Dimitar Krasimirov Iliev (, born 25 September 1988) is a Bulgarian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or forward. He won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year award in 2019 and 2020.
Club career Iliev began his career in the youth ranks of Lokomotiv Plovdiv. After making his way through the various youth levels at the club, he debuted for the senior team in a 4–1 home win over Lokomotiv Sofia on 11 September 2004, aged 15. In November 2004, Iliev had a trial spell with Chelsea.
In January 2010, Iliev signed for CSKA Sofia, but struggled to get into the main squad and spent loan spells at Minyor Pernik and Pirin Blagoevgrad, before joining Montana on a permanent basis in August 2011.
After one season with Montana, Iliev joined Lokomotiv Sofia, where he spent two seasons before moving to Poland to sign for Wisła Płock in 2014. In 2015–16, his second season with the club, Iliev helped Wisła achieve promotion to the Ekstraklasa. He spent three full seasons with Wisła before moving to Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała in 2017 where he spent one season.
On 16 July 2018, Iliev re-joined Lokomotiv Plovdiv, signing a two-year contract. At the end of the season he lifted the Bulgarian Cup as a captain of his childhood team. The 1–0 win against local rivals Botev Plovdiv was achieved with the only goal in 73rd minute scored by Alen Ožbolt (assist by Ante Aralica and pre-assist by Iliev himself). It happened to be the first Bulgarian Cup trophy for Lokomotiv as well as the 1st ever trophy in Iliev's career. On 2 August 2020, Iliev scored a last-minute goal against Ludogorets Razgrad, helping his team to a 1–0 win and a Bulgarian Supercup triumph.
International career In November 2019, Iliev received his first call up to the national team for the friendly match against Paraguay and the UEFA Euro 2020 Qualification match against the Czech Republic, but remained an unused substitute for both games. He earned his first cap on 26 February 2020, playing the first half of the 0–1 home loss against Belarus in a friendly game.
Career statistics Club
+Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupIncludes Bulgarian Supercup matches.ContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsApps GoalsApps Goals Lokomotiv Plovdiv2004–05A Group300000—302005–061101100—1212006–071231010—1432007–089120——1112008–0925710——2672009–1013300——133Total73145110008014CSKA Sofia2009–10A Group000000—002010–11501040—100Total50104000100Minyor Pernik (loan)2009–10A Group14510——155Pirin Blagoevgrad (loan)2010–1112310——133Montana 2011–1227200——272Lokomotiv Sofia2012–1326452——3162013–1431650——366Total571010200006712Wisła Płock2014–15I liga32500——3252015–1629310——3032016–17Ekstraklasa29300——293Total90111000009111Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała 2017–18I liga23330——263Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2018–19First League29962——35112019–2027127542—38192020–2130134321—36172021–2231133242—38172022–2335420——3742023–2433420——3542024–2531810—10338Total2166325121051025280Career statistics517111451515510578131
International Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first. No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition111 November 2020Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria3–0 3–0 Friendly215 November 20201–2 1–2 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B38 September 20212–0 4–1 Friendly
Honours Lokomotiv Plovdiv Bulgarian Cup: 2018–19, 2019–20 Bulgarian Supercup: 2020
Individual Bulgarian Footballer of the Year: 2019, 2020 Bulgarian First League Best Forward: 2019 Bulgarian First League Best youth forward: 2006 Plovdiv Best Footballer: 2019, 2020, 2021 Bulgarian First League Goal of the Week: 2021–22
References
External links Lokomotiv Plovdiv profile