Krassimir Balakov

Infobox Football biography
playername = Krassimir Balakov


fullname = Krassimir Guenchev Balakov
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1966|3|29
cityofbirth = Veliko Tarnovo
countryofbirth = Bulgaria
height = Height|m=1.76
position = Attacking Midfielder
currentclub = FC St. Gallen (manager)
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1982–1990 1991–1995 1995–2003 2005
clubs = FC Etar Veliko Tarnovo Sporting Clube de Portugal VfB Stuttgart VFC Plauen
caps(goals) = 142 (35) 138 (43) 236 (54) 001 0(0)
nationalyears = 1988-2003
nationalteam = Bulgaria
nationalcaps(goals) = 092 (16)
manageryears = 2003–2005 2005 2006–2007 2007–
managerclubs = VfB Stuttgart "(Assistant)" VFC Plauen "(Player-Manager)" Grasshopper FC St. Gallen

Krassimir Guenchev Balakov ( _bg. Красимир Балъков) (born March 29, 1966 in Veliko Tarnovo) is a former Bulgarian footballer and a key member of the Bulgarian national team that finished fourth in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. After Hristo Stoichkov, he is considered the greatest Bulgarian footballer of his generation.

Club career

Balakov began his club career at the local FC Etar Veliko Tarnovo, before transferring to Portugal's Sporting in 1990, where he won the 1994/1995 Portuguese Cup. In 1995, he transferred to Germany's VfB Stuttgart where he won two UEFA Intertoto Cups (2000 and 2002) and a German Cup (1997), before retiring in 2003.

International

Balakov made 92 appearances for Bulgaria, between 1988 and 2003 (one of the best totals in national history) and scored 16 goals. Other than the 1994 FIFA World Cup, he also played for his country at Euro 96 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Coaching career

He had been appointed on 16 January 2006 as a manager of Grasshopper-Club Zürich to replace Hanspeter Latour who left for 1. FC Köln.Balakov managed to win the Intertoto Cup thus qualified the club to the UEFA Cup for 2006/2007 season. He had been appointed on October 29, 2007 as a manager of FC St. Gallen to replace Rolf Fringer. [de icon [http://www.fcsg.ch/newsdetails.asp?kid=5&id=887 "Krassimir Balakov neuer Cheftrainer"] , fcsg.ch, accessed October 29, 2007.]

References