Valentin Iliev
Encyclopedia
Valentin Iliev (born 11 August 1980 in Knezha
) is a Bulgaria
n footballer currently playing for the Romania
n team Steaua Bucureşti in Liga I
.
, was goalkeeper for CSKA
and Bulgaria
's national team. Valentin's biggest career moment was scoring a goal (after an excellent Yordan Yurukov
assist), which helped CSKA Sofia secure a historic 1:0 away win over Liverpool F.C.
on 23 August 2005 in the Third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League
. However, it did not help them qualify for the UEFA Champions League group phase, as the "armymen" were eliminated after an aggregate score of 2:3, having lost their home game.
, where he played for the local team Botev Vratsa.
from Zaporizhzhya, where he played 21 matches and scored one goal.
. Iliev developed a knack for scoring key goals for the "armymen" making good use of his powerful heading ability - some of them included a last-minute goal
against Vihren Sandanski to help the "reds" to a 1:0 win and a goal against Turkish
side Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü in a match that ended 2:2. Despite some disciplinary issues, most notably his physical confrontation with Jose Emilio Furtado
, resulting in Iliev being stripped of the CSKA captaincy
, he remained a cult figure for CSKA Sofia fans.
n club Universitatea Craiova
.
for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales
. On 8 October 2010, he started the match, but sustained an injury during the first half and was replaced by Pavel Vidanov
.
Knezha
Knezha is a town in Pleven Province, Northern Bulgaria. It is the administrative center of the homonymous Knezha Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 11,191 inhabitants....
) is a 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 footballer currently playing for the Romania
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...
n team Steaua Bucureşti in Liga I
Liga I
Liga I, or in full, due to sponsorship reasons, Liga I Bergenbier, is the top division of the Romanian football league system. Before the 2006/2007 season, it was called Divizia A, but the name had to be changed following the discovery that someone else had registered the trademark "Divizia A"...
.
Background
Iliev's father, Iliya ValovIliya Valov
Iliya Valov is a Bulgarian former football goalkeeper who played for Bulgaria.Valov made 180 appearances for Botev Vratsa from 1981 to 1988. He was the number two goalkeeper to Borislav Mihaylov in Bulgaria's squad at Mexico 86...
, was goalkeeper for CSKA
CSKA
CSKA refers to military sports teams in several east European countries:Bulgaria* CSKA Sofia ** PBC CSKA Sofia, a basketball club...
and 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...
's national team. Valentin's biggest career moment was scoring a goal (after an excellent Yordan Yurukov
Yordan Yurukov
Yordan Yurukov is a Bulgarian footballer, who currently plays for Slavia Sofia as a midfielder.-Pirin & CSKA:Yurukov started his professional career at Pirin 1922. On 13 November 2004 he scored three goals against Dorostol Silistra in a match from Bulgarian second division.In January, 2005,...
assist), which helped CSKA Sofia secure a historic 1:0 away win over Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 23 August 2005 in the Third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. However, it did not help them qualify for the UEFA Champions League group phase, as the "armymen" were eliminated after an aggregate score of 2:3, having lost their home game.
Beginning
Iliev started his career in his home town VratsaVratsa
Vratsa is a city in northwestern Bulgaria, at the foothills of the Balkan Mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Vratsa Province. As of February 2011, the town has a population of 60,482 inhabitants....
, where he played for the local team Botev Vratsa.
Metalurh Zaporizhzhya
In June 2001 he signed with Ukrainian club MetalurgFC Metalurh Zaporizhzhya
FC Metalurh Zaporizhya is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Zaporizhia. The club has always been in the top league, since the first season in 1992 until the season 2010/11 when it took the last position and was relegated to the Ukrainian First League.- Early years :The...
from Zaporizhzhya, where he played 21 matches and scored one goal.
CSKA Sofia
In November 2004 Iliev joined CSKA Sofia. For six months he was captain of the team and in 2005 Iliev played his first match for the Bulgaria national football teamBulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
. Iliev developed a knack for scoring key goals for the "armymen" making good use of his powerful heading ability - some of them included a last-minute goal
Last-minute goal
The term "last-minute goal" is used in sport, primarily association football, to describe a goal scored very late in a game. It may not necessarily refer to a goal scored in the actual final minute...
against Vihren Sandanski to help the "reds" to a 1:0 win and a goal against Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
side Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü in a match that ended 2:2. Despite some disciplinary issues, most notably his physical confrontation with Jose Emilio Furtado
Jose Emilio Furtado
José Emílio Robalo Furtado is a Portuguese footballer of Cape Verdean descent who plays for Panachaiki in Greece, as a striker.-Football career:...
, resulting in Iliev being stripped of the CSKA captaincy
Captaincy
A captaincy is a historical administrative division of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. Each was governed by a captain general.-In the Portuguese Empire:...
, he remained a cult figure for CSKA Sofia fans.
Terek Grozny
In 2008, Valentin Iliev was sold to the Russian First Division side, Terek Grozny.Universitatea Craiova
The player signed a one year and a half contract with the RomaniaRomania
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...
n club Universitatea Craiova
FC Universitatea Craiova
Fotbal Club Universitatea Craiova is a Romanian professional football club from Craiova. They became the first Romanian football team to reach the semi-finals of a European tournament, during the UEFA Cup in 1982–83...
.
Steaua Bucureşti
In February 2011, Iliev signed a contract for one and a half years with Steaua Bucureşti.International career
In October 2010, after a long absence from the national team, Iliev was recalled to the national side by the new manager Lothar MatthäusLothar Matthäus
Lothar Herbert Matthäus , is a German football manager and former player.In 1990, he was named European Footballer of the Year and World Soccer Player of the Year after captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 World Cup...
for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. On 8 October 2010, he started the match, but sustained an injury during the first half and was replaced by Pavel Vidanov
Pavel Vidanov
Pavel Vidanov is a Bulgarian football player who is playing for CSKA Sofia. He plays primarily as a right defender or a centre back.-CSKA Sofia:...
.
Honours
- Bulgarian Championship - 2 times 2005, 2008
- Bulgarian Cup - 1 time 2006
- Bulgarian Super Cup - 1 time 2006
- Romanian Cup - 1 time 2011