Ilian Iliev
{{short description|Bulgarian footballer}}
{{About||the Bulgarian footballer born in 1999 and his son|Ilian Iliev (footballer, born 1999)|the Bulgarian footballer born in 1988|Iliyan Iliev|the Bulgarian weightlifter|Ilian Iliev (weightlifter)|the Bulgarian equestrian|Ilian Iliev (equestrian)}}
{{family name hatnote|Dimov|Iliev|lang=Bulgarian}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ilian Iliev
| image = Ilian Iliev in 2020.jpg
| image_size = 200
| fullname = Ilian Dimov Iliev
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1968|07|02}}
| birth_place = Varna, Bulgaria
| height = {{convert|1.68|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| position = Attacking midfielder
| currentclub = Bulgaria (manager)
| youthyears1 = 1979–1986
| youthclubs1 = Cherno More
| years1 = 1988–1991
| clubs1 = Cherno More
| caps1 = 75
| goals1 = 18
| years2 = 1991–1995
| clubs2 = Levski Sofia
| caps2 = 85
| goals2 = 19
| years3 = 1993–1994
| clubs3 = → Altay (loan)
| caps3 = 12
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 1995–1997
| clubs4 = Benfica
| caps4 = 40
| goals4 = 4
| years5 = 1997
| clubs5 = Slavia Sofia
| caps5 = 11
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 1998
| clubs6 = Bursaspor
| caps6 = 15
| goals6 = 3
| years7 = 1998
| clubs7 = AEK Athens
| caps7 = 8
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 1999
| clubs8 = Levski Sofia
| caps8 = 11
| goals8 = 0
| years9 = 1999–2002
| clubs9 = Marítimo
| caps9 = 76
| goals9 = 6
| years10 = 2002–2003
| clubs10 = Salgueiros
| caps10 = 24
| goals10 = 0
| years11 = 2003–2004
| clubs11 = Cherno More
| caps11 = 18
| goals11 = 2
| totalcaps = 375
| totalgoals = 55
| nationalcaps1 = 34
| nationalgoals1 = 3
| nationalyears1 = 1991–2000
| nationalteam1 = Bulgaria
| manageryears1 = 2004–2006
| managerclubs1 = Cherno More
| manageryears2 = 2006–2007
| managerclubs2 = Beroe
| manageryears3 = 2008–2012
| managerclubs3 = Beroe
| manageryears4 = 2012–2013
| managerclubs4 = Levski Sofia
| manageryears5 = 2014–2015
| managerclubs5 = Interclube
| manageryears6 = 2016
| managerclubs6 = Lokomotiv Plovdiv
| manageryears7 = 2017
| managerclubs7 = Vereya
| manageryears8 = 2018–
| managerclubs8 = Cherno More
| manageryears9 = 2023–
| managerclubs9 = Bulgaria
| caption = Iliev in 2020 as the manager of Cherno More
}}
Ilian Dimov Iliev ({{langx|bg|Илиан Димов Илиев}}; born 2 July 1968) is a Bulgarian professional football manager and former player.[https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/destino-90s/benfica/iliev-sonhos-na-luz-desfeitos-por-manuel-jose Iliev: sonhos na Luz desfeitos por Manuel José] maisfutebol.iol.pt He is the head coach at Bulgarian First League club Cherno More and the Bulgarian national football team.
He is best known for having played for Portuguese club Benfica and Bulgarian sides Cherno More and Levski Sofia. In his professional career as a footballer, he received 34 international caps for the Bulgaria national team.
Club career
Iliev was born in Varna and started to play football at his hometown club Cherno More. In his youth he was also a talented wrestler, but chose to dedicate himself to football.{{cite web|url=http://livetv.sx/bg/lenta/81657_/|publisher=livetv.sx (citing sportal.bg)|title=Илиан Илиев пред Sportal.bg: Не може да си смачкан в живота, а на терена да си лъв |date=27 October 2020|access-date=27 October 2020}} After his good performances in the Cherno More youth teams were caught, he was promoted into the first team in 1986. For five seasons, between 1986 and 1991, Iliev made 123 appearances and scored 31 goals for the club. He was transferred to Levski Sofia in the 1991–92 season, winning three times the Bulgarian A PFG and one Bulgarian Cup in five years with the club.
In 1995, Iliev moved to Benfica and won the Taça de Portugal in the 1995–96 season. In his career he also played for Slavia Sofia, Turkish Bursaspor, Greek AEK Athens as well as for the Portuguese clubs Marítimo and Salgueiros. He finished his career at his first club Cherno More Varna in 2004.
International career
Iliev earned his first cap with Bulgaria in a friendly match against Turkey on 21 August 1991 in Stara Zagora. He registered 34 caps for his country, scoring three goals. Iliev was part of the Bulgarian squad at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where he played in three games.{{cite web|url=http://www.bulgarian-football.com/bgteam98.html|publisher=bulgarian-football.com|title=The Bulgarian squad for the 1998 World Cup finals|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708104552/http://www.bulgarian-football.com/bgteam98.html|archive-date=8 July 2011}}
Coaching career
After retiring in 2004, Iliev pursued a career as a coach. In June 2004, he was appointed as a manager in his first club Cherno More Varna. However, on 3 March 2006, after a two years spell at the Sailors, he resigned after a home 0–1 loss against Rodopa Smolyan. Since 2006,{{cite web |url=http://football.sportal.bg/news.php?news=12255 |title=Берое назначи Илиан Илиев за треньор – БГ Футбол – Sportal.bg |website=football.sportal.bg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211124946/http://football.sportal.bg/news.php?news=12255 |archive-date=2012-02-11}} he serves as the manager of Beroe Stara Zagora,{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=bul/news/newsid=1469449.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100401120538/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=bul/news/newsid=1469449.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 April 2010|publisher=UEFA|title=Beroe back to their best under Iliev|date=29 March 2010|access-date=29 March 2010}} making him one of the longest serving coach in a Bulgarian football club. Under his management in the 2009–10 season, Beroe won a historical first Bulgarian Cup and consequently achieved a participation in the UEFA Europa League qualification stages. Iliev has been voted best coach in the Bulgarian championship for the season 2009–10 by the association of Bulgarian football players.
On 6 April 2012 it was announced that Iliev will be the new manager of Levski Sofia. He was to complete the season with Beroe and then start his new job at the beginning of the 2012–13 season. His contract will be until June 2015.
On 12 April 2013, he was fired by Levski Sofia and was replaced by Nikolay Mitov.
In mid May 2014, Iliev held final talks to become the manager of Angolan club Inter Luanda. Compatriot Petar Kostadinov was announced as his assistant.{{cite web|url=http://topsport.ibox.bg/material/id_1837673151|publisher=topsport.bg|title=Илиев пое африканския Интер, Илиан ще работи в Ангола |date=11 May 2014|access-date=13 May 2014}} He returned to his country in 2016, being appointed as manager of Loko Plovdiv. Iliev came close to securing European club football for the team, as the "smurfs" finished in 5th place in the standings during the 2015/2016 A PFG. On 17 October 2016, following a 1–2 defeat by Lokomotiv GO, Iliev announced that he is leaving Lokomotiv Plovdiv.{{cite web | title = Старши треньорът на Локомотив Илиан Илиев подаде оставка | url = https://lokomotivpd.com/ilian-iliev-podade-ostavka/ | publisher = lokomotivpd.com | date = 17 October 2016 | language = bg }}{{Dead link|date=January 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In early 2017, Iliev signed a contract to manage newly promoted Altai Semey from the Kazakhstan Premier League, but stepped down in February 2017, as the club eventually did not receive a license for the top division.{{cite web | title = Илиан Илиев: разтрогнах договора си с "Алтай | url = https://topsport.bg/bulgarians-abroad/ilian-iliev-raztrognah-dogovora-si-s-altay.html | publisher = topsport.bg | date = 25 March 2017 | access-date= 16 July 2017 |language = bg}}
On 9 June 2017, Iliev was appointed as manager of First League club Vereya.{{cite web | title = Илиан Илиев е новият старши треньор на ПФК Верея | url = http://fcvereya.bg/news/ilian-iliev-e-noviyat-starshi-trenioor-na-pfk-vereya/1111 | publisher = fcvereya.bg | date = 9 June 2017 | language = bg | access-date = 9 June 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170929141012/http://fcvereya.bg/news/ilian-iliev-e-noviyat-starshi-trenioor-na-pfk-vereya/1111 | archive-date = 29 September 2017 | url-status = dead }} Following a successful stint with Vereya, in December 2017 he returned as head coach to his hometown club Cherno More.{{cite web | url = http://chernomorepfc.bg/bg/%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%80%d0%bd%d0%be-%d0%bc%d0%be%d1%80%d0%b5-%d1%81%d0%b5-%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b7%d0%b1%d1%80%d0%b0-%d1%81-%d0%b8%d0%bb%d0%b8%d0%b0%d0%bd-%d0%b8%d0%bb%d0%b8%d0%b5%d0%b2/| title =Черно море" се разбра с Илиан Илиев | language = bg |publisher = Cherno More official website| date=28 December 2017|access-date = 4 January 2018}}
On 1 November 2023, Iliev was officially announced as the new manager of Bulgaria while remaining in charge of his club team Cherno More.{{cite web | url = https://bntnews.bg/news/ilian-iliev-e-noviyat-selekcioner-na-balgariya-1254089news.html| title =Илиан Илиев е новият селекционер на България | language = bg |publisher = bntnews.bg| date=1 November 2023|access-date = 15 November 2023}}
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | ||||||||||
| Colspan="3"|Club performance | Colspan="2"|League | Colspan="2"|Cup | Colspan="2"|Continental | colspan="2" |Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | League | Season | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="4" valign="center"|Cherno More
| rowspan="2"|A Group |11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |– | 11 | 2 | ||||
| 1989–90
|29 | 3 | 5 | 1 | colspan="2" |– | 34 | 4 | ||||
| rowspan="1"|B Group
|1990–91 |35 | 13 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2" |– | 36 | 13 | ||||
| colspan=2 | Total
!75 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 19 | |||
| rowspan="2" valign="center"|Levski Sofia
| rowspan="2"|A Group |30 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 6 | |||
| 1992–93
|25 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 5 | |||
| rowspan="1" valign="center"|Altay (loan)
| rowspan="1"|Süper Lig !12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 14 | 3 | ||||
| rowspan="3" valign="center"|Levski Sofia
| rowspan="2"|A Group |7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |||
| 1994–95
|23 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 12 | |||
| colspan=2 | Total
!85 | 19 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 110 | 24 | |||
| rowspan="3" valign="center"|Benfica
| rowspan="2"|Primeira Liga |19 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | |||
| 1996–97
|21 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 3 | |||
| colspan=2 | Total
!40 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 4 | |||
| rowspan="1" valign="center"|Slavia Sofia
| rowspan="1"|A Group !11 | 1 | ? | ? | colspan="2"|– | 11 | 1 | ||||
| rowspan="1" valign="center"|Bursaspor
| rowspan="1"|Süper Lig !15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 17 | 3 | ||||
| rowspan="1" valign="center"|AEK Athens
| rowspan="1"|Alpha Ethniki !8 | 0 | ? | ? | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="1" valign="center"|Levski Sofia
| rowspan="1"|A Group !11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 11 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan="4" valign="center"|Marítimo
| rowspan="3"|Primeira Liga |32 | 4 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 32 | 4 | ||||
| 2000–01
|26 | 2 | 5 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 31 | 2 | ||||
| 2001–02
|18 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |||
| colspan=2 | Total
!76 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 89 | 6 | |||
| rowspan="1" valign="center"|Salgueiros
| rowspan="1"|Segunda Liga !24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 24 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan="1" valign="center"|Cherno More
| rowspan="1"|A Group !18 | 2 | ? | ? | colspan="2"|– | 18 | 2 | ||||
| colspan="3"|Career statistics | 374 | 55 | 47 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 435 | 62 |
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan=3 | Bulgaria national team | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 3 | 0 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 2 | 1 |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 |
| 1998 | 9 | 0 |
| 1999 | 7 | 1 |
| 2000 | 6 | 1 |
| Total||34||3 |
=International goals=
| class="wikitable" align=center
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition | ||||||
| 1. | 14 December 1996 | Tsirio Stadium, Limassol | {{fb|CYP}} | 3–1 | 3–1 | World Cup 1998 Qualification |
| 2. | 3 March 1999 | Stadion Beroe, Stara Zagora | {{fb|SVK}} | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 3. | 16 August 2000 | Stadion Vivacom Arena – Georgi Asparuhov, Sofia | {{fb|BEL}} | 1–3 | 1–3 | Friendly |
Managerial statistics
{{updated|end of season 2024/25}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |
| rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|From !rowspan=2|To !colspan=8|Record |
|---|
| G
!W !D !L !Win % !GF !GA !GD |
| rowspan="1" align="left"| {{flagicon|BUL}} Cherno More Varna
|rowspan="1" align="left"|4 June 2004 |rowspan="1" align="left"|4 March 2006 {{WDL|46|15|8|23}} |align="center"|48 |align="center"|60 |align="center" |
| 12 |
| rowspan="2" align="left"| {{flagicon|BUL}} Beroe
|rowspan="1" align="left"|8 June 2006 |rowspan="1" align="left"|23 March 2007 {{WDL|21|8|5|8}} |align="center"|29 |align="center"|21 |align="center"|+8 |
| rowspan="1" align="left"|7 January 2008
|rowspan="1" align="left"|4 May 2012 {{WDL|138|59|33|46}} |align="center"|157 |align="center"|148 |align="center"|+9 |
| rowspan="1" align="left"| {{flagicon|BUL}} Levski Sofia
|rowspan="1" align="left"|1 June 2012 |rowspan="1" align="left"|12 April 2013 {{WDL|27|18|4|5}} |align="center"|52 |align="center"|17 |align="center"|+35 |
| rowspan="1" align="left"| {{flagicon|BUL}} Loko Plovdiv
|rowspan="1" align="left"|26 February 2016 |rowspan="1" align="left"|17 October 2016 {{WDL|24|13|5|6}} |align="center"|48 |align="center"|39 |align="center"|+9 |
| rowspan="1" align="left"| {{flagicon|BUL}} Vereya
|rowspan="1" align="left"|9 June 2017 |rowspan="1" align="left"|28 December 2017 {{WDL|21|9|4|8}} |align="center"|22 |align="center"|23 |align="center" |
| 1 |
| rowspan="1" align="left"| {{flagicon|BUL}} Cherno More Varna
|rowspan="1" align="left"|28 December 2017 |rowspan="1" align="left"|present {{WDL|276|122|77|77}} |align="center"|352 |align="center"|270 |align="center"|+82 |
| colspan="3"|Total
{{WDLtot|553|244|136|173}} !align="center"|708 !align="center"|578 !align="center"|+130 |
Honours
=Player=
;Levski Sofia
;Benfica
=Manager=
;Beroe
- Bulgarian Cup: 2009–10
- Bulgarian League Coach of the Season: 2009–10
;Individual
Manager of the Year in Bulgarian football - 2021,{{cite web | title=За втори път Кирил Десподов е Футболист на №1 на България| website=dnevnik.bg |author=Kichukov, Simeon|language=Bulgarian| url=https://www.dnevnik.bg/sport/2022/01/19/4304527_za_vtori_put_kiril_despodov_e_futbolist_na_1_na/| date=19 January 2022|access-date=9 March 2022}} 2023{{cite web | title=Три зад Бербатов, една зад Стоичков: Кирил Десподов e Футболист №1 за четвърти път| website=dnevnik.bg |author=Kichukov, Simeon|language=Bulgarian| url=https://www.dnevnik.bg/sport/2024/03/18/4602523_tri_zad_berbatov_edna_zad_stoichkov_kiril_despodov_e/| date=18 March 2024|access-date=30 March 2024}}
Managerial statistics
{{updated|match played 10 June 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | ||||
| rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|From !rowspan="2"|To !colspan="5"|Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % |
| align=left|Bulgaria
|align=left|December 2023 |align=left|Present {{WDL|14|3|7|4}} | ||||
| colspan="3"|Total
{{WDLtot|14|3|7|4|decimals=2}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{ForaDeJogo}}
- {{NFT player|pid=13672}}
- [http://en.levskisofia.info/player/ilian-iliev/ Profile at LevskiSofia.info]
{{PFC Cherno More Varna squad}}
{{Current managers of UEFA national teams}}
{{First Professional Football League managers}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Ilian Iliev managerial positions
|list1=
{{Bulgaria national football team managers}}
{{PFC Cherno More Varna managers}}
{{PFC Levski Sofia managers}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Bulgaria Squad 1998 World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iliev, Ilian}}
Category:Bulgarian men's footballers
Category:Footballers from Varna, Bulgaria
Category:PFC Cherno More Varna players
Category:PFC Levski Sofia players
Category:Altay S.K. footballers
Category:S.L. Benfica footballers
Category:PFC Slavia Sofia players
Category:Bursaspor footballers
Category:AEK Athens F.C. players
Category:C.S. Marítimo players
Category:S.C. Salgueiros players
Category:Bulgarian football managers
Category:PFC Beroe Stara Zagora managers
Category:PFC Cherno More Varna managers
Category:PFC Levski Sofia managers
Category:G.D. Interclube managers
Category:PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv managers
Category:1998 FIFA World Cup players
Category:Bulgaria men's international footballers
Category:First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players
Category:Primeira Liga players
Category:Super League Greece players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
Category:Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey
Category:Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece
Category:Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Greece
Category:Bulgarian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Bulgarian expatriate football managers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Expatriate football managers in Angola