Bozhidar Iskrenov

Bojidar Iskrenov
Personal information
Full name	Bojidar Georgiev Iskrenov
Date of birth	1 August 1962 (age 62)
Place of birth	Sofia, Bulgaria
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Attacking Midfielder
Youth career
1971–1979	Levski Sofia
Senior career*
Years	Team
1979–1988	Levski Sofia
1989	Real Zaragoza
1989	Levski Sofia
1990–1991	Lausanne Sports
1991–1992	Botev Plovdiv
1993–1994	Shumen
1993	→ CSKA Sofia (loan)
1995	Septemvri Sofia
1995–1997	Washington Warthogs
Total
International career
1982–1983	Bulgaria U21
1983–1993	Bulgaria
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Bojidar Georgiev Iskrenov (Bulgarian: Божидар Гeopгиeв Искренов, born 1 August 1962), nicknamed Gibona (Гибона means "The Gibbon"), Gibi (Гиби) and The Joy of the People (Радостта на народа), is a former Bulgarian footballer who spent most of his career playing for Levski Sofia as a forward.

Iskrenov also had a brief film career. He appeared in the movie Manevri na petiya etazh as the elevator technician.

Career

A native of the capital Sofia, Iskrenov played for Levski between 1979 and 1989, scoring 58 goals in 208 matches.^[1] He was then transferred to the Spanish Real Zaragoza in 1989-1990, but could not establish himself in the first team and went on as a Lausanne Sports player in Switzerland in 1990–1991.^[1] Spells at Botev Plovdiv (1991–1992), CSKA Sofia and PFC Shumen (1994) followed, with Iskrenov ending his career at Septemvri Sofia (1994–1995).^[1]

Iskrenov won the top Bulgarian league, the A PFG, three times (all with Levski): in 1984, 1985 and 1988, as well as the Bulgarian Cup in 1982, 1984 and 1986 (with Levski) and 1993 (with CSKA).^[1] He played a total of 263 matches and scored 58 goals in the A PFG. A very skillful player, known for his feints as well as the ability to shoot with both legs,^[2] Iskrenov was also nicknamed Radostta na naroda (Радостта на народа; "The Joy of the people").^[1]

International career

For the Bulgaria national team, Bojidar Iskrenov has 50 matches and 5 goals, debuting on 28 October 1981 in a 0–3 defeat by Brazil and retiring from international football on 12 May 1993 after a 2–2 draw between Bulgaria and Israel in Sofia.^[1] He played at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, when Bulgaria reached the round of 16.