HRISTO STOICHKOV is widely regarded as the greatest player Bulgaria has ever produced.
Nicknamed ‘the Dagger’, his keen eye for goal and competitive instinct made him the scourge of defences across Europe.
He’s perhaps best remembered for his time at Barcelona.
Signed by Johan Cruyff in 1990, Stoichkov formed part of the legendary Barca ‘Dream Team’, providing the perfect foil for Brazilian strike partner Romario.
He scored 76 goals in 151 appearances for the Catalan giants, winning five La Liga titles, the European Cup and the 1994 Ballon d’Or.
Stoichkov would also be the lynchpin of the Bulgarian national team, leading his country to their best ever finish in the World Cup when they reached the semi-finals in the USA in 1994.
He retired from the national team with 37 goals in 83 matches.
Let’s start with his ego…
While Stoichkov’s career stats back up his self-confidence, it takes a special kind of egomaniac to make some of the comparisons that Stoichkov made.
Our favourite came when he collected his Ballon d’OR in 1994.
“There are only two Christs. One plays for Barcelona, the other is in heaven.”
His temper got the better of him…
Aged 19, Stoichkov was sent off along with four others at the 1985 Bulgarian Cup Final as the match between rivals CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia descended into a brawl with the referee assaulted and police breaking up the melee.
In the aftermath, the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party handed out lifetime bans to five players, including Stoichkov. Both teams were also disbanded.
Stoichkov’s ban was reduced on appeal but it would be the first of many flashpoints.
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He clashed with authority…
In the Super Cup first leg between Barcelona and Real Madrid in December 1990, Stoichkov goes down under a challenge from Real defender Chendo with five minutes left.
As referee Urízar Azpitarte waves play on, Barca boss Johan Cruyff races off the bench to remonstrate but earns a red.
That’s nothing compared to Stoichkov’s reaction.
He stormed over to Azpitarte and stamped on his foot, leaving the referee in agony.
“All of a sudden, he came towards me, and stamped on my instep,” recalls Azpitarte. “I tried to remain calm, but I was in a lot of pain. I could have suspended the game in that moment.”
A two-month suspension duly followed.
He properly hated Real Madrid…
“I will always hate Madrid,” he said. “There is just something about them that gets up my nose. I would rather the ground opened up and swallowed me than accept a job with them. In fact, I do not like speaking about them because it makes me want to vomit.”
He was competitive to the end…
Towards the end of his career, Stoichkov headed to the United States to play for DC United in Washington.
Now 37, it was his swansong, but it all turned nasty in a game against American University in 2003.
In the 10th minute, Stoichkov argued with the linesman after the official had refused to flag for offside as AU went on to score.
Moments later, Stoichkov took his frustrations out on 18-year-old Freddy Llerena, scything him down with a studs-up challenge that broke the midfielder’s right leg.
He got a red card, $2000 fine and two-match ban. The match was abandoned, with AU coach Todd West calling the challenge “criminal”.
The worse part? It was a friendly.
He was a managerial maverick too…
Although not a particulary successful one.
Appointed coach of Bulgaria in 2004 – his first job in management – Stoichkov’s approach caused rifts with many of his players and he all but forced three of them into premature retirement.
It wasn’t much better on the pitch where Stoichkov brought his legendary temper to the touchlines too. In 2005 he was sent off during a game against Sweden for insulting Belgian referee Frank De Bleeckere.
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And then there were his tactics…
When he took over as manager at Celta Vigo in 2007, Stoichkov told the media that he didn’t “believe in tactics”.
See the game against Malta in 2005 when he fielded a 2-4-4 formation.
He was always prepared…
Consider this from his national team-mate Nasko Sirakov who was part of the fabled Bulgaria team theat reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in 1994.
“When people say that a man is as big as his dreams, that fully applies to him. He prepared for matches the way other people prepare for a wedding.”
Presumably that means with great attention to detail, not taking a gang of blokes on a two-day binge in Brighton.
He was generous to a fault…
Stoichkov never forgot his roots.
In 1992 he stepped in and paid for the broadcasting rights for the European Championship Finals in Sweden as the state broadcaster in Buglaria couldn’t afford to buy them.
And Bulgaria weren’t even taking part.
Linkhttps://textbacklinkexchanges.com/barcelona-legend-hristo-stoichkov-thought-he-was-god-broke-a-players-leg-in-a-friendly-and-hated-real-madrid/
News Pictures Barcelona legend Hristo Stoichkov thought he was God, broke a player’s leg in a friendly and hated Real Madrid
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