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Hristo Stoichkov
40 years
France Football Golden Ball 1994
Stoichkov was born in 1966 in Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria. At the age of 18, as he did not impress any of the big clubs in his country, he was forced to play in the lower divisions. That lasted for an year, when he was "discovered" by a coach of CSKA Sofia, one of the best teams in Bulgaria.
A weird moment in the life of this great player. After a big fight against the opposite team, in the Cup of Bulgaria final of his second season, he (and the entire team) was banned from football for the following season. He did not play any game at the 85/86 season!
Stoichkov played at CSKA Sofia for 5 seasons. At his last season, 88/89, he and his team had an awesome season, going at the semi-final of Uefa Champions League, being defeated by Barcelona. Hristo was amazing that year, and that draw Johan Cruyff's attention over Barcelona, who wanted to sign with him. That was not possible because CSKA Sofia wanted the contract to run out, so he had to play for one more year. At this season Hristo Stoichkov got himself a Golden Boot, as European top scorer, with 38 goals.
He was a very fast and precise player. You can see that by his really fast goals. He doesn't make too much of fansy moves, but that was part of his amazing and very effective style.
In 90/91 he joined Barcelona. The team that made him known all over the world. He had great success there, winning 4 consecutive spanish titles (90-93), also winning an UCL (92). At that year, he scored a beautiful goal at the Intercontinental final, where Barcelona lost against Sao Paulo (sorry, I had to write about it  ).
In 1994, Stoichkov lead the Bulgarian team to a very honorous 4th place at the american World Cup, the best placement Bulgaria ever got. At that the tourney, he was one of the responsibles for Germany's elimination, when he scored an amazing freekick goal against the germans. He was also the topscorer of that World Cup, scoring 6 goals and winning the Golden Boot of the tourney.
![[image loading]](http://www.expertfootball.com/players/stoichkov/stoichkov/national/3.jpg)
We can say 1994, individually, was the best year of Hristo's carreer. He won the European Footballer of the Year, got 2nd at FIFA Best player of the year, World Cup Golden Boot, and Best Player of Bulgaria for the 5th consecutive time.
After that he didn't get much more success, and ended his carreer in 2003, playing for D.C united. But we will always remember "Cristo" Stoichkov as one of the best players the world has seen in the last 20 years.
VIDEOS
Lots of his goals for Barça (67mb)
http://s37.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=09JXRQJ1SXPU32RU229ZSTUI7I
3 of his goals at 1994 World Cup (nice video, sadly it repeats itself so much and doesn't show his 6 goals, but only 3) (27mb)
http://s24.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=11L0BLN5HXMT61IJX422OKYFXD
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I loved him and Hagi USA94.
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Norway28632 Posts
I think I recall hearing or reading that after he turned 16 he never missed even 1 penalty kick. 
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GrandInquisitor
New York City13113 Posts
He wasn't *the* top scorer - he got 6 goals in the tournament, but Oleg Salenko of Russia got 6 goals as well without even advancing past group stage! He had 5 goals and 1 assist in Russia v Cameroon and 1 penalty goal ^_^
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Oh man, i remember USA 94, that world cup brought out some amazing individual performances...specially from Baggio, Stoichkov, Romario and Haji, i loved watching those guys. Downloading the video now...thx man..
ps- anyone remember that guys cuevas?? i think it was world cup 98. what country was that guy from, i remember he was like really good as far as dribbling. But i didn't hear of him after that...does he still play?? i could google it but im not in the mood.
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On January 22 2006 09:09 HorsementalitY wrote:
ps- anyone remember that guys cuevas?? i think it was world cup 98. what country was that guy from, i remember he was like really good as far as dribbling. But i didn't hear of him after that...does he still play?? i could google it but im not in the mood.
well, with that name I would try paraguay or chile hehe
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Finally  thank you Raidern. Stoichkov was in my view the best European player of the 90's. He was second in that FIFA Best player of the year in '94 simply because Brazil won the World Cup thus Romario got the first place  . Stoichkov was one of the best left-footed strikers in football history. He was known for his fiery temperament and strong language towards referees  . The best bulgarian footballer of all time.
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On January 22 2006 07:10 Liquid`Drone wrote:I think I recall hearing or reading that after he turned 16 he never missed even 1 penalty kick.
I think you may be right. I even tried to google for a missed penalty by him.Nothing found
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i love these threads. i dont know any of the older soccer players, so i learn about new players..
i wonder whos next?
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Lots of people here say that he made more then anyone else for Bulgaria in our new history.
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I liked Lechkov (spelling) better in 1994. Hristo was sadly very temperamented and was always very agressive toward the refery.
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Yea him and Salenko were joint top scorers 94.. I remember Salenko signed for Rangers afterwards and was complete shit. Lechkov was cool as well.. winner vs Germany..
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When he was traded to parma he introduced himself with a movie in the players buss. It was a two hour long highlight movie with all the goals he had scored . I love that kind of attitude.
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Norway28632 Posts
hahaha wow
"im hristo
who the fuck are you?"
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u cant anything but to love this guy<3
eventho he has amazingly bad manners
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biggest diver i've seen in my life
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On January 24 2006 12:31 doedrikthe2nd wrote:
biggest diver i've seen in my life
Solari > This guy, in that catecory e-z.
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Osaka27140 Posts
Awsome job again. I remember watching Bulgaria in 94, not only did they have Stoichkov, but also this goalie that just made the most unbelievable saves: Mihailov. I swear it was the only time as a kid that when I played I emulated a European.
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Yes Mihailov was awesome, he is now the president of the Bulgarian Football Union. But our team in USA'94 also had other amazing players like Kostadinov, Letchkov, Balakov, Trifon Ivanov(scariest defender ever) a truly amazing team.
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who is the half-bald one?
letchkov I think? hehe scored a goal with his head against germany
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On January 25 2006 03:09 HaiVan wrote:
Yes Mihailov was awesome, he is now the president of the Bulgarian Football Union. But our team in USA'94 also had other amazing players like Kostadinov, Letchkov, Balakov, Trifon Ivanov(scariest defender ever) a truly amazing team.
And yet you managed to lose 4-0 vs Sweden. Must have been something special.
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On January 25 2006 04:47 Jim wrote:Show nested quote +On January 25 2006 03:09 HaiVan wrote:
Yes Mihailov was awesome, he is now the president of the Bulgarian Football Union. But our team in USA'94 also had other amazing players like Kostadinov, Letchkov, Balakov, Trifon Ivanov(scariest defender ever) a truly amazing team. And yet you managed to lose 4-0 vs Sweden. Must have been something special.
Well but that happens a lot in football.. also, even though your swedish squad was also amazing that year, you were not that much better than Bulgaria.
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He was a wonderful player, but Bulgaria went to World Cup because of an amazing failure of France, we needed only 1 point in the last 2 games vs Israel and Bulgaria to qualify, and those dumbasses lost both -.-
The Barca years with Stoichkov, Laudrup, Guardiola, Bakero were so impressive...Much more than today, in my opinion...
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well you can't compare both teams
they've made history already, and nowadays barça is starting a new history with Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto'o, Messi..... maybe 10-15 years from now on, when people look back they'll say "wtf that was a great team".
People usually tends to value more after some years. Look to Maradona, when he played he was an amazing player, but not "god" like some consider him today -_-a
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one of the main difference is the achievements: Stoichkov and al won 4 Ligas straight and a Champions League, while playing wonderfully...Let see if Ronaldhino and al will achieve at least half of this :p And 10 years is not that long in a football career nowadays, i guess we can compare...
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Norway28632 Posts
lol
bulgaria must either have been hung over vs sweden or the match was rigged
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On January 25 2006 04:47 Jim wrote:Show nested quote +On January 25 2006 03:09 HaiVan wrote:
Yes Mihailov was awesome, he is now the president of the Bulgarian Football Union. But our team in USA'94 also had other amazing players like Kostadinov, Letchkov, Balakov, Trifon Ivanov(scariest defender ever) a truly amazing team. And yet you managed to lose 4-0 vs Sweden. Must have been something special.
Sweden shouldn't be there in the first place, if those dumbasses of Petrescu and Belodedici could shot a penalty not-in-the-center.
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Sweden got 3rd place in 1994, so I guess they did deserve to be there.
Btw Raidern do you just make this out of a player which you like/admire or can we vote on it?
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On January 24 2006 11:03 TreK[cF] wrote:u cant anything but to love this guy<3 eventho he has amazingly bad manners
thats part of his charm imo^^ he was really on of the best at his time--;
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On January 25 2006 04:47 Jim wrote:Show nested quote +On January 25 2006 03:09 HaiVan wrote:
Yes Mihailov was awesome, he is now the president of the Bulgarian Football Union. But our team in USA'94 also had other amazing players like Kostadinov, Letchkov, Balakov, Trifon Ivanov(scariest defender ever) a truly amazing team. And yet you managed to lose 4-0 vs Sweden. Must have been something special.
Jim go suck on Ibrahimovich's dick. After the semi-final loss to Italy in which the referee didn't give two clear penalties when italian defenders handballed in the penalty area the team's moral went down and they didn't show any of the play they demonstrated in the games vs Germany, Argentina or Mexico. Sweden had an awesome squad, but they played vs a team that wasn't mentaly on the field.
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excuses, excuses
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On January 25 2006 09:38 HaiVan wrote:Show nested quote +On January 25 2006 04:47 Jim wrote:On January 25 2006 03:09 HaiVan wrote:
Yes Mihailov was awesome, he is now the president of the Bulgarian Football Union. But our team in USA'94 also had other amazing players like Kostadinov, Letchkov, Balakov, Trifon Ivanov(scariest defender ever) a truly amazing team. And yet you managed to lose 4-0 vs Sweden. Must have been something special. Jim go suck on Ibrahimovich's dick. After the semi-final loss to Italy in which the referee didn't give two clear penalties when italian defenders handballed in the penalty area the team's moral went down and they didn't show any of the play they demonstrated in the games vs Germany, Argentina or Mexico. Sweden had an awesome squad, but they played vs a team that wasn't mentaly on the field.
Dude, whats with the hate? Zlatan was voted number one foreigner and second overall by the PLAYERS recently. And its not like he got any votes for sucking up.. Back to 94. Bulgaria lost 4-0.
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On January 25 2006 08:14 Mascherano wrote:
Sweden got 3rd place in 1994, so I guess they did deserve to be there.
Btw Raidern do you just make this out of a player which you like/admire or can we vote on it?
well, at first I'm trying to get players from the 80's, beginning of 90's.. but if I continue to do this, more close to the worldcup I'll try to make about great players that are going to take part in it: ronaldinho, riquelme, schevchenko, lampard, zidane and some others.
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I really want to see something by lampard...everyone says hes all good but ive never really seen anything from him..
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Norway28632 Posts
lampard isn't that flashy tho. I'd argue he is the most important player for any team in the world (possible exception of steven gerrard), but he's much less entertaining than say, zidane and ronaldinho.
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On January 25 2006 17:53 Liquid`Drone wrote:lampard isn't that flashy tho. I'd argue he is the most important player for any team in the world (possible exception of steven gerrard), but he's much less entertaining than say, zidane and ronaldinho.
so basically im zidane and ronaldinho and u are lampard ?
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Norway28632 Posts
no, im zidane and ronaldinho and you are say
deco or some other cheating diving portuguese fag
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Funny but harsh
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EPT![[image loading]](http://www.expertfootball.com/players/stoichkov/stoichkov/national/49.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.expertfootball.com/players/stoichkov/stoichkov/barca/1.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.expertfootball.com/players/stoichkov/stoichkov/national/5.jpg)
