33·Legends
‹ Bulgaria's 33
Bulgaria · 1945–1968

Ivan Kolev

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Rating
85
#9
Editorial rank of 33 for Bulgaria
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The people's rank, live from duel votes

On 17 October 1956 the left winger opened the scoring against Dinamo Bucharest, the first European Cup goal by any Bulgarian club, and finished with three in an 8-1 win. Melbourne brought Olympic bronze that same year, with two World Cups in 1962 and 1966, eleven Bulgarian titles and four cups at CSKA Sofia, and Footballer of the Year in 1956 and 1962.

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Shared the era

Bulgaria legends whose careers overlapped Kolev's

The world's great LMs

Around Kolev in the almanac

One rank above: Yordan Letchkov at #8.

One rank below: Trifon Ivanov at #10.

Bulgaria's editorial top five: Hristo Stoichkov · Dimitar Berbatov · Georgi Asparuhov · Hristo Bonev · Krasimir Balakov.