Aleksandar Vasilev (footballer, born 1995)

Aleksandar Vasilev
Vasilev with Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Personal information
Full name Aleksandar Veselinov Vasilev
Date of birth (1995-04-27) 27 April 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth Strazhitsa, Bulgaria
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back, left winger
Youth career
Levski Strazhitsa
Vidima-Rakovski
–2012 Chavdar Etropole
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Chavdar Etropole 23 (2)
2013–2014 Kaliakra Kavarna 23 (1)
2014–2018 Ludogorets Razgrad 27 (1)
2015–2018 Ludogorets Razgrad II 28 (4)
2016 → Beroe Stara Zagora (loan) 15 (1)
2018–2021 Beroe Stara Zagora 93 (1)
2022 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 28 (0)
2023–2024 Cherno More 32 (1)
Total 269 (11)
International career
2011–2012 Bulgaria U17 5 (0)
2012–2014 Bulgaria U19 11 (0)
2013–2016 Bulgaria U21 11 (0)
2020 Bulgaria 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Aleksandar Veselinov Vasilev (Bulgarian: Александър Веселинов Василев; born 27 April 1995) is a Bulgarian retired professional footballer who played as a left-back or left winger.[2]

Club career

Early career

Aleksandar Vasilev started his career playing for his hometown club Levski Strazhitsa. He moved eventually to Vidima-Rakovski, before being invited to join Hristo Stoichkov's academy at Chavdar Etropole.[3] In 2012, he made his professional football debut for Chavdar in the B Group, providing the winning goal for the team in a 1-0 win against Akademik Sofia.[4] In the following season he made 22 appearances for the club, most of them as a substitute. In the summer of 2013 he moved to fellow B Group side Kaliakra Kavarna, where he established himself as a main squad player for the club in the 2013–14 B Group.

Ludogorets Razgrad

On 6 June 2014 he signed for Ludogorets together with his Bulgaria U19 teammate, Preslav Petrov.[5] On 2 August 2014 Vasilev made his official debut for Ludogorets in an A Group match against Marek Dupnitsa.[6] A year later, on 21 August 2015, he scored his first goal for the team in a 3-0 win against Pirin Blagoevgrad.[7]

Loan to Beroe Stara Zagora

On 14 June 2016, Vasilev signed for Beroe Stara Zagora on a season long loan deal.[8] He made his debut on 7 August 2016 in a league match against Slavia Sofia, debuting with a goal in a 2-1 win for Beroe.[9] His good performances led him being called-up back by Ludogorets's main squad on 6 January 2017.[10]

Return to Ludogorets Razgrad

Vasilev returned in play for Ludogorets II on 13 March 2017 in a match against Tsarsko Selo Sofia.[11] On 18 March 2017 he played his first match for the season for Ludogorets in a 2:2 draw against Dunav Ruse.[12] For the Bulgarian Cup match on 18 April 2017 against Litex Lovech, Vasilev played the full match and scored one goal for the 4:0 win.[13]

Beroe Stara Zagora

On 1 June 2018, Vasilev signed with Beroe Stara Zagora.[14]

Retirement

Vasilev surprisingly announced his retirement on 5 January 2024 at age of just 28 in order to start his own business, despite the fact he was a starter in Cherno More, which ended 2023 as First League leaders.[15][16]

International career

Senior level

On 14 March 2017 Vasilev received his first call up for Bulgaria main squad for the match against Netherlands on 25 March 2017.[17] He completed the match on the bench staying as unused substitute for the 2:0 win over Netherlands.[18] On 18 November 2020, Vasilev earned his first cap, coming on as a substitute for Cicinho and playing the last 30 minutes of the 0:0 away draw with Ireland in a Nations League match.[19]

Career statistics

As of 21 February 2019
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chavdar Etropole 2011–12 B Group 1 1 0 0 – – 1 1
2012–13 22 1 1 0 – – 23 1
Total 23 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 24 2
Kaliakra Kavarna 2013–14 B Group 23 1 1 0 – – 24 1
Ludogorets Razgrad 2014–15 A Group 7 0 1 0 0 0 1[b] 0 9 0
2015–16 9 1 2 0 0 0 0[b] 0 11 1
2016–17 Bulgarian First League 5 0 2 1 0 0 — 7 1
2017–18 6 0 2 0 0 0 — 8 0
Total 27 1 7 1 0 0 1 0 35 2
Ludogorets II 2015–16 B Group 14 2 – – – 14 2
2016–17 Bulgarian Second League 7 2 – – – 7 2
2017–18 7 0 – – – 7 0
Total 28 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 28 4
Beroe Stara Zagora (loan) 2016–17 Bulgarian First League 20 1 2 1 4 0 – 26 2
Beroe Stara Zagora 2017–18 Bulgarian First League 6 0 0 0 0 0 – 6 0
2018–19 17 1 2 0 0 0 – 19 2
Total 43 2 4 1 4 0 0 0 51 4
Career total 144 10 11 2 4 0 1 0 162 12
  1. ^ Includes Bulgarian Cup.
  2. ^ a b Appearance in Bulgarian Supercup

Honours

Ludogorets

References

  1. ^ "Профил на Александър Веселинов Василев" (in Bulgarian). fpleague.bg. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Aleksandar Vasilev Facts". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  3. ^ Александър Василев: Чест е да носиш фланелката на Лудогорец
  4. ^ Chavdar vs Akademik
  5. ^ Лудогорец с нов двоен удар – взе национали
  6. ^ Лудогорец с първа победа в “А” група
  7. ^ Пирин - Лудогорец 0:3, мачът по минути
  8. ^ Александър Василев ще играе в „Берое“ през новия сезон
  9. ^ Берое прати Славия на дъното
  10. ^ БГ халф е второто ново попълнение на Лудогорец - тимът води четирима големи таланти в Турция
  11. ^ Ludogorets II vs Tsarsko Selo
  12. ^ Дунав спря Лудогорец, вратар лиши русенци от победата
  13. ^ Лудогорец разпиля Литекс за Купата
  14. ^ "Берое привлече Александър Василев" (in Bulgarian). beroe.bg. 1 June 2018.
  15. ^ Бивш играч на Локо спря с футбола само на 28 години
  16. ^ Приказката му във футбола остана недовършена
  17. ^ Хубчев взе играч от дубъла на „Лудогорец“
  18. ^ България победи Холандия с 2:0
  19. ^ "Ирландия - България 0:0" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2024.