Lyuben Nikolov

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lyuben Nikolov

| fullname = Lyuben Georgiev Nikolov

| image =

| alt = Lyuben Nikolov

| caption = Lyuben Nikolov playing for Sisaket FC in 2015

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1985|9|8}}

| birth_place = Sofia, Bulgaria

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=3}}

| position = Centre back

| currentclub = Tsarsko Selo (assistant)

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1= 2002–2004

| youthclubs1= Levski Sofia

| years1 = 2004–2007

| years2 = 2004–2005

| years3 = 2005–2006

| years4 = 2006–2007

| years5 = 2007–2009

| years6 = 2009–2010

| years7 = 2010–2011

| years8 = 2011–2012

| years9 = 2013–2014

| years10 = 2015–2016

| years11 = 2017

| years12 = 2018

| years13 = 2019

| years14 = 2019–2020

| clubs1 = Levski Sofia

| clubs2 = → Vihren Sandanski (loan)

| clubs3 = → Rodopa Smolyan (loan)

| clubs4 = → Maritsa Plovdiv (loan)

| clubs5 = Spartak Plovdiv

| clubs6 = Nesebar

| clubs7 = Akademik Sofia

| clubs8 = Sportist Svoge

| clubs9 = Dinamo Brest

| clubs10 = Sisaket

| clubs11 = Super Power Samut Prakan

| clubs12 = PKNP FC

| clubs13 = Visakha

| clubs14 = Dunav Ruse

| caps1 = 0

| caps2 = 4

| caps3 = 10

| caps4 = 18

| caps5 = 22

| caps6 = 20

| caps7 = 13

| caps8 = 20

| caps9 = 53

| caps10 = 44

| caps11 = 27

| caps12 = 10

| caps13 = 12

| caps14 = 23

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 1

| goals3 = 0

| goals4 = 2

| goals5 = 1

| goals6 = 2

| goals7 = 0

| goals8 = 3

| goals9 = 0

| goals10 = 1

| goals11 = 1

| goals12 = 0

| goals13 = 2

| goals14 = 0

| manageryears1= 2022–

| managerclubs1= Tsarsko Selo (assistant)

}}

Lyuben Nikolov ({{langx|bg|Любен Николов}}; born 8 September 1985) is a retired Bulgarian footballer who played as a defender.{{cite web|publisher=Footballdatabase.eu|title=Lyuben Nikolov Facts|url=http://www.footballdatabase.eu/football.joueurs.lyuben.nikolov.81649.en.html}}

Club career

= Youth career in "Levski" Sofia and other Bulgarian clubs =

Nikolov grew up as part of Levski Sofia's academy and signed his first professional contract with the senior team in the 2002/2003 season. He signed a 3-year contract, but didn't make any official appearance for the first team. For that time he played on loan for Vihren Sandanski, Rodopa Smolian and Maritsa Plovdiv.

In Bulgaria he also played for Spartak Plovdiv, Nessebar FC, Akademik and Svoge.

= FC Dynamo Brest =

In 2013 Nikolov moved to Belarus, where he signed a one-year contract with FC Dynamo Brest.{{cite news|url=https://www.pressball.by/footballstat/2013/brest/team/|title=Состав ФК "Динамо-Брест" (Брест), Сезон-2013|access-date=15 May 2020 |date=2013|publisher=pressball.by|language=Russian}} Because of his good performance, he was offered to renew his contract with the team for one more season. After two seasons in Belarus, Nikolov moved to Thailand.

= Sisaket FC =

In the beginning of January 2015, Sisaket FC announced that the club had signed Nikolov to a two-year deal (year two of the contract is a club option). Nikolov made 45 appearances and scored 1 goal during his first season in Thai premier league.

In this season Sisaket FC reached the final of the Toyota Cup, for the first time in the history of the club. They lost 1:0 to Buriram United and Nikolov was awarded a silver medal.

After this great season, Nikolov was chosen by Thaileague Mania in their "11 Top Transfers of 2015 in Thaileague":

{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/Thaileaguemania/posts/1692023134379058:0|title=ดีล 11 ดีล นักเตะต่างชาติยอดเยี่ยม... - Thaileague mania {{!}} Facebook|website=www.facebook.com|access-date=2016-06-06}}