site.btaUPDATED Legendary Goalkeeper Borislav Mihaylov Passes Away

Former captain of the Bulgarian national football team and former president of the Bulgarian Football Union, Borislav Mihaylov, has passed away at the age of 63, his family announced.

He had been suffering from serious health problems following a stroke and had been hospitalized since late November. His condition had been critical in recent weeks, and he was in a coma, ultimately unable to recover despite doctors’ efforts.

Mihaylov was born on February 12, 1963, in Sofia. He is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of Bulgarian football. He captained the national team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where the squad led by Dimitar Penev finished fourth in the world. He played a total of 102 matches for the national team, wearing the captain’s armband in 60 of them - a record.

Mihaylov was a youth player of Levski Sofia and won three league titles with the first team (1984, 1985, and 1988), as well as three national cups (1982, 1984, and 1986). In 1986, he was named Bulgaria’s Footballer of the Year. During his career, he also played for Botev Plovdiv and Slavia Sofia in Bulgaria, as well as Belenenses, FC Mulhouse, Reading FC, and FC Zurich abroad.

Following his retirement as player, Mihaylov moved into the management of the Bulgarian Football Union. He became a member of its Executive Committee in 2000, served as vice president from 2001 to 2005, and on November 21, 2005, he was elected president, a position he held until October 15, 2019, when he resigned following a racist scandal in the stands during a 0–6 loss to England national football team in Sofia in a European qualifier the day before.

Subsequently, on April 28, 2021, he withdrew his resignation and once again became president of the Bulgarian Football Union, serving until November 27, 2023. Between 2011 and 2019, he was also a member of the Executive Committee of UEFA.

Mihaylov received the Order of the Balkan Mountain Range (First Class) in 1994, and was given the freedom of the city of Sofia.

The Bulgarian Football Union confirmed the news of the passing of its former president, Borislav Mihaylov. The organization highlighted some of the most remarkable achievements of his sporting career and added that he was a person who “dedicated a significant part of his life to the development and management of Bulgarian football.”

Mihaylov's home club Levski Sofia expressed deep sorrow at the passing of the former goalkeeper. The Blue team said that Mihaylov was one of the club’s icons and will never be forgotten. He won three league titles with Levski and played 243 matches for the club, while his father, Biser Mihaylov, and his son, Nikolay Mihaylov, also played for the club for many years.

President Iliana Iotova condoled with the family of Mihaylov. "We say goodbye to a person who dedicated himself to his beloved sport and to the development of young football talents,” the President wrote in a  letter, highlighting his role in the history of Bulgarian sports.

Bulgarian Olympic Committee President Vesela Lecheva expressed condolences to the family of Mihaylov. “Today, Bulgarian football and sport are mourning,” Lecheva wrote on her Facebook profile.

The only Bulgarian to have won the Ballon d'Or, Hristo Stoichkov, expressed sorrow at the news of the passing of his former teammate in the Bulgaria national football team, Borislav Mihaylov. Stoichkov described Mihaylov as a “great man and goalkeeper”.

Hristo Stoichkov and Borislav Mihaylov were key figures in the Bulgaria national football team that won bronze medals at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. During the tournament, Stoichkov became the top scorer with six goals, while Mihaylov captained Bulgaria in all seven matches, wearing the armband throughout the campaign.