Nasko Sirakov

{{short description|Bulgarian footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{family name hatnote|Petkov|Sirakov|lang=Bulgarian}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Nasko Sirakov

| image = Nasko sirakov.jpg

| fullname = Nasko Petkov Sirakov

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1962|4|26}}

| birth_place = Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

| height = 1.86 m{{cite web | url = http://www.slava.bg/profiles/194.html| title = Профил на Наско Сираков | language = bg | website = slava.bg | access-date = 9 February 2018}}

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 = 1975–1980

| youthclubs1 = Levski Sofia

| years1 = 1980

| clubs1 = Levski Sofia

| caps1 = 3

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1980–1981

| clubs2 = Spartak Varna

| caps2 = 21

| goals2 = 4

| years3 = 1981–1982

| clubs3 = Haskovo

| caps3 = 35

| goals3 = 8

| years4 = 1983–1988

| clubs4 = Levski Sofia

| caps4 = 131

| goals4 = 89

| years5 = 1988–1990

| clubs5 = Real Zaragoza

| caps5 = 41

| goals5 = 10

| years6 = 1990–1991

| clubs6 = Espanyol

| caps6 = 24

| goals6 = 3

| years7 = 1991–1992

| clubs7 = Levski Sofia

| caps7 = 27

| goals7 = 26

| years8 = 1992

| clubs8 = Lens

| caps8 = 11

| goals8 = 3

| years9 = 1993–1994

| clubs9 = Levski Sofia

| caps9 = 57

| goals9 = 51

| years10 = 1995

| clubs10 = Botev Plovdiv

| caps10 = 20

| goals10 = 4

| years11 = 1995–1998

| clubs11 = Slavia Sofia

| caps11 = 36

| goals11 = 19

| totalcaps = 406

| totalgoals = 217

| nationalyears1 = 1983–1996

| nationalteam1 = Bulgaria

| nationalcaps1 = 78

| nationalgoals1 = 24

}}

Nasko Petkov Sirakov ({{langx|bg|Наско Петков Сираков}}; born 26 April 1962) is a Bulgarian retired professional footballer who played mainly as a striker. He is the major shareholder of Levski Sofia.

Part of the Bulgaria national team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup as it finished fourth, he was one of the most important footballers in the country in the 1980s and 1990s, representing Levski Sofia in four separate spells.

Having surpassed the 200-goal mark as a professional – he was crowned the country's top division topscorer four times – Sirakov also worked with his main club in directorial capacities.

Club career

Born in Stara Zagora, the son of professional wrestler Petko Sirakov, Nasko started playing as a striker, playing three games for Levski Sofia's first team in 1980, having joined the club's youth system at the age of 13. In the following years, he developed his game with Spartak Varna and lowly Haskovo, returning to Levski after two seasons (he also played briefly for the latter club in the 1982–83 season).

In his second stint at Levski, Sirakov began appearing regularly, scoring 14 goals in only 19 matches in 1984–85 A Group, as the team won the league. From 1986–88, with the club now renamed Vitosha, he helped to another championship, as well as leading the goal charts in both seasons, scoring 64 goals combined – 36 in just 30 matches in the first year, although the championship was eventually lost to CSKA Sofia, by three points. During this spell, he also won two Bulgarian Cups with the club.

Sirakov moved abroad for the first time in 1988, playing for the following three years in La Liga, with Real Zaragoza and RCD Español. Subsequently, he returned to Levski: in the first season upon his return, he netted 26 times in 27 matches, but the club again lost to CSKA.

In the summer of 1992, the 30-year-old Sirakov signed with Ligue 1 club RC Lens, but returned to his main club in the following transfer window, helping it to three consecutive league wins, whilst being crowned the competition's top scorer on another two occasions. He finished the 1994–95 season with Botev Plovdiv, still contributing decisively in Levski's championship win, scoring 12 in only 10 matches.

Sirakov closed his career at the age of 36, after three years with Slavia Sofia, winning a double in 1995–96 season. During his career in his country, he amassed totals of 294 matches and 196 goals in the top division, the second best achievement after Petar Zhekov; only with his main club, Levski, he scored 165 times in 205 games, a club record.

Sirakov briefly managed Slavia Sofia in 1997. In the following decade, he worked as director of football for Levski, being fired on 7 May 2008, and being succeeded by former club and national teammate Daniel Borimirov.[http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/levski-sofia-fires-coach-executive-director/id_29159/catid_71 Levski Sofia fires coach, executive director] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032514/http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/levski-sofia-fires-coach-executive-director/id_29159/catid_71 |date=4 March 2016 }}; The Sofia Echo, 7 May 2008

International career

Sirakov was also a regular for Bulgaria during 13 years, making his debut on 7 August 1983, against Algeria.

He represented the nation at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico – scoring against Italy in the group stage (1–1) and helping the national team to the round of 16 – and at the 1994 World Cup in the United States: during the latter, as Bulgaria finished in a best-ever fourth position, he played in all the matches, scoring against Argentina for a 2–0 group stage win, also earning penalties against Greece and in the semifinal loss against Italy.{{FIFA player|58105}}

Aged 34, Sirakov was also picked for UEFA Euro 1996 in England, playing the last of his 78 matches (24 goals) on 13 June, against Romania, after replacing Lyuboslav Penev in a 1–0 win.[http://www.focus-sport.net/index.php?action=news&id=1148764438463 Календар: През 2001 г. Наско Сираков става треньор на Левски] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523173226/http://www.focus-sport.net/index.php?action=news&id=1148764438463 |date=23 May 2018 }}; Focus Sport, 18 September 2012

Immediately after retiring from international play, Sirakov served as assistant to the national team, appearing with it at the 1998 World Cup.

Personal life

Sirakov is married to Iliana Raeva, a distinguished Bulgarian rhythmic gymnast. They have two daughters, named Slaveya and Violeta. His father, the wrestler Petko Sirakov, was the first world champion from Bulgaria.

Career statistics

=International=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National teamYearAppsGoals
rowspan="14"|Bulgaria

|1983

51
198431
198561
1986115
198763
198841
198900
199021
199153
199272
199342
1994132
199571
199651
colspan="2"|Total7824

:Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sirakov goal.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Nasko Sirakov

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align="center"|17 September 1983Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway{{fb|NOR}}align="center"|2–1align="center"|2–1Euro 1984 qualification
align="center"|25 December 1984Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia{{fb|LUX}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|4–01986 World Cup qualification
align="center"|32 May 1985Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|FRA}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|2–01986 World Cup qualification
align="center"|4rowspan="2"|9 April 1986rowspan="2"|Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgariarowspan="2"|{{fb|DEN}}align="center"|1–0rowspan="2" align="center"|3–0rowspan="2"|Friendly
align="center"|5align="center"|2–0
align="center"|631 May 1986Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico{{fb|ITA}}align="center"|1–1align="center"|1–11986 World Cup
align="center"|7rowspan="2"|29 October 1986rowspan="2"|Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisiarowspan="2"|{{fb|TUN|1959}}align="center"|2–3rowspan="2" align="center"|3–3rowspan="2"|Friendly
align="center"|8align="center"|3–3
align="center"|930 April 1987Stade Municipal, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg{{fb|LUX}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|4–1Euro 1988 qualification
align="center"|1020 May 1987Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|LUX}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|3–0Euro 1988 qualification
align="center"|1123 September 1987Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|BEL}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|2–0Euro 1988 qualification
align="center"|1223 March 1988Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|TCH}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|2–0Friendly
1317 October 1990Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania{{fb|ROM}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|3–0Euro 1992 qualification
align="center"|141 May 1991Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|SWI}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|2–3Euro 1992 qualification
align="center"|1522 May 1991San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino{{fb|SMR|1862}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|3–0Euro 1992 qualification
align="center"|1620 November 1991Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|ROM}}align="center"|1–1align="center"|1–1Euro 1992 qualification
align="center"|1728 April 1992Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland{{fb|SWI}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|2–0Friendly
align="center"|182 December 1992Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel{{fb|ISR}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|2–01994 World Cup qualification
align="center"|1920 February 1993Dubai, United Arab Emirates{{fb|UAE}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|3–1Friendly
align="center"|2012 May 1993Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|ISR}}align="center"|2–2align="center"|2–21994 World Cup qualification
align="center"|213 June 1994Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|UKR}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|1–1Friendly
align="center"|2230 June 1994Cotton Bowl, Dallas, U.S.{{fb|ARG}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|2–01994 World Cup
align="center"|2314 February 1995Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza, Argentina{{fb|ARG}}align="center"|1–2align="center"|1–4Friendly
align="center"|242 June 1996Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria{{fb|UAE}}align="center"|4–1align="center"|4–1Friendly

Honours

Levski Sofia

Slavia Sofia

Bulgaria

Individual

References

{{reflist}}