Villyan Bijev

Bulgarian professional footballer

Villyan Bijev
Вилиян Бижев
Bijev with Cherno More in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-01-03) 3 January 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Sofia, Bulgaria
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder, Forward
Youth career
2008–2011 California Odyssey[1]
2011–2014 Liverpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Liverpool 0 (0)
2011–2012 → Fortuna Düsseldorf II (loan) 16 (4)
2011–2012 → Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan) 1 (0)
2012 → Start (loan) 1 (0)
2014 Slavia Sofia 10 (1)
2015 Cherno More 23 (3)
2016–2017 Portland Timbers 2 52 (16)
2017 → Sacramento Republic (loan) 11 (2)
2018–2020 Sacramento Republic 74 (11)
2021 Oklahoma City Energy 31 (12)
2022–2023 Central Valley Fuego 46 (7)
Total 265 (56)
International career‡
2010–2011 United States U18 3 (0)
2012 United States U20 3 (0)
2013–2015 Bulgaria U21 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2013

Villyan Bijev (Bulgarian: Вилиян Бижев, born 3 January 1993) is a Bulgarian retired footballer, who played as a midfielder.

Early life

Villyan Bijev was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, and moved with his family to the United States at the age of five in 1998.[2] He grew up in Fresno, California and began his youth career with the Bullard Flyers U-12 local school team. In 2008, at the age of 15, Bijev joined the Clovis-based California Odyssey. He also played for the Edison High School team in Fresno, graduating in 2011. He was named to the 2010 Parade All-America soccer team.

Career

Liverpool

Bijev originally signed to play college soccer at the University of Washington in the fall of 2011, but in July 2011, Liverpool invited Bijev for a trial with the Under 18s.[3] He left a great impression, netting five goals in two pre-season friendly games, earning himself a permanent switch to the Merseyside outfit in the process on a reported three-year deal with an additional two-year option. Liverpool officially announced the signing from US outfit California Odyssey on 31 August 2011.

He was released from the club at the end of the 2013–14 season.[4]

Loan spells

The same day he signed for Liverpool, it was announced that Bijev had signed on loan for German side Fortuna Düsseldorf for the 2011–12 season.[5] Bijev played mostly for Fortuna B-squad, where he scored 4 goals in 16 games. He appeared once for the first team, playing the last 8 minutes of a 2–1 away loss against Hansa Rostock on 5 April 2012, in the place of Adam Matuszczyk.[6]

On 27 August 2012, Bijev joined Norwegian First Division side IK Start on a one-year loan, as this will help him gain the necessary work permits to play in England.[7] Bijev made his debut for the club in a 2–1 win over Hødd.[8] Though he made one appearance, the club would be promoted to Tippeligaen.

Slavia Sofia

After being released by Liverpool, Bijev joined Bulgarian A Football Group side Slavia Sofia.[9] He made his league debut for the club in a 4–1 home win against Marek Dupnitsa on 19 July 2014. Bijev marked his debut with a goal, scoring the fourth. In December 2014, his contract with Slavia was terminated by mutual consent.

Cherno More

On 12 January 2015, Bijev signed with Cherno More Varna on a one-and-a-half-year deal. He made his debut on 27 February, starting in a 2–0 home league win against Slavia Sofia. Bijev scored his first official goal for Cherno More on 5 March, netting the fourth in a 5–0 success at Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa for the Bulgarian Cup.

Return to the US

Bijev returned to the United States in 2016, playing for USL Championship sides Portland Timbers 2 and Sacramento Republic FC. In March 2021, Bijev joined Oklahoma City Energy FC.[10] After OKC Energy announced a year-long hiatus, Bijev made a return to his hometown of Fresno by signing with USL League One expansion club Central Valley Fuego FC.[11] On 8 June 2022, Bijev was named USL League One Player of the Month for May, in recognition of his three goals and one assist which led Central Valley to their first ever unbeaten month.[12]

On 2 January 2024 he announced his retirement from playing at the age of 30.

International career

Born in Bulgaria but raised in the United States and holding American citizenship, Bijev is eligible for both nations. He has represented the United States at the under-18 and under-20 level and Bulgaria at the under-21 level.[13][14] He has yet to represent either at the senior level.

Career statistics

As of 31 December 2018[update]

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Club Season League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Liverpool 2011–12 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fortuna Düsseldorf II (loan) 2011–12 Regionalliga 16 4 0 0 – 16 4
Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan) 2011–12 2. Bundesliga 1 0 0 0 – 1 0
IK Start (loan) 2012 First Division 1 0 0 0 – 1 0
Liverpool 2012–13 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2013–14 0 0 0 0 – 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Slavia Sofia 2014–15 A Group 10 1 1 0 – 11 1
Cherno More 2014–15 11 2 4 2 – 15 4
2015–16 12 1 1 3 2 0 15 4
Total 23 3 5 5 2 0 30 8
Portland Timbers 2 2016 United Soccer League 29 10 – – 29 10
2017 23 7 – – 23 7
Sacramento Republic 2017[15] 9 2 – – 9 2
2018 32 6 2 2 – 32 8
Total 61 15 0 0 0 0 93 23
Portland Timbers 2017 Major League Soccer 0 0 1 0 – 1 0
Career statistics 94 21 7 5 2 0 106 26

Honors

Cherno More

References

  1. ^ "Clovis North graduate Villyan Bijev follows soccer dreams overseas". Clovis Independent. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  2. ^ "Вилян Бижев симпатизира на Ливърпул и Барселона" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 5 March 2015. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Bijev Signs Pro Contract With Liverpool FC". GoHuskies.com. UW Athletics. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2013.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Clubs submit retained and released lists". Premier League. 23 May 2014. Archived from the original on 4 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Liverpool sign US starlet Villyan Bijev & loan him to Fortuna Dusseldorf". goal.com. 31 August 2011. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Hansa Rostock 2–1 Fortuna Düsseldorf". soccerway.com. 5 April 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Liverpool Player on your way to Start" [Liverpoolspiller på vei til Start] (in Norwegian). ikstart.no. 24 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  8. ^ "Match Report: Start 2 – 1 Hødd" [Match Report: Start 2 – 1 Hødd] (in Norwegian). Alrom Football. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  9. ^ "Славия взима футболист на Ливърпул" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 16 May 2014. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  10. ^ "ENERGY FC SIGNS DYNAMIC WINGER, USL CHAMPIONSHIP STAR VILLYAN BIJEV". OKC Energy. 24 March 2021. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Villyan Bijev Signs with Central Valley for Inaugural Season". USLLeagueOne.com. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Central Valley's Villyan Bijev Voted League One Player of the Month for May". USL League One. 8 June 2022. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Диего Фераресо става национал" (in Bulgarian). football24.bg. 12 September 2012. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  14. ^ "Таланти от Ливърпул и Ханза ще играят за България" (in Bulgarian). novsport.com. 16 May 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Villyan Bijev". sacrepublicfc.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.

External links