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Georgi Hristov (footballer, born 1985)

{{Short description|Bulgarian footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Georgi Hristov

| image = CINvTB 2017-04-19 - Georgi Hristov (34227239475) (cropped2).jpg

| caption = Hristov with Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2017

| fullname = Georgi Georgiev Hristov

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|1|10|df=y}}

| birth_place = Plovdiv, Bulgaria

| height = {{height|m=1.84|precision=0}}

| position = Striker

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Maritsa Plovdiv

| years1 = 2002–2007 | clubs1 = Maritsa Plovdiv | caps1 = 111 | goals1 = 51

| years2 = 2007–2008 | clubs2 = Botev Plovdiv | caps2 = 30 | goals2 = 19

| years3 = 2008–2010 | clubs3 = Levski Sofia | caps3 = 38 | goals3 = 12

| years4 = 2010 | clubs4 = → Wisła Kraków (loan) | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2010–2012 | clubs5 = Slavia Sofia | caps5 = 35 | goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2011 | clubs6 = → Ashdod (loan) | caps6 = 4 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2012 | clubs7 = Lokomotiv Sofia| caps7 = 13 | goals7 = 2

| years8 = 2013–2018 | clubs8 = Tampa Bay Rowdies | caps8 = 164 | goals8 = 60

| years9 = 2019 | clubs9 = Nashville United | caps9 = | goals9 =

| years10 = 2021 | clubs10 = Florida Premier | caps10 = | goals10 =

| totalcaps = 397 | totalgoals = 148

| nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 =

| medaltemplates =

| club-update =

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Georgi Hristov ({{langx|bg|Георги Христов}}; born 10 January 1985) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Career

=Maritsa Plovdiv=

Hristov was born in Plovdiv. He grew up as part of Maritsa Plovdiv's academy and made his debut for the senior team in 2002/2003 season. He played for Maritsa until 2007. During the 2005/2006 season he was B PFG's top scorer, with 18 goals.{{cite web|url=http://www.bulgarian-football.com/bg/bpfg05-06/goals_iztbgrupa.html |publisher=Bulgarian-football.com |title=Източна "Б" Футболна група – сезон 2005/06, Голмайстори |access-date=31 May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517072956/http://www.bulgarian-football.com/bg/bpfg05-06/goals_iztbgrupa.html |archive-date=17 May 2012 }} In the same season he was chosen the best footballer of B PFG East group by other players.

=Botev Plovdiv=

He signed a contract with Botev during summer of 2007. In his first season in A PFG he became a topscorer, scoring 19 goals{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=684415.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420040627/http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=684415.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 April 2008 |publisher=UEFA|title=Hristov's goals have Canaries singing|access-date=15 April 2008}} and was chosen the best footballer of the season by other players. Hristov became a free-agent on 4 July 2008.

=Levski Sofia=

Hristov started training with Levski Sofia on 23 June 2008. Later, he signed his contract with 'the Blues'. He scored a hat-trick against his ex-team Botev, in one of his first matches for Levski. On 13 August 2008, Hristov earned a penalty for Levski Sofia in the first leg of a decisive Champions League match against BATE Borisov, but it was not converted and the "bluemen" subsequently lost the match by a score of 0:1.{{cite news |url=http://sportni.bg/?tid=40&oid=2504674&cid=4302 |title=Левски" играе, БАТЕ бие|access-date=1 August 2009 |date=13 August 2008 |language=bg |publisher=Netinfo sport}} On 26 April 2009 Hristov scored four goals against PFC Belasitsa Petrich. He scored in 56th, 63rd, 65th and 86th minute. The result of the match was 1:7 with a guest win for Levski Sofia. On 9 May 2009 Hristov scored the first goal for Levski Sofia in The Eternal Derby against CSKA. The result of the match was 0:2 with a guest win for Levski. He became a Champion of Bulgaria in 2009.

On 15 July 2009, Hristov opened his goal account for the new season with two goals in the first official match for Levski during 2009/2010 season. The event took place in the 2nd Qualifying round of UEFA Champions League, where Levski beaten the team of UE Sant Julià. The result of the match was 4:0 with a home win for Levski. On 5 August 2009, he also scored against FK Baku to wrap up a 2:0 win for the team from Sofia. In the play-off round Levski was eliminated by Debreceni VSC with 4:1 (on aggregate). However, Levski qualified for UEFA Europa League. On 8 January 2009. the coach of Levski Georgi Ivanov, announced that he gave 'his' ex-kit-number 9 to Hristov.

=Wisła Kraków=

On 26 February 2010 Wisła Kraków signed the Bulgarian forward on loan from PFC Levski Sofia.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wisla.krakow.pl/pl/aktualnosci/hristov_chcialem_trafic_do_duzego_klubu/ |title=Hristov: Chciałem trafić do dużego klubu |access-date=27 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302232805/http://www.wisla.krakow.pl/pl/aktualnosci/hristov_chcialem_trafic_do_duzego_klubu/ |archive-date=2 March 2012 |url-status=dead }} On 7 June 2010 it was announced that Hristov's loan contract would be terminated and he would return to Levski, unlike the initial plans of Wisła having him on loan until December 2010.{{cite web |url=http://gong.bg/view_article.php?article_id=139459 |title=Жоро Христов започва подготовка с Левски |date= 7 June 2010 |publisher=Gong.bg |language=bg|access-date=7 June 2010}}

=Return to Bulgaria=

File:Slavia-litex-13-5-2011.JPG]]

On 31 August 2010, Hristov moved to PFC Slavia Sofia.{{cite web|url=http://www.pfcslavia.com/bg/newsDetail.aspx?nID=627 |title=Промени в състава |publisher=pfcslavia.com |access-date=31 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717113135/http://www.pfcslavia.com/bg/newsDetail.aspx?nID=627 |archive-date=17 July 2011 }} In August 2012, he moved to another A PFG outfit PFC Lokomotiv Sofia. In February 2013, he trialed with Major League Soccer club Philadelphia Union.{{Cite web |url=http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2013/02/match-against-crew-was-under-watchful-eye-coaches-players-fight-contracts |title=Match against Crew was under watchful eye of coaches as players fight for contracts | Philadelphia Union |access-date=15 February 2013 |archive-date=17 February 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217002829/http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2013/02/match-against-crew-was-under-watchful-eye-coaches-players-fight-contracts |url-status=dead }}

=Tampa Bay Rowdies=

File:GeorgiHristovRowdies4.25.JPG

On 8 March 2013, The Tampa Bay Rowdies, of the North American Soccer League, announced that the club had signed Hristov to a two-year deal. Year two of the contract is a club option.{{Cite web |url=http://rowdiessoccer.com/index.php?id=52&newsid=4162 |title=News | Tampa Bay Rowdies |access-date=8 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314060306/http://rowdiessoccer.com/index.php?id=52&newsid=4162 |archive-date=14 March 2013 |url-status=dead }} Hristov scored his first goal for the Rowdies in a 2–0 win against the San Antonio Scorpions.{{Cite web|url=https://usatsbi.wordpress.com/2013/04/nasl-week-back-1.html|title=Private Site|website=usatsbi.wordpress.com}} Hristov made 22 appearances during his first season in USA, finishing as the club's top scorer with 12 goals. He also made 8 assists. He won the MVP award of the league that year.

On 4 July 2018 Hristov scored his 58th career goal for the Rowdies, making him the Rowdies' all-time top scorer.

Since retiring from professional football, Hristov has featured for Nashville United during 2020 U.S. Open Cup qualification, and for South Tampa FC of the Florida Suncoast Soccer League, which is a Tampa Bay-area Sunday league.

International career

Georgi Hristov was called up for one friendly match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in August 2008, but remained an unused substitute.{{cite news |url=http://www.7sport.net/archive7ds/2008/08/19/fb_nacionali/d5132_2.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507132107/http://www.7sport.net/archive7ds/2008/08/19/fb_nacionali/d5132_2.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=7 May 2016 |title=Зеница скочи срещу футболните шефове|access-date=21 April 2016 |date=19 August 2008 |language=bg |publisher=7sport.net}}

Personal life

Hristov is an avid rock music fan, and cited the American thrash metal band Metallica as his favourite. His older brother Hristo was a guitarist in the rock band P.I.F.{{cite web|url=http://dariknews.bg/view_article.php?article_id=370852 |title=Метълът Георги Христов: Митко Бербатов е като Джеймс Хетфийлд на футбола|date= 1 July 2009 |publisher=dariknews.bg |language=bg|access-date= 1 June 2009}}

Statistics

: (As of 22 May 2018)

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!rowspan="2"|League

!colspan="2"|League

!colspan="2"|National

!colspan="2"|Europe

!colspan="2"|Play-offs

!colspan="2"|Total

Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="6" valign="center"|Maritsa Plovdiv

|2002–03

|V AFG

|17

4colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—174
2003–04

|V AFG

|21

7colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—217
2004–05

|V AFG

|26

10colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—2610
2005–06

|B Group

|24

1810colspan="2"|—112619
2006–07

|B Group

|23

1222colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—2514
colspan="2"|Total

! 111

5132colspan="2"|—1111554
Botev Plovdiv

|2007–08

|A Group

|30

1943colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|–3422
rowspan="4" valign="center"|Levski Sofia

|2008–09

|A Group

|25

113030colspan="2"|—3111
2009–10

|A Group

|12

131103colspan="2"|—255
2010–11

|A Group

|1

0colspan="2"|—00colspan="2"|—10
colspan="2"| Total381261133colspan="2"|—5716
rowspan="1" valign="center"|Wisła Kraków (loan)

|2009–10

|Ekstraklasa

|2

020colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—40
rowspan="3" valign="center"|Slavia Sofia

|2010–11

|A Group

|23

450colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—284
2011–12

|A Group

|12

0colspan="2"|–colspan="2"|–colspan="2"|–70
colspan="2"| Total35450colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—404
rowspan="1" valign="center"|Ashdod (loan)

|2011–12

|Israeli Premier League

|4

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—40
rowspan="1" valign="center"|Lokomotiv Sofia

|2012–13

|A Group

|13

231colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—163
rowspan="7" valign="center"|Tampa Bay Rowdies

|2013

|NASL

|22

1223colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—2415
2014

|NASL

|25

9colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|–colspan="2"|—259
2015

|NASL

|28

210colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—292
2016

|NASL

|31

1121colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—3312
2017

|NASL

|32

1520colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—3415
2018

|NASL

|10

410colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—114
colspan="2"| Total14753115colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—15858

Honours

= Levski =

= Individual =

  • B PFG Top Goalscorer: 2005–06
  • A PFG Top Goalscorer: 2007–08

{{cite web

|url=http://topsport.ibox.bg/news/id_1555462594

|title=Top goalscorers of A PFG (07/08)

|date=20 May 2008

|publisher=topsport.ibox.bg

|access-date=26 April 2009

}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{commons category-inline}}
  • [https://archive.today/20150112023616/http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/team/roster/player/uuid/rrw27lic08ey1utrs3uktk2vh/georgi-hristov Tampa Bay Rowdies profile]
  • [http://en.levskisofia.info/player/georgi-hristov/ Profile at LevskiSofia.info]

{{Bulgarian A Professional Football Group top scorers}}

{{North American Soccer League MVP}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hristov, Georgi}}

Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Plovdiv

Category:Bulgarian men's footballers

Category:Bulgarian expatriate men's footballers

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players

Category:Second Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players

Category:Israeli Premier League players

Category:Ekstraklasa players

Category:North American Soccer League (2011–2017) players

Category:United Premier Soccer League players

Category:USL Championship players

Category:FC Maritsa Plovdiv players

Category:Botev Plovdiv players

Category:PFC Levski Sofia players

Category:Wisła Kraków players

Category:PFC Slavia Sofia players

Category:F.C. Ashdod players

Category:FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia players

Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies players

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Poland

Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Israel

Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States

Category:Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Poland

Category:Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Israel

Category:Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in the United States

Category:21st-century Bulgarian sportsmen