Bozhidar Kraev
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bozhidar Boykov Kraev | ||
| Date of birth | 23 June 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Vratsa, Bulgaria | ||
| Playing position | Winger / Attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Levski Sofia | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2008 | Botev Vratsa | ||
| 2008–2010 | Vilafranca | ||
| 2010–2012 | Chavdar Etropole | ||
| 2012–2013 | Botev Vratsa | ||
| 2013– | Levski Sofia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2014– | Levski Sofia | 13 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2013 | Bulgaria U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2014– | Bulgaria U19 | 3 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:42, 3 April 2015 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Bozhidar Boykov Kraev (Bulgarian: Божидар Бойков Краев; born 23 June 1997 in Vratsa) is a Bulgarian footballer who currently plays as a attacking midfielder for Levski Sofia.
Career
Early career
Born in Vratsa, at the age of six Kraev began playing football at the local club Botev Vratsa, for whom his father Boyko Kraev had also played. In 2008 he joined the Hristo Stoichkov's academy in Vilafranca, Spain, as a part of a Gillette programme for young talented players, that was initiated by Stoichkov.[1] Two years later, Kraev returned to Bulgaria, joining Chavdar Etropole. Then he spent one year with his first club Botev Vratsa.
Levski Sofia
In January 2013, at the age of 15, Kraev joined Levski Sofia's academy.[2] He made his first team debut in a 1–1 league draw against Lokomotiv Plovdiv on 19 July 2014, coming on as a second-half substitute.[3] On 23 September, he marked his first start by scoring a hat-trick in a 7–1 away win over Spartak Varna in the Bulgarian Cup. On 14 October, Kraev was named by The Guardian as one of the forty most promising young players in the world.[4]
On 12 December 2014, Kraev signed his first professional contract, on a three-year deal.[5] Two days later, he was invited for a trial at Juventus.[6] In January 2015, Kraev spent a week on trial and at English club Manchester City.[7]
Kraev scored his first league goal for Levski in a 8–0 home win over Haskovo on 27 February 2015.
Statistics
As of 4 April 2015
| Club performance | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | League | Season | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| Bulgaria | League | CCB Cup | Europe | Other[lower-alpha 1] | Total | ||||||||
| Levski Sofia | A Group | 2014–15 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 3 | – | – | 17 | 5 | |||
| Total | 13 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5 | |||
| Career statistics | 13 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5 | |||
- ↑ Includes Bulgarian Supercup matches.
Awards
Best progressing young player in Bulgarian football - 2014[8]
References
- ↑ "Чичарито от Враца" (in Bulgarian). webcafe.bg. 13 July 2011.
- ↑ "Левски привлече и по-големият брат Краев" (in Bulgarian). viasport.bg. 8 February 2013.
- ↑ "Левски - Локомотив (Пловдив) 1–1" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 19 July 2014.
- ↑ "Next Generation 2014: 40 of the best young talents in world football". The Guardian. 14 October 2014.
- ↑ "Левски върза Краев с нов договор" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 12 December 2014.
- ↑ "Краев замина на проби в Ювентус" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 15 December 2014.
- ↑ "Levski Sofia’s Bozhidar Kraev arrives for Manchester City trial". theguardian.com. 4 January 2015.
- ↑ Dimitrov, Ivaylo (17 February 2015). "Владислав Стоянов е най-добрият български футболист за 2014 година! Лудогорци обраха почти всички индивидуални награди". topsport.bg. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
External links
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