Krasimir Balakov facts for kids
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Balakov in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Krasimir Genchev Balakov | ||
| Date of birth | 29 March 1966 | ||
| Place of birth | Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria | ||
| Height | 1.76 m | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1983–1990 | Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 142 | (35) |
| 1991–1995 | Sporting CP | 138 | (43) |
| 1995–2003 | VfB Stuttgart | 236 | (54) |
| 2005 | VFC Plauen | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 517 | (132) | |
| National team | |||
| 1984–1987 | Bulgaria U21 | 29 | (3) |
| 1988–2003 | Bulgaria | 92 | (16) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2003–2005 | VfB Stuttgart (assistant) | ||
| 2005 | VFC Plauen (player-manager) | ||
| 2006–2007 | Grasshoppers | ||
| 2007–2008 | St. Gallen | ||
| 2008–2010 | Chernomorets Burgas | ||
| 2011–2012 | Hajduk Split | ||
| 2012 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | ||
| 2014–2015 | Litex Lovech | ||
| 2018–2019 | Etar Veliko Tarnovo | ||
| 2019 | Bulgaria | ||
| 2020–2021 | CSKA 1948 | ||
| 2023–2024 | Septemvri Sofia | ||
| 2024 | Lokomotiv Sofia | ||
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Krasimir Genchev Balakov (born March 29, 1966) is a famous Bulgarian former football player and coach. He was known as a fantastic attacking midfielder. Balakov was a very important player for the Bulgarian national team. He helped them achieve fourth place in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Many people consider him one of the best Bulgarian footballers of his generation.
Playing Career
Krasimir Balakov started his football journey at his local club, Etar Veliko Tarnovo. In 1990, he moved to Sporting Clube de Portugal in Portugal. There, he played alongside other talented players like Luís Figo. During his time at Sporting, Balakov helped the team win the Portuguese Cup in the 1994–95 season.
In 1995, Balakov moved to Germany to play for VfB Stuttgart. This was a very successful period for him. He won two UEFA Intertoto Cups in 2000 and 2002. He also helped Stuttgart win the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in 1997. At Stuttgart, Balakov formed a strong attacking team with strikers Fredi Bobic and Giovane Élber. They were so good together that fans called them the "magic triangle." Balakov played for Stuttgart until he retired as a player in 2003. He made a brief comeback in 2005, playing one game as a player-manager for VFC Plauen.
National Team Career
Balakov played for the Bulgarian national team for 15 years, from 1988 to 2003. He played in 92 matches and scored 16 goals, which is one of the highest totals in Bulgarian history. His first game was in November 1988.
He was a key player in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where Bulgaria surprised everyone by finishing fourth. He also represented his country in the European Championship in 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Even at 37 years old, he helped his teammates try to qualify for Euro 2004, showing his dedication to the team.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player in 2003, Krasimir Balakov quickly moved into coaching. He first became an assistant coach at VfB Stuttgart, the club where he had played for many years. He stayed in this role for two years.
In 2006, Balakov became the manager of Grasshopper Club Zürich in Switzerland. He led them to win the Intertoto Cup, which helped the club qualify for the UEFA Cup (now Europa League). He later managed other clubs like FC St. Gallen in Switzerland and PFC Chernomorets Burgas in his home country, Bulgaria.
In 2011, Balakov took charge of the Croatian club Hajduk Split. The next year, in 2012, he became the manager of 1. FC Kaiserslautern in Germany. However, his time there was short, as the team was relegated from the top league.
He continued his coaching career in Bulgaria, managing clubs like Litex Lovech and Etar Veliko Tarnovo. In May 2019, Balakov was appointed as the manager of the Bulgarian national team. He later resigned from this role in October 2019. After that, he managed CSKA 1948 and returned to coaching in 2023 with Septemvri Sofia.
Achievements
Etar Veliko Tarnovo
- A Group: 1990–91
Sporting CP
- Portuguese Cup: 1995
VfB Stuttgart
- DFB-Pokal: 1996–97
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2000, 2002
- DFB-Ligapokal finalist: 1997, 1998
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finalist: 1997–98
- Bundesliga runner-up: 2002–03
Bulgaria
- FIFA World Cup fourth place: 1994
Individual Awards
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1994
- Bulgarian Footballer of the Year: 1995, 1997
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98
- FIFA XI (Reserve): 1996
See also
In Spanish: Krasimir Balakov para niños
