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Bulgaria's biggest European success stories

Hristo Stoichkov led the way in terms of Bulgarian success in UEFA's club competition but Dimitar Berbatov and Emil Kostadinov have carved out their own niches.

Most appearances by Bulgarian players in UEFA club competition ©AFP/Getty Images

Dimitar Berbatov holds the appearance records; Hristo Stoichkov is still top man for goals. UEFA.com celebrates Bulgaria's most significant achievements in UEFA's club competitions.

Most appearances by a Bulgarian player in the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)
61: Dimitar Berbatov (Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Manchester United FC, AS Monaco FC)
37: Hristo Stoichkov (PFC CSKA Sofia, FC Barcelona)
35: Emil Kostadinov (PFC CSKA Sofia, FC Porto, FC Bayern München, Fenerbahçe SK)
30: Boris Gaganelov (PFC CSKA Sofia)
29: Spas Dzhevizov (PFC CSKA Sofia, AC Omonia)
29: Dimitar Penev (PFC CSKA Sofia)
27: Asparuh Nikodimov (PFC CSKA Sofia)
27: Vladislav Stoyanov (FC Sheriff, PFC Ludogorets Razgrad)
27: Ivan Zafirov (PFC CSKA Sofia)
26: Elin Topuzakov (PFC Levski Sofia)

Top-scoring Bulgarian players in the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)
18: Hristo Stoichkov (PFC CSKA Sofia, FC Barcelona)
15: Dimitar Berbatov (Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Manchester United FC, AS Monaco FC)
11: Tsvetan Yonchev (PFC CSKA Sofia)
10: Emil Kostadinov (PFC CSKA Sofia, FC Porto, FC Bayern München, Fenerbahçe SK)
8: Dimitar Marashliev (PFC CSKA Sofia)
7: Georgi Asparuhov (PFC Levski Sofia)
7: Georgi Ivanov (PFC Levski Sofia)
7: Nikola Kotkov (PFC Lokomotiv Sofia)
7: Panayot 'Gatso' Panayotov (PFC CSKA Sofia)
7: Nikola Tsanev (PFC CSKA Sofia)
7: Petar Zhekov (PFC CSKA Sofia)

Most appearances by Bulgarian players in UEFA club competition*
87: Dimitar Berbatov (PFC CSKA Sofia, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Manchester United FC, AS Monaco FC)
71: Hristo Stoichkov (PFC CSKA Sofia, FC Barcelona, Parma FC)
71: Elin Topuzakov (PFC Levski Sofia, Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC)
68: Stiliyan Petrov (PFC CSKA Sofia, Celtic FC, Aston Villa FC)
65: Hristo Yovov (PFC Levski Sofia, PFC Litex Lovech)
61: Dimitar Telkiyski (PFC Levski Sofia, Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC, FC Amkar Perm)
59: Stanislav Angelov (PFC CSKA Sofia, PFC Levski Sofia, FC Steaua Bucureşti)
55: Todor Yanchev (PFC Naftex Burgas, PFC CSKA Sofia, Randers FC)
53: Stanislav Manolev (PFC Litex Lovech, PSV Eindhoven, FC Dinamo Moskva)
52: Emil Kostadinov (PFC CSKA Sofia, FC Porto, FC Bayern München, Fenerbahçe SK)

Top-scoring Bulgarian players in UEFA club competition*
35: Hristo Stoichkov (PFC CSKA Sofia, FC Barcelona, Parma FC)
34: Dimitar Berbatov (PFC CSKA Sofia, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Manchester United FC, AS Monaco FC)
24: Pavel Panov (PFC Levski Sofia, Aris Thessaloniki FC)
17: Georgi Asparuhov (PFC Botev Plovdiv, PFC Levski Sofia)
17: Emil Kostadinov (PFC CSKA Sofia, FC Porto, FC Bayern München, Fenerbahçe SK)
17: Kiril Milanov (PFC Levski Sofia)
16: Georgi Ivanov (PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936, PFC Levski Sofia)
16: Luboslav Penev (PFC CSKA Sofia, Valencia CF, RC Celta de Vigo)
15:
Petko Petkov (PFC Beroe, FK Austria Wien)
12: Martin Petrov (PFC CSKA Sofia, Servette FC, VfL Wolfsburg, Club Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City FC)
12: Emil Spasov (PFC Levski Sofia)

First Bulgarian to win the European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League
Hristo Stoichkov (FC Barcelona 1-0 UC Sampdoria, 1992)

Emil Kostadinov in 1996
Emil Kostadinov in 1996©Getty Images

Only Bulgarian to win the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League or score in a UEFA club competition final
Emil Kostadinov (FC Bayern München 5-1agg FC Girondins de Bordeaux, 1996)

First Bulgarian to feature in a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final
Trifon Ivanov (Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 SK Rapid Wien, 1996)

First/only Bulgarian to win the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
Hristo Stoichkov (FC Barcelona 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain, 1997)

First/only Bulgarian to appear in UEFA Champions League finals with two different clubs
Dimitar Berbatov (Real Madrid CF 2-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 2002, FC Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United FC, 2009)

*UEFA club competitions means European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, European/South American Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup