Bulgaria women's national football team
Nickname(s) | Лъвиците (The Lionesses) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Bulgarian Football Union | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Silvia Radoyska | ||
Captain | Nikoleta Boycheva | ||
Top scorer | Liliana Kostova (7) | ||
Home stadium | Various | ||
FIFA code | BUL | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 98 1 (16 August 2024)[1] | ||
Highest | 42 (December 2008) | ||
Lowest | 99 (June 2024) | ||
First international | |||
Bulgaria 1–1 Spain (Sofia, Bulgaria; 11 October 1987) | |||
Biggest win | |||
Estonia 0–5 Bulgaria (Otopeni, Romania; 18 November 2006) Bulgaria 5–0 Luxembourg (Ta' Qali, Malta; 5 June 2009) Bulgaria 5–0 Georgia (Lovech, Bulgaria; 21 November 2009) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
France 14–0 Bulgaria (Le Mans, France; 28 November 2013) |
The Bulgaria women's national football team (Bulgarian: Български женски национален отбор по футбол) represents Bulgaria in international women's football, and is controlled by the Bulgarian Football Union. The team's major success came in 2008 when they won the Balkan Championship and the Albena Cup in the same year. These major tournament victories brought them up to their all-time highest FIFA world ranking of 33rd.
History
Team image
Nicknames
The Bulgaria women's national football team have been nicknamed as "Лъвиците (The Lionesses)".
Home stadium
Bulgaria plays their home matches on the Lovech Stadium.
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
- Legend
Win Draw Lose Fixture
2023
22 September 2023 (2023-09-22) Nations League C | North Macedonia | 0–1 | Bulgaria | Skopje |
15:00 | Report | Stankova 4' | Stadium: Petar Miloševski Training Centre Attendance: 200 Referee: Miriama Bočková (Slovakia) |
27 September Nations League C | Bulgaria | 0–0 | Kosovo | Plovdiv |
17:00 (18:00 EEST) | Report | Stadium: Stadion Lokomotiv Referee: Lovisa Johansson (Sweden) |
1 December 2023 (2023-12-01) Nations League C | Kosovo | 5–1 | Bulgaria | Podujevo |
13:00 | Report |
| Stadium: Zahir Pajaziti Stadium Attendance: 120 Referee: Meliz Özçiğdem (Turkey) |
5 December 2023 (2023-12-05) Nations League C | Bulgaria | 2–2 | North Macedonia | Plovdiv |
16:00 (17:00 EET) | Report | Stadium: Stadion Lokomotiv Referee: Alexandra Collin (France) |
2024
23 February 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League promotion/relegation matches | Bulgaria | 0–4 | Ukraine | Kardzhali |
15:00 (16:00 EET) | Report |
| Stadium: Arena Arda |
27 February 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League promotion/relegation matches | Ukraine | 3–0 (7–0 agg.) | Bulgaria | Antalya, Turkey[a] |
14:00 (16:00 TRT) | Report | Stadium: Mardan Sports Complex | ||
Note: Ukraine won 7–0 on aggregate, and therefore both teams remained in their respective leagues. |
5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) Euro 2025 qualifying League C | Kazakhstan | 0–1 | Bulgaria | Almaty |
13:00 (16:00 UTC+5) | Report |
| Stadium: Almaty Central Stadium Referee: Meliz Özçiğdem (Turkey) |
9 April UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS | Bulgaria | 2–3 | Armenia | Sofia |
18:00 UTC+3) | Report | Stadium: Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov Referee: Emilie Torkelsen (Norway) |
31 May UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS | Romania | 1–0 | Bulgaria | Bucharest |
18:00 (19:00 UTC+3) | Vătafu 76' | Report | Stadium: Stadionul Arcul de Triumf Attendance: 1,709 Referee: Kathrin Huber (Austria) |
4 June UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS | Bulgaria | 0–3 | Romania | Sofia |
18:00 (19:00 UTC+3) | Report | Stadium: Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov Attendance: 176 Referee: Jurgita Mačikunytė (Lithuania) |
12 July UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS | Armenia | 1–3 | Bulgaria | Yerevan, Armenia |
19:45 UTC+4) | Report | Stadium: Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium |
16 July UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS | Bulgaria | 0–0 | Kazakhstan | Sofia |
19:00 (20:00 UTC+3) | Report | Stadium: Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov |
Coaching staff
Current coaching staff
- As of 28 November 2022
Role | Name |
---|---|
Head coach | Silvia Radoyska |
Assistant coaches | Velizar Hristov |
Trifon Panev | |
Goalkeeping coach | Emil Varadinov |
Team manager | Doychin Bahov |
Manager history
Name | Period | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emil Atanasov | 18 November 2006 – 25 August 2010 | 21 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 52.38% | ||
Valentin Chakarov | 24 November 2010 – 19 September 2012 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0% | ||
Emil Kartselski | 20 August 2013 – 21 August 2014 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 18.18% | ||
Silviya Radoyska | 17 September 2014–present | 29 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 22.73% |
Players
Current squad
- The following players were part of the squad ahead of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying match against Armenia and Kazakhstan on the 12 and 16 July 2024, respectively.[3]
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 | 1GK | Roksana Shahanska | (1992-04-23) 23 April 1992 (age 32) | 29 | 0 | Lokomotiv |
1 | 1GK | Martina Ilieva | (2007-02-08) 8 February 2007 (age 17) | 0 | 0 | Ludogorets |
3 | 2DF | Yanitsa Ivanova | (2001-01-05) 5 January 2001 (age 23) | 15 | 0 | Lokomotiv |
2DF | Nora Dimitrova (captain) | (1996-07-26) 26 July 1996 (age 28) | 14 | 1 | Lokomotiv | |
11 | 2DF | Kristiana Karaivanova | (2004-07-11) 11 July 2004 (age 20) | 6 | 0 | Vis Mediterranea Soccer |
2DF | Bianka Demirova | (2006-07-08) 8 July 2006 (age 18) | NSA Sofia | |||
2DF | Gergana Halyanova | (2008-03-12) 12 March 2008 (age 16) | FC Sportika Blagoevgrad | |||
2DF | Yoanna Tomova | (2003-07-16) 16 July 2003 (age 21) | ||||
18 | 2DF | Zhasmina Atanasova | (1996-06-25) 25 June 1996 (age 28) | 6 | 0 | Lokomotiv |
19 | 3MF | Yoana Stankova | (2005-08-20) 20 August 2005 (age 19) | 12 | 1 | Freedom |
9 | 3MF | Lora Petrova | (1998-10-12) 12 October 1998 (age 25) | 25 | 1 | Cesena [it] |
4 | 3MF | Leonora Zheleva | (1999-05-13) 13 May 1999 (age 25) | 8 | 1 | Trikala [el] |
8 | 3MF | Preslava Yordanova | (2005-09-14) 14 September 2005 (age 19) | NSA Sofia | ||
21 | 3MF | Antonia Angelova | (2005-09-15) 15 September 2005 (age 19) | Sevlievo Ladies | ||
17 | 4FW | Simona Petkova | (1993-09-03) 3 September 1993 (age 31) | 13 | 0 | Unattached |
4FW | Evdokiya Popadinova | (1996-10-26) 26 October 1996 (age 27) | 8 | 3 | Lazio | |
4FW | Polina Rasina | (1999-03-12) 12 March 1999 (age 25) | NSA | |||
13 | 4FW | Aleksandra Yaneva | (2001-02-24) 24 February 2001 (age 23) | 2 | 2 | AEL |
4FW | Nadezhda Ivanova | (2004-12-17) 17 December 2004 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Beylerbeyi | |
21 | 4FW | Aleksandra Sergeeva | (2005-11-03) 3 November 2005 (age 18) | 2 | 0 | VfL Wolfsburg II |
4FW | Nikol Dimanova | (2007-07-25) 25 July 2007 (age 17) | FK Paldin Plovdiv | |||
8 | 4FW | Viky Yavorova | (2003-05-12) 12 May 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Jacksonville State Gamecocks |
Recent call-ups
- The following players have been called up to a Bulgaria squad in the past 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Milena Karakoleva | (2004-04-03) 3 April 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Sportika | v. Romania, 4 June 2024 |
DF | Nora Dimitrova (captain) | (1996-07-26) 26 July 1996 (age 28) | 14 | 1 | Lokomotiv | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 |
DF | Silviya Kefalova | (2001-06-06) 6 June 2001 (age 23) | 2 | 0 | NSA | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 |
DF | Ivet Vasileva | (1998-07-12) 12 July 1998 (age 26) | 0 | 0 | LP Super Sport | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 |
DF | Silviya Kefalova | (2001-06-06) 6 June 2001 (age 23) | 2 | 0 | NSA | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 |
DF | Ivet Vasileva | (1998-07-12) 12 July 1998 (age 26) | 0 | 0 | LP Super Sport | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 |
DF | Mariela Nedeva | (2000-07-12) 12 July 2000 (age 24) | 4 | 0 | Lokomotiv | v. Ukraine, 27 February 2024 |
DF | Yana Dineva | (2002-11-08) 8 November 2002 (age 21) | 9 | 0 | Lokomotiv | v. Ukraine, 27 February 2024 |
MF | Anita Churusinova | (2004-05-10) 10 May 2004 (age 20) | NSA Sofia | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 | ||
MF | Ivana Naydenova | (2001-12-21) 21 December 2001 (age 22) | 14 | 3 | Hellas Verona [it] | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 |
MF | Zdravka Parapunova | (2003-08-06) 6 August 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Unattached | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 |
MF | Veni Sarbinska | (1995-12-28) 28 December 1995 (age 28) | Sportika | v. North Macedonia, 5 December 2023 | ||
MF | Eva Atanasova | (2005-06-05) 5 June 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Ludogorets | v. Kosovo, 23 September 2023 |
MF | Nikoleta Boycheva | (1994-08-20) 20 August 1994 (age 30) | 19 | 0 | Lokomotiv | v. Romania, 4 June 2024 |
MF | Ivelina Pavlova | (2003-07-18) 18 July 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | NSA | v. Romania, 4 June 2024 |
FW | Antonina Shopska | (2001-01-17) 17 January 2001 (age 23) | ŽFK Kamenica Sasa | v. Romania, 4 June 2024 | ||
FW | Yana Yordanova | (2003-02-20) 20 February 2003 (age 21) | Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | v. Romania, 4 June 2024 | ||
FW | Dimitra Ivanova | (2004-01-26) 26 January 2004 (age 20) | 9 | 0 | Politehnica Timișoara | v. Armenia, 9 April 2024 |
FW | Catherine Karadjov | (1998-06-19) 19 June 1998 (age 26) | 1 | 0 | Orvault | v. Ukraine, 27 February 2024 |
FW | Leonora Zheleva | (1999-05-13) 13 May 1999 (age 25) | 6 | 0 | AEL | v. Kosovo, 23 September 2023 |
Captains
- Radoslava Slavcheva (????–)
Records
- As of 23 May 2021
- Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 2021.
Most capped players
| Top goalscorers
|
Competitive record
FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
1991 | did not qualify | UEFA Euro 1991 | ||||||||||||
1995 | UEFA Euro 1995 | |||||||||||||
1999 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 12 | ||||||||
2003 | did not enter | did not enter | ||||||||||||
2007 | ||||||||||||||
2011 | did not qualify | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 25 | |||||||
2015 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 62 | ||||||||
2019 | did not enter | did not enter | ||||||||||||
2023 | did not qualify | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 37 | |||||||
2027 | to be determined | to be determined | ||||||||||||
Total | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 34 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 24 | 136 |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
UEFA Women's Championship
UEFA Women's Championship record | Qualifying record | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
1984 | did not enter | did not enter | ||||||||||||
1987 | ||||||||||||||
1989 | did not qualify | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 18 | |||||||
1991 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 18 | ||||||||
1993 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 | ||||||||
1995 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 11 | ||||||||
1997 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 6 | ||||||||
2001 | did not enter | did not enter | ||||||||||||
2005 | ||||||||||||||
2009 | did not qualify | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | |||||||
2013 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 54 | ||||||||
2017 | did not enter | did not enter | ||||||||||||
2022 | ||||||||||||||
2025 | to be determined | to be determined | ||||||||||||
Total | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 41 | 7 | 3 | 31 | 30 | 117 |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
UEFA Women's Nations League
UEFA Women's Nations League record | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Division | Group | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | P/R | RK | |
2023–24 | C | 5 | 2nd | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 40th | ||
2025–26 | C | To be determined | ||||||||||
Total | 18th |
Honours
- Champions : 2008
- Champions : 2008
See also
- Sport in Bulgaria
- Football in Bulgaria
- Women's football in Bulgaria
- Football in Bulgaria
- Bulgaria men's national football team
Notes
- ^ Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.[2]
References
External links
- Official website (in Bulgarian)
- FIFA profile
- v
- t
- e
- First League
- Second League
- Third League (4 divisions)
- Regional Groups
- Bulgarian Women's League
- State Championship (1924–1936, 1941–1945)
- Tsar's Cup (1924–44)
- National Football Division (1937–1940)
- Republic Championship (1945–1948)
- Cup of the Soviet Army (1983–90)
- BFU's Cup (1990–91)
- PFL's Cup (1994–97)
- Doubles Group (2008–2010)
- A Group (1948–2016)
- Blagoevgrad
- Burgas
- Dobrich
- Gabrovo
- Haskovo
- Kardzhali
- Kyustendil
- Lovech
- Montana
- Pazardzhik
- Pernik
- Pleven
- Plovdiv
- Razgrad
- Ruse
- Shumen
- Silistra
- Sliven
- Smolyan
- Sofia City
- Sofia (province)
- Stara Zagora
- Targovishte
- Varna
- Veliko Tarnovo
- Vidin
- Vratsa
- Yambol
- Footballers' Footballer of the Year