Lecce's Bulgarian prodigy

By Pawel Dimow

It is something most Bulgarian boys could only dream of. On his 18th birthday on 15 February 2004, the US Lecce striker Valeri Bozhinov was honoured by a special visit from perhaps the greatest Bulgarian footballer of all time, Hristo Stoitchkov.

Important visit
It was not the first time the legendary forward had taken time out of his busy schedule to call on the youngster, and if Bozhinov continues to develop, it is unlikely that it will be the last.

Italian record
Back on 27 January 2002, Bozhinov - whose surname is normally spelt Bojinov in Italy - made his debut as a 69th-minute substitute for Lecce against Brescia Calcio to become, at the age of 15 years, eleven months and 12 days, the youngest foreign player to appear in Serie A.

Landmark goal
On 11 January this year, the lightning-quick attacker beat Bologna FC's former Italian international goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca to become, aged 17 years, ten months and 26 days, the youngest-ever foreign goalscorer in Serie A. Stoitchkov was immediately on the phone to congratulate him.

Double strike
A week later, Bozhinov registered twice in his side's 3-1 win at Reggina Calcio but this son of former Bulgarian international women's basketball player Pepa Bozhinova has made it clear that success in Italy is just one of his ambitions. "I hope [Bulgaria coach] Plamen Markov will notice my displays with Lecce," he said. "It would be an honour to play with the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Martin Petrov and other Bulgarian internationals."

Bulgarian credentials
With the UEFA EURO 2004™ finals approaching, Bulgarians have been made increasingly aware of the talented tyro, whose credentials as a future international have only been strengthened by the fact that his stepfather, Sasho Angelov, is a former Bulgaria defender.

Instant hit
Having played in junior sides at FC Maritsa Plovdiv, PFC Lokomotiv Sofia, PFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo and Maltese club Pietà Hotspurs FC, before joining Lecce in the summer of 1999, Bozhinov became an instant hit in Italy, guiding Lecce's youth team to the Italian title and leading the scoring charts with 37 goals.

Rapid rise
His displays soon opened the door to the senior squad, for whom Bozhinov scored twice in Serie B and now three times in the top flight. More recently, the starlet has won a regular starting place, forming a lively strike partnership with Uruguayan Javier Ernesto Chevanton.

U21 success
Bulgaria Under-21 coach Petar Miladinov called Bozhinov into his squad for the friendly against Greece on 17 February, but despite a 3-1 defeat, the forward shone on his debut, scoring with a magnificent scissor-kick, hitting the post and showing he could be a future leader of the team.

Senior prospects
However, it may be that the U21s never get the full benefit of his skills. Markov has been taking a close look at the prodigy. "Bozhinov is a very talented player," said the coach. "He has started to prove himself in a tough league. If Bozhinov continues to play this way, he will have a decent chance of being in the squad for EURO 2004™. We will continue to track his development."

Real possibility
A place in Bulgaria's squad at this summer's UEFA European Championship could be yet another boyhood dream come true for young Bozhinov.

Additional reporting by Stoyan Georgiev