Bulgaria men's national volleyball team

The Bulgaria men's national volleyball team, controlled by the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation, is one of the leading volleyball teams in Europe and the world.

Its achievements include one silver medal from the World Championship (1970) and four bronze medals (1949, 1952, 1986, 2006), as well as one fourth place (1962). From the European Championship, Bulgaria has won one second place (1951) and four third (1955, 1981, 1983, 2009) and four fourth places (1948, 1963, 1967, 1995). Bulgaria has also won a silver medal from the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow, and has a fourth place from the 1972 Olympics in Munich. The team's World Cup has won one bronze medal (2007) and one fourth place in 1969. Other achievements are the three World League fourth places (1994, 2004, 2006).

The team's most relevant recent results were winning third place in the 2006 Volleyball World Championship, the 2007 World Cup, and the 2009 Men's European Volleyball Championship.

Results

Olympic Games

• 1964 — 5th place
• 1968 — 6th place
• 1972 — 4th place
• 1976 — did not qualify
• 1980 — Silver medal
• 1984 — did not qualify
• 1988 — 6th place
• 1992 — did not qualify
• 1996 — 7th place
• 2000 — did not qualify
• 2004 — did not qualify
• 2008 — 5th place

World Championship

• 1949 — Bronze medal
• 1952 — Bronze medal
• 1956 — 5th place
• 1960 — 7th place
• 1962 — 4th place
• 1966 — 7th place
• 1970 — Silver medal
• 1974 — 7th place
• 1978 — 10th place
• 1982 — 5th place
• 1986 — Bronze medal
• 1990 — 5th place
• 1994 — 9th place
• 1998 — 7th place
• 2002 — 13th place
• 2006 — Bronze medal
• 2010 — 7th place

European Championship

• 1948 — did not qualify
• 1950 — 4th place
• 1951 — Silver medal
• 1955 — Bronze medal
• 1958 — 4th place
• 1963 — 4th place
• 1967 — 9th place
• 1971 — 7th place
• 1975 — 5th place
• 1977 — 5th place
• 1979 — 10th place
• 1981 — Bronze medal
• 1983 — Bronze medal
• 1985 — 5th place
• 1987 — 11th place
• 1989 — 6th place
• 1991 — 5th place
• 1993 — 5th place
• 1995 — 4th place
• 1997 — 9th place
• 1999 — 7th place
• 2001 — 6th place
• 2003 — 9th place
• 2005 — did not qualify
• 2007 — 8th place
• 2009 — Bronze medal
• 2011 — 6th place

Bulgaria in the World League

Bulgaria was first invited to take part in the World League in 1994. In its debut season in the tournament the team managed to finish fourth led by players like Lubo Ganev, Dimo Tonev, Martin Stoev, etc. In the next four editions Bulgaria took part but did not manage to tie or beat its first season performance – the team came fifth in 1995, eight in 1996, sixth in 1997, and seventh in 1998. Bulgaria was then excluded from the World League until the 2003 season. It has been a constant participant ever since and among the contestants for the final phase of the tournament. Under the guidance of Milorad Kijac the new wave of players including Teodor Salparov, Danail Mihaylov, etc. mixed well with the more experienced Evgeni Ivanov, Plamen Konstantinov, Nikolay Ivanov, Vladimir Nikolov, Hristo Tsvetanov to come fifth in 2003. The next year once again under Kijac the team played some impressive games and succeeded to tie its best performance of finishing fourth. The team included more players of the Under-21 team that the previous year managed to win a medal at the World Championships such as Matey Kaziyski and Milushev. In 2005 with a new coach, Martin Stoev, the team finished fifth, followed by another tied best-ever performance – fourth in 2006, and another fifth in 2007. In 2008 the team finished seventh, while in 2009 they finished tenth. In 2010 Bulgaria recorded another seventh place. In 2011 Bulgaria qualified for first time in the Final Round after four years, they finished fifth.

Team

Head coach: Radostin Stoychev

The following 14 players were called up for the Eurovolley 2011

References