Hristov in squad to face Mexico

1. FC Kaiserslautern midfield player Marian Hristov is one of 14 foreign-based names in the Bulgaria squad to face Mexico in New York on 17 April.

Four home boys
Hristov, returning after nearly a year out due to injury, underwent ankle surgery last summer and has now won his place back in coach Plamen Markov's squad, to which he will eventually add four domestic-based players. The trip to New York is part of Bulgaria's preparations for the EURO 2004™ qualifiers, in which they will meet Andorra, Belgium, Croatia and Estonia.

Chinese crackers
China-based defender Predrag Pazin and striker Zoran Jankovic return to the team after missing the friendly with Ecuador on 27 March. The coach has also called up midfield player Georgi Peev, who missed the 3-0 defeat to Ecuador after saying he was injured and then played the following day for FC Dynamo Kyiv. Markov has included English First Division club Portsmouth FC's new signing Svetoslav Todorov, who had not played for his previous team West Ham United FC for more than two months.
 
Overseas players in Bulgaria squad
Zdravkov, Pazhin, G. Markov, I. Petkov, Balakov, S. Petrov, Hristov, M. Petkov, Peev, Berbatov, M. Petrov, Jankovic, Todorov.