OFC Pirin Blagoevgrad

Pirin Blagoevgrad

Full name	Футболен клуб Пирин АД Football club Pirin AD (Pirin Football Club)
Nickname(s)	Орлетата (The Eagles)
Founded	1922; 102 years ago (1922)
Ground	Stadion Hristo Botev
Capacity	7,500
Chairman	Petar Zanev
Head coach	Oleksandr Babych
League	First League
2022–23	First League, 11th of 16
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

Football club Pirin (Bulgarian: Футболен клуб „Пирин“), also known as Pirin Blagoevgrad is a Bulgarian football club based in Blagoevgrad, which currently competes in the First League, the top division of Bulgarian football.

The club was founded in 2008, after a merger between two clubs from Blagoevgrad, Pirin 1922 and PFC Pirin Blagoevgrad. By an official court decision later that year, the club was announced as a historical successor of the club records of the former FC Pirin, founded in 1922. In 2011, following the bankruptcy of the entity, which represented the football club, Pirin's football department was merged once again with Perun Kresna, to eventually become OFC Pirin.

The club's name is adopted from Pirin, a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria. Their home ground is the Stadion Hristo Botev in Blagoevgrad with a capacity of 7,500 spectators. Pirin's nickname is Orletata (The Eaglets) and their kit colours are green and white.

To date, the club has four domestic cup finals and most notably, enjoys high praise for its development of football players, as several noted Bulgarian footballers were produced by Pirin's youth academy. Among them are the 1994 FIFA World Cup bronze medallists Petar Mihtarski and Ivaylo Andonov, as well as former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov, who won two Premier League titles and was the 2010-11 Premier League top goalscorer.

Pirin share a regional rivalry with Marek Dupnitsa, as the two clubs are among the most successful ones from Southwestern Bulgaria.

History

FC Pirin

One of FC Pirin Blagoevgrad's predecessors, FC Pirin, was founded in 1922. FC Pirin has played more than 20 seasons in the top flight and has competed twice in the European football competitions with one participation in the UEFA Cup and one participation in the Cup Winners' Cup respectively. The club's first participation in the UEFA tournaments was not promising. In 1985, Pirin faced the then reigning Swedish champion Hammarby IF. The first game in Blagoevgrad, ended with a 1–3 loss. The second game in Sweden was also a defeat – 0–4 and Pirin were out of the European competitions. Pirin's best season in the Bulgarian top division was in the 1984–85 season, where they finished at 5th place at the end of the season. The club was also three times runner-up of the Bulgarian Cup. Also, Pirin's youth academy is attributed as being one of the best developers of young and unknown players in Bulgaria. Among the club's famous players are Dimitar Berbatov, Spas Delev, Petar Mihtarski, Ivaylo Andonov, Ivan Tsvetkov, Vladislav Zlatinov and Petar Zlatinov.

On August 18, 2006, after failing to arrange some debts and signals of corruption, Pirin was expelled from the A PFG, the team's results for the season were annulled, and the club was relegated to the Bulgarian South-West V AFG. However, after two years, Pirin won the South-West V AFG and the club returned for the upcoming season of the Western B PFG.

Unification

In December 2008, Pirin, which competed in the Western B PFG, was merged with PFC Pirin Blagoevgrad, (former FC Makedonska Slava), which played in the A PFG after a significant pressure from the supporters in the town. The new club was named FC Pirin Blagoevgrad and was soon proclaimed as a holder of the club records of the former FC Pirin, which competed for more than 20 seasons in the top flight.^[1] FC Pirin's West B PFG place was taken by FC Bansko. Then, Nikolay Galchev appointed Petar Mihtarski as a manager of the club. A few months later, under Naci Şensoy's management, the successes followed-up and Pirin qualified for the final of the Bulgarian Cup, eliminating subsequently on their way CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia. In the final match played at the Georgi Asparuhov Stadium in Sofia, Pirin were eliminated after a 3–0 defeat against Litex Lovech.

OFK Pirin

In the foremath of the 2011–12 season, Pirin Blagoevgrad failed to receive a professional license for the A Group. However, due to their financial struggles they were also rejected to participate in the South-West V AFG. Later that year, they acquired the license of Perun Kresna. The team finished 2011-12 season as Perun, but for 2012-13 the team was renamed to Obshtinski futbolen klub Pirin (Bulgarian: Общиснки футболен клуб „Пирин“), meaning Pirin Minicipal Football Club, as the club was owned by Blagoevgrad Municipality.

In 2015, the club achieved promotion to the A Group after a four-year absence from top-flight football. The 2015-16 season ended in an 8th place finish out of 10 teams in a modified season format. The next season (2016–17), Pirin again managed to avoid relegation. However the team was relegated from the A Group after the 2017-18 season.

On 11 June 2019, OFK Pirin secured a one-year sponsorship agreement and advertising partnership with the investment company Emirates Wealth EAD.^[2] In July, Blagoevgrad Municipality approved a business plan by the company discussing the future development of the club, in particular the partnership between the two sides, phases in acquiring participatory management, investment schemes, club finances and aims.^[3] The plan saw Emirates Wealth EAD become a majority owner, as it acquired 75% of the OFK Pirin's shares, with 25% remaining in Blagoevgrad Municipality's ownership.^[4] Part of obtaining participatory management saw the creation of a new association, a joint-stock company named Futbolen klub Pirin AD (Bulgarian: Футболен клуб „Пирин“ АД), meaning Pirin Football Club, where OFK Pirin, owned by the municipality, was merged into.^[5]

In 2021, Pirin managed to return to the First League after three years of absence.

Colours and badge

Currently, the team's home kit is green and the away kit is white. Various combinations of green and white have been used throughout the club's history.

Honours

Domestic

• Second League:
  • Winners (1): 2020–21
• Bulgarian Cup:
  • Runners-up (4): 1981, 1992, 1994, 2009

European Record

Season	Competition	Round	Country	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1985–86	UEFA Cup	1		Hammarby	1–3	0–4	1–7
1994–95	Cup Winners' Cup	QR		Schaan	3–0	1–0	4–0
		1		Panathinaikos	0–2	1–6	1–8

Players

Current squad

As of 31 March 2024^[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  BUL Mario Kirev 4 MF  MAR Ayoub Abou 5 DF  BUL Nikolay Bodurov 6 DF  BUL Andrey Yordanov 7 DF  BUL Asen Donchev (on loan from CSKA Sofia) 8 MF  BUL Lazar Boyanov 9 FW  BUL Stanislav Kostov 11 MF  BUL Ivan Tasev 12 GK  UKR Maksym Kovalyov 13 DF  BUL Vladimir Laskov 14 FW  UKR Danylo Polonskyi 16 DF  BUL Martin Georgiev

No. Pos. Nation Player 18 DF  FRA Arnaud Luzayadio 19 FW  FRA Hugo Komano 20 FW  FRA Aymen Souda 25 DF  BUL Iliyan Kostov 27 DF  BUL Georgi Varbanov 28 MF  BUL Vasil Hristov 30 MF  BUL Lyubomir Todorov 33 MF  BUL Aleksandar Pedinski 38 DF  BUL Aleksandar Dyulgerov (captain) 73 MF  BUL Ventsislav Bengyuzov 77 DF  SEN Modou Diagne 83 DF  BUL Hristo Popadiyn

For recent transfers, see Transfers summer 2023 and Transfers winter 2023–24.

Foreign players

Up to twenty foreign nationals can be registered and given a squad number for the first team in the Bulgarian First League, however only five non-EU nationals can be used during a match day. Those non-EU nationals with European ancestry can claim citizenship from the nation their ancestors came from. If a player does not have European ancestry he can claim Bulgarian citizenship after playing in Bulgaria for 5 years.

Notable players

Had international caps for their respective countries, held any club record, or have more than 100 league appearance. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries.

Past seasons

League positions

Last Seasons

Personnel

Club officials

Position	Name	Nationality
Coaching staff
Head coach	Oleksandr Babych
Assistant coach	Artem Filimonov
Assistant coach	Miroslav Mitev
Goalkeepers coach	Oleksandr Lavrentsov
Physiotherapist	Andrey Polonskyi
Management
Chief Executive Officer	Petar Zanev
Sporting director	Petar Mihtarski
Academy manager	Radoslav Mitrevski

Managerial history

Dates	Name	Honours
2011–2014	Kostadin Gerganchev	99991 V AFG title
2014–2015	Yordan Samokovliyski	9999 promotion to A Group
2015	Ivo Trenchev (interim)
2015	Nedelcho Matushev
2015–2016	Naci Şensoy
2016−2017	Stefan Genov
2017−2018	Milen Radukanov	Relegation to Second Professional League
2018–2019	Petar Zlatinov
2019–2019	Ivan Stoychev
2019	Ivo Trenchev
2019–2021	Warren Feeney	1st place promotion to First Professional League
2021–2022	Radoslav Mitrevski
2022	Krasimir Petrov
2022	Vasil Petrov (interim)
2022–2023	Hristo Yanev
2023	Radoslav Mitrevski
2023–2024	Ivo Trenchev
2024–	Oleksandr Babych

References

External links

• Official website (in Bulgarian)
• Pirin – news and results

• v
• t
• e

First Professional Football League

2023–24 clubs

• Arda
• Beroe
• Botev Plovdiv
• Botev Vratsa
• Etar Veliko Tarnovo
• Cherno More
• CSKA 1948
• CSKA Sofia
• Hebar Pazardzhik
• Krumovgrad
• Levski Sofia
• Lokomotiv Plovdiv
• Lokomotiv Sofia
• Ludogorets
• Pirin Blagoevgrad
• Slavia Sofia

Stadiums

• Arena Arda
• Beroe
• Botev 1912 Football Complex
• Hristo Botev (Vratsa)
• Ticha
• Vasil Levski
• Balgarska Armia
• Georgi Asparuhov
• Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)
• Lokomotiv (Sofia)
• Huvepharma Arena
• Hristo Botev (Blagoevgrad)
• Slavia
• Stadion Dragalevtsi
• Stadion Spartak
• Stadion Georgi Benkovski

Former clubs*

• Akademik Sofia (18)
• Akademik Svishtov (4)
• Belasitsa (12)
• FC Chernomorets (29)
• PSFC Chernomorets (7)
• Chernomorets Burgas Sofia (1)
• Dimitrovgrad (1)
• Dobrudzha (14)
• Dunav (25)
• Etar (24)
• Etar 1924 (1)
• Kaliakra (2)
• Litex (21)
• Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa (10)
• Lokomotiv Mezdra (2)
• Lyubimets 2007 (1)
• Maritsa (4)
• Metalurg (2)
• Minyor (38)
• Montana (10)
• Neftochimic (14)
• Nesebar (1)
• Pirin 1922 (9)
• Pirin GD (2)
• Rilski Sportist (2)
• Rodopa (4)
• Rozova Dolina (1)
• Septemvri (5)
• Shumen (7)
• Sliven (25)
• Spartak Pleven (35)
• Spartak Plovdiv (17)
• Spartak Sofia (15)
• Spartak Varna (43)
• Sportist (1)
• Svetkavitsa (1)
• Velbazhd (7)
• Vereya (3)
• Vidima-Rakovski (5)
• Vihren (4)
• Vitosha Bistritsa (3)
• Yantra (7)

Former clubs (from Macedonia & Thrace)

• Belomorets Kavala
• Bitola
• Gotse Delchev Prilep
• Makedonija Bitola
• Makedonija Skopje
• Vardar Skopje
• ZhSK Skopje

Competition

• Champions
• Players (foreign)

Associated competitions

• Second League
• Third League
• Bulgarian Cup
• Bulgarian Supercup
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• UEFA Europa Conference League

Seasons

• 1948–49
• 1950
• 1951
• 1952
• 1953
• 1954
• 1955
• 1956
• 1957
• 1958
• 1958–59
• 1959–60
• 1960–61
• 1961–62
• 1962–63
• 1963–64
• 1964–65
• 1965–66
• 1966–67
• 1967–68
• 1968–69
• 1969–70
• 1970–71
• 1971–72
• 1972–73
• 1973–74
• 1974–75
• 1975–76
• 1976–77
• 1977–78
• 1978–79
• 1979–80
• 1980–81
• 1981–82
• 1982–83
• 1983–84
• 1984–85
• 1985–86
• 1986–87
• 1987–88
• 1988–89
• 1989–90
• 1990–91
• 1991–92
• 1992–93
• 1993–94
• 1994–95
• 1995–96
• 1996–97
• 1997–98
• 1998–99
• 1999–00
• 2000–01
• 2001–02
• 2002–03
• 2003–04
• 2004–05
• 2005–06
• 2006–07
• 2007–08
• 2008–09
• 2009–10
• 2010–11
• 2011–12
• 2012–13
• 2013–14
• 2014–15
• 2015–16
• 2016–17
• 2017–18
• 2018–19
• 2019–20
• 2020–21
• 2021–22
• 2022–23
• 2023–24

* In the brackets is the number of seasons in the league.