Plamen Iliev (footballer, born 1991)

Plamen Iliev (Bulgarian: Пламен Илиев; born 30 November 1991) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ludogorets Razgrad and the Bulgarian national team.[2]

Plamen Iliev
Personal information
Full name Plamen Ivanov Iliev
Date of birth (1991-11-30) 30 November 1991
Place of birth Botevgrad, Bulgaria
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Ludogorets Razgrad
Number 23
Youth career
2000–2006 Balkan Botevgrad
2006–2009 Vidima-Rakovski
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Vidima-Rakovski 34 (0)
2011–2015 Levski Sofia 104 (0)
2015–2017 Botoșani 44 (0)
2017–2019 Astra Giurgiu 49 (0)
2019– Ludogorets Razgrad 28 (0)
National team‡
2010–2012 Bulgaria U21 9 (0)
2012– Bulgaria 16 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 February 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 October 2019

Iliev spent his early years with his hometown club Balkan Botevgrad, before joining Vidima-Rakovski's youth academy in 2006. He made his professional debut in 2009 at the age of 17 and quickly became a regular starter. In December 2010, Iliev moved to Levski Sofia for an undisclosed fee. Four and a half years later he signed for Romanian club Botoșani. In February 2017, he moved to Astra Giurgiu where he stayed two years before he returned to Bulgaria to join up with Ludogorets Razgrad.

A former regular for Bulgaria at Under-21 level, Iliev made his senior international debut in May 2012.

Club career

Vidima-Rakovski

In his youth years in Botevgrad, Iliev started to play football at Balkan.[3] He joined Vidima-Rakovski when he was fourteen years old and signed his first professional contract in 2009.

At the beginning of the 2009–10 season, Iliev was added to Vidima's senior squad by manager Dimitar Todorov. He made his B Group debut in the starting line-up on 8 August 2009 in a 1–1 draw against Kom-Minyor. During the season he became first choice goalkeeper and earned 23 appearances, helping his team to win promotion to the A Group.[4] Iliev was also the first choice keeper for the team from Sevlievo in the first half of the 2010–11 season and earned praise for his performances.

Levski Sofia
Iliev playing for Levski Sofia in 2011

On 17 December 2010, Iliev was sold to Levski Sofia. He made his debut for Levski against Lokomotiv Sofia on 6 March 2011, with Iliev succeeding in keeping a clean sheet.[5] On 6 April 2012, Iliev was appointed as Levski's captain, but became vice-captain for the 2012–13 season, as new coach Ilian Iliev decided to give the captain's armband to Stanislav Angelov.

On 14 September 2012, Iliev signed a new contract keeping him at the club until 2016.[6]

Botoșani

On 5 June 2015, Iliev moved abroad for the first time, agreeing to a three-year deal with Romanian Liga I club FC Botoșani.[7]

Astra Giurgiu

Following his good display at Botoșani, Iliev was signed by defending champions Astra Giurgiu on 1 February 2017.[8]

He kept a clean sheet in his competitive debut against Politehnica Iași, with Astra conceding two goals before his substitution. On 3 April, Iliev saved two penalties in six minutes, but in an eventual 1–2 home loss to Viitorul Constanța.

After the departure of Silviu Lung Jr. to Kayserispor in the summer of 2017, Iliev became the starting goalkeeper for Astra.

Ludogorets Razgrad

On 7 January 2019, Ludogorets Razgrad confirmed that Iliev had signed a preliminary contract under the Bosman ruling and is set to join the team as a free agent in June 2019 if the negotiations between Astra and Ludogorets in January didn't end with a transfer agreement,[9] but on 12 January the teams reached an agreement and Iliev joined the team for an undisclosed fee.[10]

International career

Since 2010 Iliev has been a regular with the Bulgaria U21 side, gradually becoming first choice, taking over from Stefano Kunchev. On 11 October 2011, he was sent off in the last minute of Bulgaria's 3–2 win against Luxembourg U21 in a 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualifier after an altercation with Tom Laterza.[11] Iliev was subsequently banned for 3 matches.

Iliev received his first call-up to the senior team of his country in 2011[12] and made his debut on 29 May 2012, in the 0–2 loss against Turkey in a friendly match after replacing Stoyan Kolev in the 76th minute.[13] Iliev appeared as a starter for the first time in the 2–1 win over Kazakhstan in another exhibition match held on 4 June 2013, managing to keep a clean sheet, with Bulgaria conceding after his replacement.[14]

On 31 August 2017, he saved a penalty taken by Emil Forsberg and the subsequent shot from the rebound in the 16th minute of the game in a historical 3–2 home win against Sweden. Iliev established himself as the first choice goalkeeper during Petar Houbchev's tenure as manager.

Career statistics

Club
As of 29 February 2020[15]
Club statistics
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vidima-Rakovski 2009–10 23000–230
2010–11 11010–120
Total 3401000350
Levski Sofia 2010–11 1301000140
2011–12 3002020340
2012–13 2605020330
2013–14 1803020230
2014–15 17020–190
Total 1040130601230
Botoșani 2015–16 2400040280
2016–17 20000–200
Total 4400040480
Astra Giurgiu 2016–17 803000110
2017–18 3302040390
2018–19 80000080
Total 4905040580
Ludogorets Razgrad 2018–19 1200000120
2019–20 1602[lower-alpha 1]0130310
Total 28020130430
Career total 25902102703070
  1. Includes Bulgarian Cup, Bulgarian Supercup matches.

International
As of 14 October 2019[16]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Bulgaria 201210
201310
201400
201500
201600
201750
201860
201930
Total160

Honours

Club
Levski Sofia
Astra Giurgiu
Ludogorets Razgrad

Individual

Best goalkeeper in the Bulgarian First League - 2019[17]

Personal life

Iliev has a daughter, Isabella, and a son, Vladi.[18]

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References
  1. "Отборът на "Левски" (София)" (in Bulgarian). samolevski23.alle.bg. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  2. Inca un transfer RATAT de FCSB! Jucatorul de nationala dorit la echipa a semnat cu Ludogorets! Anuntul facut de clubul bulgar. sport.ro (in Romanian)
  3. "Пламен Илиев лети към славата" (in Bulgarian). viasport.bg. 19 April 2011.
  4. "Всички харесват Пламен Илиев" (in Bulgarian). 7sport.net. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  5. "Пламен Илиев остава титуляр" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 25 June 2011.
  6. "Пламен Илиев подписа нов договор" (in Bulgarian). vsekiden.com. 14 September 2012.
  7. "Пламен Илиев подписа с румънци" (in Bulgarian). blitz.bg. 5 June 2015.
  8. "Шампионът на Румъния привлече Пламен Илиев" [The Romanian champion attracts Plamen Iliev] (in Bulgarian). Sportal.bg. 1 February 2017.
  9. Първа пресконференция на Лудогорец за 2019 г.
  10. Националният страж Пламен Илиев вече е играч на Лудогорец
  11. "България - Люксембург 3:2, евроквалификацията по минути" (in Bulgarian). blitz.bg. 11 October 2011.
  12. "Пламен Илиев: не очаквах толкова скоро да получа повиквателна" (in Bulgarian). botevgrad.com. 9 August 2011.
  13. "Bulgaria vs. Turkey Matchcast" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 29 May 2012. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014.
  14. "Нова победа за "лъвовете", националите надвиха Казахстан" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 4 June 2013.
  15. "P. Iliev". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  16. "Plamen Iliev". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  17. Petkov, Georgi (5 January 2020). "Димитър Илиев е "Футболист на годината", получи наградата си лично от Бербатов". topsport.bg. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  18. "Пламен Илиев стана баща за втори път" (in Bulgarian). dsport.bg. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
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