Dimitar Iliev (footballer, born 1988)

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Dimitar Iliev
Dimitar Iliev in 2022
Personal information
Full name Dimitar Krasimirov Iliev
Date of birth (1988-09-25) 25 September 1988 (age 35)
Place of birth Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder / Forward
Team information
Current team
Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Number 14
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2009 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 73 (14)
2010–2011 CSKA Sofia 5 (0)
2010Minyor Pernik (loan) 14 (5)
2011Pirin Blagoevgrad (loan) 12 (3)
2011–2012 Montana 27 (2)
2012–2014 Lokomotiv Sofia 57 (10)
2014–2017 Wisła Płock 90 (11)
2017–2018 Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała 23 (3)
2018– Lokomotiv Plovdiv 164 (51)
International career
2004–2005 Bulgaria U17 6 (5)
2006–2007 Bulgaria U19
2008–2009 Bulgaria U21 2 (0)
2020– Bulgaria 13 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 October 2021

Dimitar Krasimirov Iliev (Bulgarian: Димитър Красимиров Илиев, born 25 September 1988) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Lokomotiv Plovdiv, where he is also club captain, and for the Bulgarian national team.[1] He won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year award in 2019 and 2020.

Career[edit]

Iliev began his career in the youth ranks of Lokomotiv Plovdiv. After making his way through the various youth levels at the club, he debuted for the senior team in a 4–1 home win over Lokomotiv Sofia on 11 September 2004, aged 15. In November 2004, Iliev had a trial spell with Chelsea.[2]

Iliev with CSKA Sofia in 2010

In January 2010, Iliev signed for CSKA Sofia, but struggled to get into the main squad and spent loan spells at Minyor Pernik and Pirin Blagoevgrad, before joining Montana on a permanent basis in August 2011.[3]

After one season with Montana, Iliev joined Lokomotiv Sofia, where he spent two seasons before moving to Poland to sign for Wisła Płock in 2014. In 2015–16, his second season with the club, Iliev helped Wisła achieve promotion to the Ekstraklasa. He spent three full seasons with Wisła before moving to Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała in 2017 where he spent one season.

On 16 July 2018, Iliev re-joined Lokomotiv Plovdiv, signing a two-year contract.[4] At the end of the season he lifted the Bulgarian Cup as a captain of his childhood team. The 1–0 win against local rivals Botev Plovdiv was achieved with the only goal in 73rd minute scored by Alen Ožbolt (assist by Ante Aralica and pre-assist by Iliev himself). It happened to be the first Bulgarian Cup trophy for Lokomotiv as well as the 1st ever trophy in Iliev's career. On 2 August 2020, Iliev scored a last-minute goal against Ludogorets Razgrad, helping his team to a 1–0 win and a Bulgarian Supercup triumph.[5]

International career[edit]

In November 2019 Iliev received his first call up to the national team for the friendly match against Paraguay and the UEFA Euro 2020 Qualification match against the Czech Republic,[6] but remained an unused substitute for both games. He earned his first cap on 26 February 2020, playing the first half of the 0–1 home loss against Belarus in a friendly game.[7]

Career statistics[edit]

As of 23 May 2022

Club Season League Cup[a] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2004–05 A Group 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
2005–06 11 0 1 1 0 0 12 1
2006–07 12 3 1 0 1 0 14 3
2007–08 9 1 2 0 11 1
2008–09 25 7 1 0 26 7
2009–10 13 3 0 0 13 3
CSKA Sofia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2010–11 5 0 1 0 4 0 10 0
Total 5 0 1 0 4 0 10 0
Minyor Pernik (loan) 2009–10 A Group 14 5 1 0 15 5
Pirin Blagoevgrad (loan) 2010–11 12 3 1 0 13 3
Montana 2011–12 27 2 0 0 27 2
Lokomotiv Sofia 2012–13 26 4 5 2 31 6
2013–14 31 6 5 0 36 6
Total 57 10 10 2 0 0 67 12
Wisła Płock 2014–15 I liga 32 5 0 0 32 5
2015–16 29 3 1 0 30 3
2016–17 Ekstraklasa 29 3 0 0 29 3
Total 90 11 1 0 0 0 91 11
Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała 2017–18 I liga 23 3 3 0 26 3
Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2018–19 First League 29 9 6 2 35 11
2019–20 27 12 7 5 4 2 38 19
2020–21 30 13 4 3 2 1 36 17
2021–22 31 13 3 2 4 2 38 17
Total 190 61 25 13 11 5 226 79
Career statistics 406 88 42 15 15 5 463 108
  1. ^ Includes Bulgarian Supercup matches.

International goals[edit]

Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first.
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 11 November 2020 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria  Gibraltar 3–0 3–0 Friendly
2. 15 November 2020  Finland 1–2 1–2 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B
3. 8 September 2021  Georgia 2–0 4–1 Friendly

Honours[edit]

Lokomotiv Plovdiv

Individual

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Dimitar Iliev Facts". footballdatabase.eu.
  2. ^ "Димитър Илиев от Локо (Пд) започва проби в Челси" (in Bulgarian). monitor.bg. 1 November 2004. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014.
  3. ^ "Монтана се подсили с бивш цесекар" (in Bulgarian). btvnovinite.bg. 2 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Локомотив подписа договор с Димитър Илиев" (in Bulgarian). lokomotivpd.com. 16 July 2018. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  5. ^ Dimitrov, Ivaylo (2 August 2020). "Локо (Пд) надигра Лудогорец и заслужи втора в историята си Суперкупа на България!" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Георги Дерменджиев започна с изненадите в националния отбор". topsport.bg. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Експериментален състав на България отстъпи на Беларус (видео+галерия)". sportal.bg. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  8. ^ a b Petkov, Georgi (5 January 2020). "Димитър Илиев е "Футболист на годината", получи наградата си лично от Бербатов". topsport.bg. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Димитър Илиев за трети пореден път е "Футболист №1 на Пловдив"" (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  10. ^ https://www.vbox7.com/play:bd46e54463

External links[edit]