Dimitar Berbatov facts for kids
Berbatov in 2024
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 January 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria | ||
| Height | 1.89 m | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1991–1998 | Pirin Blagoevgrad | ||
| 1998 | CSKA Sofia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–2001 | CSKA Sofia | 50 | (26) |
| 2001 | Bayer Leverkusen II | 7 | (6) |
| 2001–2006 | Bayer Leverkusen | 154 | (69) |
| 2006–2008 | Tottenham Hotspur | 70 | (27) |
| 2008–2012 | Manchester United | 108 | (48) |
| 2012–2014 | Fulham | 51 | (19) |
| 2014–2015 | Monaco | 38 | (13) |
| 2015–2016 | PAOK | 17 | (4) |
| 2017–2018 | Kerala Blasters | 9 | (1) |
| Total | 504 | (213) | |
| National team | |||
| 1999 | Bulgaria U18 | 2 | (2) |
| 1999–2000 | Bulgaria U21 | 3 | (3) |
| 1999–2010 | Bulgaria | 78 | (48) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2021 | Etar (assistant) | ||
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Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov (born January 30, 1981) is a famous Bulgarian former footballer. He played as a striker, which means he was a forward player whose main job was to score goals. People remember him for his amazing technique and how well he controlled the ball. Many consider him one of the best Bulgarian players ever. He was even the captain of the Bulgarian national team from 2006 to 2010 and holds the record for the most goals scored for his country.
Berbatov was born in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. He started playing football with his local team, Pirin, before joining CSKA Sofia when he was 17. In 2001, he moved to Germany to play for Bayer Leverkusen. Just 18 months later, he played in his first Champions League final, a huge European club competition.
After playing for Leverkusen for five and a half years, he moved to England in 2006 to join Tottenham Hotspur. Two years later, he made an even bigger move to Manchester United. He played in another Champions League final in 2009 with Manchester United. During his four seasons with United, he won two Premier League titles and was the top goalscorer in the league in the 2010–11 season. Later, he played for Fulham in England, Monaco in France, PAOK in Greece, and Kerala Blasters in India before he stopped playing professionally in 2019.
He first played for the Bulgaria national team in 1999 when he was 18. He played for Bulgaria in Euro 2004, which was the only big tournament he got to play in for his country. He was the team's captain from 2006 until 2010, when he decided to retire from international football. He scored 48 goals in 78 matches for Bulgaria. Berbatov also won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year award a record seven times, more than any other player.
Contents
Early Life and Football Dreams
Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov was born on January 30, 1981, in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. His parents, Ivan and Margarita, were also athletes. His dad, Ivan, played football for Pirin and CSKA Sofia, and his mom, Margarita, was a handball player. When Dimitar was growing up, times were tough in Bulgaria, and he sometimes had to practice football with a basketball or even a pig bladder because he didn't have a proper football.
As a young boy, Berbatov loved the Italian club Milan. He looked up to their famous Dutch forward, Marco van Basten, and tried to play like him. He also admired Alan Shearer, a great striker from England who played for Newcastle United.
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out at CSKA Sofia
Berbatov began his football journey at his hometown club, Pirin. He was so talented that he scored 77 goals for their reserve team in 92 games! In 1998, a scout named Dimitar Penev noticed him, and Berbatov joined the youth team of CSKA Sofia, his father's old club. He signed his first professional contract at 18 and made his debut in the 1998–99 season. That same season, he helped CSKA win the Bulgarian Cup.
In September 1999, he played his first European game against Newcastle United. He really started to shine in the 1999–2000 season, scoring 14 goals in 27 league matches. In August 2000, Berbatov scored an amazing five goals in one game, helping CSKA Sofia win 8–0 against Constructorul Chișinău in a European match. This made him the only CSKA Sofia player to score five goals in a single European game.
Moving to Bayer Leverkusen
In January 2001, German club Bayer Leverkusen paid about €1.3 million to sign Berbatov. He first played for their reserve team, scoring six goals in seven games, before joining the main team. His first league game for Leverkusen was in February 2001.
In his second season, Berbatov scored 16 goals and played a big part in Leverkusen's Champions League journey. He scored in a 4–2 win against Liverpool in the quarter-finals, helping his team reach the final. In the final against Real Madrid, Berbatov came on as a substitute, but Leverkusen lost 2–1. That season, Leverkusen also finished second in the German league and lost the German Cup final, making it a season of "almost" wins. Berbatov became a regular starter in the 2002–03 season. Over the next two seasons, he scored 46 league goals and five Champions League goals, making many big clubs notice his talent.
Joining Tottenham Hotspur
In May 2006, Tottenham Hotspur agreed to sign Berbatov for about £10.9 million. This made him the most expensive Bulgarian footballer ever! He officially joined on July 1, 2006. He scored his first goal for Spurs in a 2–0 win against Sheffield United in August 2006.
Berbatov scored seven goals in eight European games in his first season, helping Tottenham do well in the UEFA Cup. He took some time to get used to the English Premier League, but soon started scoring regularly. He scored two goals in an FA Cup match against Fulham in February 2007. Berbatov and his teammate Robbie Keane won the Premier League Player of the Month award for April 2007. He finished the season with 12 league goals and was named Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Season. He also earned a spot in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
On December 29, 2007, Berbatov scored his first Premier League hat-trick (four goals!) in a thrilling 6–4 win over Reading. He also scored a penalty in the League Cup final against Chelsea, which Tottenham won 2–1 after extra time. He finished that season with 15 league goals. Before the next season, there were many rumors that Manchester United wanted to sign him.
Life at Manchester United
Berbatov officially moved to Manchester United on September 1, 2008, for £30.75 million. He signed a four-year contract. He later said he wouldn't have even considered joining Manchester City, who also made an offer.
He made his debut for Manchester United against Liverpool, helping Carlos Tevez score a goal, but United lost 2–1. His first two goals for the club came in a 3–0 win against Aalborg BK in the Champions League. He scored his first league goals for United in a 4–0 victory over West Bromwich Albion. When Manchester United won the Premier League on May 16, 2009, Berbatov became the first Bulgarian player to win an English Premier League title.
In the 2010–11 season, Berbatov scored his first hat-trick for United against Liverpool. His second goal, an amazing overhead kick, was a contender for the "Goal of the Season." This was the first hat-trick by a Manchester United player against Liverpool in 64 years!
On November 27, he scored five goals in a game against Blackburn Rovers, which United won 7–1. He was the first non-English player to score five goals in a Premier League match. He won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year award for a record seventh time in December 2010.
Berbatov scored his third hat-trick of the season in January 2011 against Birmingham City. This made him the first United player since Ruud van Nistelrooy to score three hat-tricks in one season. He finished as the top scorer in the Premier League for the 2010–11 season, sharing the Premier League Golden Boot award. However, he was left out of the squad for the Champions League Final against Barcelona, which United lost.
In the 2011–12 season, Berbatov scored his 50th goal for Manchester United, becoming the 50th player to reach this milestone for the club. He also scored another hat-trick against Wigan Athletic in December 2011.
Adventures at Fulham
On August 31, 2012, Berbatov signed a two-year contract with Fulham, joining his former Tottenham manager Martin Jol. He made his debut the next day. On September 15, he scored twice in his home debut, helping Fulham win 3–0 against West Bromwich Albion.
After scoring against Southampton in December 2012, Berbatov famously took off his shirt to show a message on his vest: "keep calm and pass me the ball." He got a yellow card for this, and his manager said it wasn't the smartest thing to do! On his 32nd birthday, he scored in a 3–1 win against West Ham. He finished the season with 15 goals in 33 games.
In the 2013–14 season, Berbatov sometimes captained Fulham. He scored 5 goals in 19 games in the first half of the season. Fulham ended up being relegated from the Premier League that season.
Time in Monaco and Greece
On the last day of January 2014, Berbatov joined AS Monaco in France. He made his Ligue 1 debut in February and scored his first goal for them in a French Cup match. He ended the season with 6 goals in 12 league games. In May, he signed a new one-year contract. He scored an important goal against Arsenal in the Champions League, helping Monaco win 3–1. He left Monaco in June 2015.
On September 2, 2015, Berbatov signed a one-year contract with Greek club PAOK. He left the club after one season in June 2016.
Playing in India and Retirement
After a year without a club, Berbatov signed with Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters in August 2017. He scored his first goal for them in February 2018. He sometimes played in a different position than his usual striker role, which he found a bit unusual. He left the club in March 2018.
After being without a club for about a year and a half, Dimitar Berbatov officially announced his retirement from football on September 19, 2019.
International Career for Bulgaria
Berbatov first played for the Bulgaria national team on November 17, 1999, when he was 18. He scored his first goal for his country in February 2000. He represented Bulgaria at Euro 2004, which was the only major tournament he played in for his country. In 2007, he scored two goals in a tournament final against Cyprus, helping Bulgaria win 3–0. This was his only international title with the national team.
In October 2009, he scored a hat-trick in a 6–2 win against Georgia, bringing his total goals for Bulgaria to 46. The next month, he scored two more goals against Malta, making him Bulgaria's all-time top goalscorer!
Berbatov was the captain of the Bulgarian team from 2006 until May 2010, when he announced he was retiring from international football. He finished his international career with 48 goals in 78 matches.
Soccer Aid Charity Match
In May 2016, Berbatov returned to Old Trafford (Manchester United's stadium) to play in Soccer Aid. This is a charity football match that raises money for the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund. He played for the "Rest of the World" team alongside other famous players and scored two goals in a 3–2 loss to the England team.
His Unique Playing Style
Berbatov was known for being a very smart footballer with amazing technical skills. He had excellent ball control and was always calm, especially when he was about to score. People often described his relaxed way of playing as "elegant and calm." He was also very accurate with his passes and shots. He liked to take his time when attacking to make sure he made the best move possible.
Because of these skills, he often played as a "deep-lying centre forward." This meant he would receive passes from the middle of the field, hold onto the ball, and then use his smart thinking and great skills to help his teammates get involved in the game. He could also play as a main striker because he was so good at scoring goals. His tall size combined with his skills made him a strong all-around attacking player.
When he joined Manchester United, people compared him to another famous United player, Eric Cantona. This was not just because of his smooth touch, but also because of his confident and sometimes seemingly proud way of playing. Some people thought he looked too relaxed or even lazy sometimes, but he was just very calm and smart on the field. He could also change his style to play more directly when needed.
About His Life Off the Pitch
Berbatov kept his family life very private and didn't often socialize with his teammates. He learned to speak English by watching the American Godfather movies. Outside of football, he enjoys drawing and playing basketball.
He is a big supporter of children's charities in his home country of Bulgaria, helping five care homes. He also started the Dimitar Berbatov Foundation, which helps young people develop their talents. Berbatov and his long-time girlfriend, Elena, have two daughters named Dea (born in 2009) and Elia (born in 2012).
In November 2018, Berbatov released his autobiography called По моя начин (In my own way). The famous former Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, wrote the introduction for his book.
Honours
CSKA Sofia
- Bulgarian Cup: 1998–99
Bayer Leverkusen
- DFB-Pokal runner-up: 2001–02
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2001–02
Tottenham Hotspur
- Football League Cup: 2007–08
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2008–09, 2010–11
- Football League Cup: 2009–10
- FA Community Shield: 2010, 2011
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2008–09, 2010–11
Individual Awards
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2003–04, 2004–05
- Bulgarian Man of the Year: 2009
- Bulgarian Footballer of the Year: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
- Monaco Player of the Year: 2014
- Fulham Player of the Season: 2012–13
- Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Year: 2006–07
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: April 2014
- Premier League Player of the Month: April 2007, January 2011
- PFA Team of the Year: 2006–07 Premier League, 2010–11 Premier League
- Premier League Golden Boot: 2010–11
- FIFA FIFPro World XI Nominee: 2007, 2008, 2010
See also
In Spanish: Dimitar Berbatov para niños
