Plamen Iliev

Plamen Iliev

Personal information
Full name	Plamen Ivanov Iliev
Date of birth	30 November 1991
Place of birth	Botevgrad, Bulgaria
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team	Botoșani
Number	1
Youth career
0000–2006	Balkan Botevgrad
2006–2009	Vidima-Rakovski
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2009–2011	Vidima-Rakovski	34	(0)
2011–2015	Levski Sofia	104	(0)
2015–	Botoșani	11	(0)
National team^‡
2010–2012	Bulgaria U21	9	(0)
2012–	Bulgaria	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 August 2015. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 4 June 2015

Plamen Ivanov Iliev (Bulgarian: Пламен Илиев; born 30 November 1991) is a Bulgarian football goalkeeper who plays for Romanian club Botoșani and the Bulgarian national team.

Career

Vidima-Rakovski

In his youth years in Botevgrad, Iliev started to play football at local team Balkan.^[1] He joined Vidima-Rakovski when he was fourteen years old and signed his first professional contract in 2009.

At the beginning of the 2009–10 season, Iliev was added to Vidima's senior squad by manager Dimitar Todorov. He made his B Group debut in the starting line-up on 8 August 2009 in a 1-1 draw against Kom-Minyor. During the season he became first choice goalkeeper and earned 23 appearances, helping his team to win promotion to the A Group.^[2] Iliev was also the first choice keeper for the team from Sevlievo in the first half of the 2010–11 season and earned praise for his performances.

Levski Sofia

On 17 December 2010, Iliev was sold to Levski Sofia. He made his debut for Levski against Lokomotiv Sofia on 6 March 2011, with Iliev succeeding in keeping a clean sheet.^[3] On 6 April 2012, Iliev was appointed as Levski's captain, but will be vice-captain for the 2012–13 season, as new coach Ilian Iliev decided to give the captain's armband to Stanislav Angelov.

On 14 September 2012, Iliev signed a new contract keeping him at the club until 2016.^[4]

Botoșani

On 5 June 2015, Iliev agreed to a three-year deal with Liga I team Botoșani in Romania.^[5]

International career

Since 2010 Iliev has been a regular with the Bulgaria U21 side, gradually becoming first choice, taking over from Stefano Kunchev. On 11 October 2011, he was sent off in the last minute of Bulgaria's 3–2 win against Luxembourg U21 in a 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualifier after an altercation with Tom Laterza.^[6] Iliev was subsequently banned for 3 matches.

Iliev has also been called up to the senior team of his country on a number of occasions,^[7] and made his debut on 29 May 2012, in the 0–2 loss against Turkey in a friendly match after replacing Stoyan Kolev in the 76th minute.^[8] Iliev appeared as a starter for the first time in the 2–1 win over Kazakhstan in another exhibition match held on 4 June 2013, managing to keep a clean sheet, with Bulgaria conceding after his replacement.^[9]

Club statistics

As of 9 June 2015

Club	Season	League		Cup		Continental		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Vidima-Rakovski	2009–10	23	0	0	0	–		23	0
	2010–11	11	0	1	0	–		12	0
	Total	34	0	1	0	0	0	35	0
Levski Sofia	2010–11	13	0	1	0	0	0	14	0
	2011–12	30	0	2	0	2	0	34	0
	2012–13	26	0	5	0	2	0	33	0
	2013–14	18	0	3	0	2	0	23	0
	2014–15	17	0	2	0	–		19	0
	Total	104	0	13	0	6	0	123	0
Botoșani	2015–16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career totals		138	0	14	0	6	0	158	0

References

1. "Пламен Илиев лети към славата" (in Bulgarian). viasport.bg. 19 April 2011.
2. "Всички харесват Пламен Илиев" (in Bulgarian). 7sport.net. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
3. "Пламен Илиев остава титуляр" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 25 June 2011.
4. "Пламен Илиев подписа нов договор" (in Bulgarian). vsekiden.com. 14 September 2012.
5. "Пламен Илиев подписа с румънци" (in Bulgarian). blitz.bg. 5 June 2015.
6. "България - Люксембург 3:2, евроквалификацията по минути" (in Bulgarian). blitz.bg. 11 October 2011.
7. "Пламен Илиев: не очаквах толкова скоро да получа повиквателна" (in Bulgarian). botevgrad.com. 9 August 2011.
8. "Bulgaria vs. Turkey Matchcast" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 29 May 2012.
9. "Нова победа за "лъвовете", националите надвиха Казахстан" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 4 June 2013.

External links

• Profile at FootballDatabase
• Profile at LevskiSofia.info (English)