Ivaylo Yordanov

Ivaylo Yordanov

Yordanov in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Ivaylo Stoimenov Yordanov
Date of birth	(1968-04-22) 22 April 1968 (age 56)
Place of birth	Samokov, Bulgaria
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Striker, midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1982–1989	Rilski Sportist	199	(23)
1989–1991	Lokomotiv GO	51	(23)
1991–2001	Sporting CP	184	(56)
Total		434	(102)
International career
1991–2000	Bulgaria	51	(4)
Managerial career
2001–2002	Sporting B (assistant)
2004–2005	Bulgaria (assistant)
2010	Litex Lovech (assistant)
2016	Beroe (assistant)
2019–2020	Bulgaria U21 (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

During his career, he represented mainly Sporting in Portugal, appearing in more than 250 official games in one full decade and winning two major titles.

A Bulgaria international for nine years, Yordanov represented the nation in two World Cups and Euro 1996.

Born in Samokov, Yordanov began his career at local PFC Rilski Sportist, where he first appeared professionally at not yet 15, moving to FC Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa in 1989. In the last of his two seasons, he topped the First Professional Football League scoring charts, at 21 goals, helping lowly Lokomotiv to a comfortable ninth place.

In 1991–92, Yordanov joined Sporting CP, signing alongside compatriot Boncho Genchev – who had been his predecessor at Lokomotiv GO – where he would play in a variety of positions (including central defender, due to injuries to teammates). Persistent injury problems and the 1997 diagnosis of multiple sclerosis led to a 2001 retirement, still with the Lisbon club (he contributed with 11 matches and one goal in the team's Primeira Liga conquest the previous year).

Upon retiring, Yordanov stayed connected with Sporting, in its youth teams. On 7 June 2010 he joined Angel Chervenkov's staff at PFC Litex Lovech, as part of the scouting departments.

In 2017, Yordanov took up the role of director of football at his former club Lokomotiv GO.

Yordanov was capped 51 times and scored four goals for the Bulgaria national team, including seven FIFA World Cup games in the 1994 and 1998 championships.

In the former, in another display of "team-first" attitude – and first discovering his versatile qualities – during the round-of-16 tie against Mexico (as Bulgaria prevailed in a penalty shootout) he filled in at centre-back, due to the absence of Trifon Ivanov (suspension) and Nikolay Iliev (injury). During the match, he set up Hristo Stoichkov's goal in the 1–1 draw.

Yordanov would also appear at UEFA Euro 1996, playing all three group stage matches (two complete) as Bulgaria finished third in their group.

International goals

Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Yordanov goal.

List of international goals scored by Ivaylo Yordanov

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	2 June 1996	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	United Arab Emirates	1–0	4–1	Friendly match
2	2 April 1997	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Cyprus	4–1	4–1	1998 World Cup qualifier
3	5 June 1998	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Algeria	2–0	2–0	Friendly match
4	31 March 1999	Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	2–0	2–0	Euro 2000 qualifier

Sporting

• Primeira Liga: 1999–2000
• Taça de Portugal: 1994–95
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1995