEFA Euro 1996, playing all three group stage matches (two complete) as Bulgaria finished third in its group.

Honours

• Primeira Liga: 1999–2000
• Taça de Portugal: 1994–95

External links

• Bulgarian Sport Catalog profile (Bulgarian)
• Ivaylo Yordanov at footballzz.co.uk
• Ivaylo Yordanov profile at ForaDeJogo
• Ivaylo Yordanov at National-Football-Teams.com
• Ivaylo Yordanov – FIFA competition record
• Bulgaria stats at Eu-Football