Nikolay Asenov Arabov ( bg, Николай Aсенов Арабов; born 14 November 1953) is a
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Mac ...
n former professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
and manager who played as a
defender from 1971 to 1994, most notably for
Sliven
Sliven ( bg, Сливен ) is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality in Northern Thrace.
Sliven is famous for its heroic Haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Tu ...
.
Arabov was capped 42 times for the
Bulgaria national football team
The Bulgaria national football team ( bg, Български национален отбор по футбол, Bǎlgarski natsionalen otbor po futbol) represents Bulgaria in men's international football and is administered by the Bulgarian Foo ...
and represented the nation at the
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup was the 13th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was played in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June 1986. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia ha ...
.
Career
Arabov made his debut for
Sliven
Sliven ( bg, Сливен ) is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality in Northern Thrace.
Sliven is famous for its heroic Haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Tu ...
in 1971 and stayed in the club for 15 years, with 310 games in the
A PFG
The First Professional Football League ( bg, Първа професионална футболна лига, Parva Profesionalna Futbolna Liga), also known as the Bulgarian First League or Parva Liga, currently known as the efbet League for spon ...
. Capped 42 times for the
Bulgaria national football team
The Bulgaria national football team ( bg, Български национален отбор по футбол, Bǎlgarski natsionalen otbor po futbol) represents Bulgaria in men's international football and is administered by the Bulgarian Foo ...
in the period 1976 – 1986, including 3 games at
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup was the 13th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams. It was played in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June 1986. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia ha ...
in
Mexico
Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
.
Arabov has also played for
Spartak Pleven
OFK Spartak ( bg, ОФК Спартак) is a Bulgarian municipal association football club from the city of Pleven founded on 10 September 1919. It currently competes in the Second League, the second tier of Bulgarian football. The team's gr ...
,
Lokomotiv Plovdiv
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv ( bg, ПФК Локомотив Пловдив), commonly known as Loko Plovdiv, is a Bulgarian professional football club based in Plovdiv. Lokomotiv's home ground is the Lokomotiv Stadium which is situated in Lauta Park ...
,
Anagennisi Dherynia
Anagennisi Deryneia ( el, Αναγέννηση Δερύνειας) is Cypriot football team based in Deryneia, Famagusta. The club was founded in 1920 and they joined the Cyprus Football Association in 1972. The team played in the Cypriot First di ...
and Albanian
KF Tirana
Klubi i Futbollit Tirana (KF Tirana) is an Albanian football club based in the country's capital city, Tirana. The men's football club is part of the multi-disciplinary sports club SK Tirana, and is the most successful in Albania, having won 54 ...
before returning to Sliven for its last season in
A PFG
The First Professional Football League ( bg, Първа професионална футболна лига, Parva Profesionalna Futbolna Liga), also known as the Bulgarian First League or Parva Liga, currently known as the efbet League for spon ...
(1993). After his retirement as a player Arabov worked for many years in Albania, coaching
KF Tirana
Klubi i Futbollit Tirana (KF Tirana) is an Albanian football club based in the country's capital city, Tirana. The men's football club is part of the multi-disciplinary sports club SK Tirana, and is the most successful in Albania, having won 54 ...
,
KF Partizani
Futboll Klub Partizani, or FK Partizani for short, is an Albanian professional football club based in Tirana, that competes in the Kategoria Superiore. Founded in 1946, the club was historically affiliated to the Albanian army. Partizani's curren ...
, and
KS Flamurtari
Flamurtari FC is a professional football club based in Vlorë, Albania. The club plays in the Kategoria e Parë, which is the second tier of football in the country.
Founded in 1923, the club is one of the oldest in Albania, and it is also one ...
.
References
1953 births
Living people
Footballers from Sliven
Men's association football defenders
Bulgarian men's footballers
Bulgaria men's international footballers
1986 FIFA World Cup players
FC Sliven players
OFC Spartak Pleven players
Anagennisi Deryneia FC players
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv players
KF Tirana players
Bulgarian expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus
Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus
Expatriate men's footballers in Albania
Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Albania
Kategoria Superiore players
First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players
Cypriot First Division players
Bulgarian football managers
FK Partizani Tirana managers
Flamurtari FC managers
Bulgarian expatriate football managers
Expatriate football managers in Albania
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