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Nasko Sirakov

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Nasko Sirakov
Personal information
Full name Nasko Petkov Sirakov
Date of birth (1962-04-26) 26 April 1962 (age 62)
Place of birth Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1975–1980 Levski Sofia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980 Levski Sofia 3 (0)
1980–1981 Spartak Varna 21 (4)
1981–1982 Haskovo 35 (8)
1983–1988 Levski Sofia 131 (89)
1988–1990 Real Zaragoza 41 (10)
1990–1991 Espanyol 24 (3)
1991–1992 Levski Sofia 27 (26)
1992 Lens 11 (3)
1993–1994 Levski Sofia 57 (51)
1995 Botev Plovdiv 20 (4)
1995–1998 Slavia Sofia 36 (19)
Total 406 (217)
International career
1983–1996 Bulgaria 78 (24)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nasko Petkov Sirakov (Bulgarian: Наско Петков Сираков; born 26 April 1962) is a retired Bulgarian footballer who played mainly as a striker.

Part of the Bulgarian team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup as it finished fourth, he was one of the most important footballers in the country in the 1980s/1990s, being a legend at Levski Sofia, a club he represented in four different spells.

Having surpassed the 200-goal mark as a professional – he was crowned the country's top division topscorer four times – Sirakov also worked with his main club in directorial capacities.

Club career

Born in Stara Zagora, the son of professional wrestler Petko Sirakov, Sirakov started playing as a striker, playing three games for Levski Sofia's first team in 1980, having joined the club's youth system at the age of 13. In the following years, he developed his game with Spartak Varna and lowly Haskovo, returning to Levski after two seasons (he also played briefly for the latter club in the 1982–83 season).

In his second stint at Levski, Sirakov began appearing regularly, scoring 14 goals in only 19 matches in 1984–85 A Group, as the team won the league. From 1986–88, with the club now renamed Vitosha, he helped to another championship, as well as leading the goal charts in both seasons, scoring 64 goals combined – 36 in just 30 matches in the first year, although the championship was eventually lost to CSKA Sofia, by three points. During this spell, he also won two Bulgarian Cups with the club.

Sirakov moved abroad for the first time in 1988, playing for the following three years in La Liga, with Real Zaragoza and RCD Español. Subsequently, he returned to Levski: in the first season upon his return, he netted 26 times in 27 matches, but the club again lost to CSKA.

In the summer of 1992, 30-year-old Sirakov signed with Ligue 1's RC Lens, but returned to his main club in the following transfer window, helping it to three consecutive league wins, whilst being crowned the competition's topscorer on another two occasions. He finished the 1994–95 season with Botev Plovdiv, still contributing decisively in Levski's championship win, scoring 12 in only 10 matches.

Sirakov closed his career at the age of 36, after three years with Slavia Sofia, winning a double in 1995–96 season. During his career in his country, he amassed totals of 294 matches and 196 goals in the top division, the second best achievement after Petar Zhekov; only with his main club, Levski, he scored 165 times in 205 games, a club record.

Sirakov briefly managed Slavia Sofia in 1997. In the following decade, he worked as director of football for Levski, being fired on 7 May 2008, and being succeeded by former club and national teammate Daniel Borimirov.[2]

International career

Sirakov was also a regular for Bulgaria during 13 years, making his debut on 7 August 1983, against Algeria.

He represented the nation at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico – scoring against Italy in the group stage (1–1) and helping the national team to the round of 16 – and at the 1994 World Cup in the United States: during the latter, as Bulgaria finished in a best-ever fourth position, he played in all the matches, scoring against Argentina for a 2–0 group stage win, also earning penalties against Greece and in the semifinal loss against Italy.[3]

Aged 34, Sirakov was also picked for UEFA Euro 1996 in England, playing the last of his 78 matches (24 goals) on 13 June, against Romania, after replacing Lyuboslav Penev in a 1–0 win.[4] Immediately after retiring from international play, Sirakov served as assistant to the national team, appearing with it at the 1998 World Cup.

Career statistics

National team

Bulgaria senior team
Year Apps Goals
1983 5 1
1984 3 1
1985 6 1
1986 11 5
1987 6 3
1988 4 1
1989 0 0
1990 2 1
1991 5 3
1992 7 2
1993 4 2
1994 13 2
1995 7 1
1996 5 1
Total 78 24

International goals

Nasko Sirakov: International Goals
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 7 September 1983 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo  Norway 1–2 1–2 Euro 1984 qualification
2. 5 December 1984 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Luxembourg 1–0 4–0 1986 World Cup qualification
3. 2 May 1985 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  France 2–0 2–0 1986 World Cup qualification
4. 9 April 1986 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Denmark 1–0 3–0 Friendly
5. 9 April 1986 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Denmark 2–0 3–0 Friendly
6. 31 May 1986 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City  Italy 1–1 1–1 1986 World Cup
7. 29 October 1986 Stade El Menzah, Tunis  Tunisia 3–2 3–3 Friendly
8. 29 October 1986 Stade El Menzah, Tunis  Tunisia 3–3 3–3 Friendly
9. 30 April 1987 Stade Municipal, Luxembourg City  Luxembourg 0–2 1–4 Euro 1988 qualification
10. 20 May 1987 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Luxembourg 1–0 3–0 Euro 1988 qualification
11. 23 September 1987 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Belgium 1–0 2–0 Euro 1988 qualification
12. 23 March 1988 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Czechoslovakia 1–0 2–0 Friendly
13. 17 October 1990 Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest  Romania 0–1 0–3 Euro 1992 qualification
14. 1 May 1991 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia   Switzerland 2–0 2–3 Euro 1992 qualification
15. 22 May 1991 San Marino Stadium, Serravalle  San Marino 0–2 0–3 Euro 1992 qualification
16. 20 November 1991 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Romania 1–1 1–1 Euro 1992 qualification
17. 28 April 1992 Wankdorf Stadium, Bern   Switzerland 0–1 0–2 Friendly
18. 2 December 1992 Ramat Gan Stadium, Tel Aviv  Israel 0–1 0–2 1994 World Cup qualification
19. 20 February 1993 Dubai  United Arab Emirates 0–1 1–3 Friendly
20. 12 May 1993 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Israel 2–2 2–2 1994 World Cup qualification
21. 3 June 1994 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  Ukraine 1–0 1–1 Friendly
22. 30 June 1994 Cotton Bowl, Dallas  Argentina 0–2 0–2 1994 World Cup
23. 14 February 1995 Estadio Malvinas, Mendoza  Argentina 2–1 4–1 Friendly
24. 2 June 1996 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia  United Arab Emirates 4–1 4–1 Friendly

Honours

Club

Levski Sofia
Slavia Sofia

International

Bulgaria

Individual

Personal life

Sirakov is married to Iliana Raeva, a distinguished Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. They have two daughters, named Slaveya and Violeta.[5] His father, the wrestler Petko Sirakov, was the first world champion from Bulgaria.

References

  1. ^ "Профил на Наско Сираков". slava.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  2. ^ Levski Sofia fires coach, executive director; The Sofia Echo, 7 May 2008
  3. ^ Nasko Sirakov – FIFA competition record (archived)
  4. ^ Календар: През 2001 г. Наско Сираков става треньор на Левски; Focus Sport, 18 September 2012
  5. ^ Dimitrov, Georgi (4 September 2006). "Жените, без които Сираков не може. Славея обещава внуци на синия шеф, Виолета мечтае за собствена банка". 7sport.net. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
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