Mario Kirev
Encyclopedia
Mario Kirev (born 15 August 1989 in Dupnitsa) is a Bulgaria
n football
goalkeeper who currently plays for Politehnica Timişoara
on loan from Italian
Serie A
giants Juventus FC. Kirev is a part of Bulgaria national under-21 football team
.
. His first coach was Georgi Stanchev.
At the age of fourteen he started training in the junior team of Slavia Sofia.
. He earned 7 appearances playing in the A PFG.
. Because of his good displays in a match against Romania U 21
on 19 November, he caught the eye of Juventus F.C.
scouts. In December 2008 he was invited by Juventus F.C.
to join trial period, which began on 12 Dec. On 30 January 2009, Mario officially signed with Juventus on a four-and-a-half years contract. In the next days Kirev was loaned for six months in the Swiss team Grasshopper-Club Zürich
. In June 2009, he returned to Juventus. However he started for the clubs Primavera youth squad helping lead them to a second consecutive Viareggio Championship. In February 2010, Kirev signed for FC Thun
in Switzerland
, in attempt to gain first team experience. On July 1, 2010, Kirev returned to Juventus and became the 5th keeper, behind injured Buffon, new signing Marco Storari
, Alex Manninger
and new signing Marco Costantino. He was called-up to the first team, for the first time on 29 October 2010, against A.C. Milan
. In September 2011, Kirev joined Romanian
Liga II
side, F.C. Timişoara
, on a season long loan deal.
and he is the only player on the team plying his trade outside of Bulgaria
.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper who currently plays for Politehnica Timişoara
FC Politehnica Timişoara
Fotbal Club Politehnica Timişoara is a Romanian football club which was established in 1921 and is currently playing in Romania's second league, Liga II...
on loan from Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
giants Juventus FC. Kirev is a part of Bulgaria national under-21 football team
Bulgaria national under-21 football team
The Bulgaria national under-21 football team represents the under-21 football team of Bulgaria and is controlled by the Bulgarian Football Union. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years....
.
Youth career
Kirev started playing football in the little amateur club FC Germanea from Sapareva BanyaSapareva Banya
Sapareva Banya is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Kyustendil Province. It is located at the north foot of the Rila mountain 15 km east of Dupnitsa...
. His first coach was Georgi Stanchev.
At the age of fourteen he started training in the junior team of Slavia Sofia.
Slavia Sofia
In August 2007 Kirev signed his first professional contract with Slavia. He made his competitive debut for the club on 25 April 2008 against Spartak Varna in the twenty five round of the Bulgarian top division. In next season (2008–09) Kirev was the first choice for goalkeeper of the coach Stevica KuzmanovskiStevica Kuzmanovski
Stevica Kuzmanovski is a former Macedonian footballer and the current manager of Armenian Premier League club Banants Yerevan.-Playing career:...
. He earned 7 appearances playing in the A PFG.
Juventus FC
From August 2008 Mario is a part of Bulgaria national under-21 football teamBulgaria national under-21 football team
The Bulgaria national under-21 football team represents the under-21 football team of Bulgaria and is controlled by the Bulgarian Football Union. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years....
. Because of his good displays in a match against Romania U 21
Romania national under-21 football team
The Romania national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years....
on 19 November, he caught the eye of Juventus F.C.
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
scouts. In December 2008 he was invited by Juventus F.C.
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
to join trial period, which began on 12 Dec. On 30 January 2009, Mario officially signed with Juventus on a four-and-a-half years contract. In the next days Kirev was loaned for six months in the Swiss team Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and best known section of Grasshopper Club Zürich is its football team...
. In June 2009, he returned to Juventus. However he started for the clubs Primavera youth squad helping lead them to a second consecutive Viareggio Championship. In February 2010, Kirev signed for FC Thun
FC Thun
FC Thun 1898 is a Swiss football team from the Bernese Oberland town of Thun. The club currently plays in the Swiss Super League after being promoted in the 2009/10 season. The club plays at the Arena Thun which accommodates a total of 10,300 supporters, both seated and standing...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, in attempt to gain first team experience. On July 1, 2010, Kirev returned to Juventus and became the 5th keeper, behind injured Buffon, new signing Marco Storari
Marco Storari
Marco Storari is an Italian professional footballer who plays for Juventus F.C. as a goalkeeper.After a lengthy spell in Italy's lower leagues, he arrived in Serie A aged 27. Steady performances for Messina prompted his signing by country giants A.C...
, Alex Manninger
Alex Manninger
Alexander "Alex" Manninger is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Juventus F.C. in the Italian Serie A. He has played for a variety of high-profile clubs, almost always as a substitute....
and new signing Marco Costantino. He was called-up to the first team, for the first time on 29 October 2010, against A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
. In September 2011, Kirev joined Romanian
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
Liga II
Liga II
Liga II is the second tier league of the Romanian football league system. The league acquired this name in the 2006-07, being previously called Divizia B....
side, F.C. Timişoara
Politehnica Timisoara
Politehnica Timişoara may refer to:*Polytechnic University of Timişoara, an education institution from Timişoara*FC Politehnica Timişoara, a football club from Timişoara...
, on a season long loan deal.
International career
From August 2008 Mario is a part of Bulgaria national under-21 football teamBulgaria national under-21 football team
The Bulgaria national under-21 football team represents the under-21 football team of Bulgaria and is controlled by the Bulgarian Football Union. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years....
and he is the only player on the team plying his trade outside of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
External links
- Profile at BulgarianPlayers.com
- 2007–08 Statistics at PFL.bg
- Transfermarkt profile