Chris Popov
{{short description|Welsh footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Chris Popov
|image =
|fullname = Christopher Petrov Popov{{cite web |title=C. Popov |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/chris-popov/690998/ |website=Soccerway |access-date=27 August 2024}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|10|26|df=y}}
|birth_place =
|height =
|currentclub = Barrow
(on loan from Leicester City)
|clubnumber = 22
|position = Forward, midfielder
|youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2021
|youthclubs1 = Manchester United
|youthyears2 = 2021–2024
|youthclubs2 = Leicester City
|years1 = 2024–
|clubs1 = Leicester City |caps1 = 0 |goals1 = 0
|years2 = 2024–
|clubs2 = → Barrow (loan)|caps2 = 10 |goals2 = 0
|nationalyears1 = 2021
|nationalteam1 = Wales U18
|nationalcaps1 = 1
|nationalgoals1 = 0
|nationalyears2 = 2021–2023
|nationalteam2 = Wales U19
|nationalcaps2 = 5
|nationalgoals2 = 2
| nationalyears3 = 2023–
| nationalteam3 = Wales U21
| nationalcaps3 = 12
| nationalgoals3 = 1
|club-update = 00:20, 18 March 2025 (UTC)
|nationalteam-update = 22:30, 23 March 2025 (UTC)
}}
Christopher Petrov Popov (born 26 October 2004) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a forward or midfielder for {{English football updater|Barrow}} club Barrow, on loan from {{English football updater|LeicestC}} club Leicester City. He is a Wales under-21 international.
Club career
Popov joined the Leicester City academy in 2021 after being released by Manchester United.{{cite news |last1=Pawley |first1=Luke |title=Leicester City may already have the next Jamie Vardy in their ranks |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/sport-opinion/leicester-city-jamie-vardy-popov-6961711 |access-date=27 August 2024 |work=Leicestershire Live |date=16 April 2022}} On 27 August 2024, he made his senior debut for the club as a 73rd-minute substitute in a 4–0 EFL Cup victory against Tranmere Rovers.{{cite news |title=Leicester City vs Tranmere Rovers: League Cup |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cjrd5eql34vt#Line-ups |access-date=27 August 2024 |work=BBC Sport |date=27 August 2024}}
On 30 August 2024, Popov joined EFL League Two side Barrow on a season-long loan.{{cite news |title=Leicester's Popov loaned to Barrow|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/crlr4749zk7o |access-date=8 April 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=30 August 2024}} He made his club and league debut a day later, starting in a 0–1 away win against Harrogate Town.{{cite news |title=Leicester's Popov loaned to Barrow|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c1w7zd3p7l1t|access-date=8 April 2025 |work=BBC Sport |date=31 August 2024}}
International career
Born in Wales, Popov is of Bulgarian descent and is eligible to play for both Wales and Bulgaria.[https://www.24chasa.bg/sport/article/9574200 Нападател с български произход в "Лестър"][https://telegraph.bg/sport/futbol-bulgaria/i-kris-popov-s-shans-da-igrae-za-bylgariia.-lesno-e-kogato-imash-rezultati-radva-se-gonzo-363793 И Крис Попов с шанс да играе за България]
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 26 December 2024}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan=2|Club !rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League !colspan=2|FA Cup !colspan=2|EFL Cup !colspan=2|Other !colspan=2|Total | ||||||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=4|Leicester City U21
|2022–23{{soccerbase season|145977|2022|access-date=29 August 2024}} |colspan=3|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 3{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|145977|2023|access-date=29 August 2024}}
|colspan=3|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 1{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2024–25
|colspan=3|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 1{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearances in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| colspan=2|Total
!colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||5||0||5||0 | ||||||||||
| Leicester City
|2024–25{{soccerbase season|145977|2024|access-date=29 August 2024}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 1 | 0 | ||
| Barrow (loan)
|10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |0 | 0 | |11 | 0 | |
| colspan=3|Career total
!10||0||1||0||1||0||5||0||17||0 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|chris-popov/690998}}
{{Barrow A.F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Popov, Chris}}
Category:British people of Bulgarian descent
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Leicester City F.C. players