Svetoslav Dyakov

In this Bulgarian name, the patronymic is Atanasov and the family name is Dyakov.
Svetoslav Dyakov
Dyakov in 2019
Personal information
Full name Svetoslav Atanasov Dyakov
Date of birth (1984-05-31) 31 May 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Youth career
Pirin Blagoevgrad
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2005 Pirin Blagoevgrad 73 (2)
2005–2008 Pirin 1922 62 (9)
2008–2011 Lokomotiv Sofia 79 (2)
2011–2021 Ludogorets Razgrad 242 (7)
2015–2021 Ludogorets Razgrad II 4 (0)
2021–2022 Pirin Blagoevgrad 24 (0)
Total 484 (20)
International career‡
2004–2005 Bulgaria U21 2 (0)
2012–2017 Bulgaria 36 (0)
Managerial career
2022 Pirin Blagoevgrad (caretaker)
2022–2024 Ludogorets Razgrad (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:34, 23 May 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 June 2017 (UTC)

Svetoslav Dyakov (Bulgarian: Светослав Дяков; born 31 May 1984) is a Bulgarian professional retired footballer who played as a midfielder, and now a manager.[1] He was the club captain of Ludogorets Razgrad and, between 2015 and 2017, was the captain of the national team as well.

Career

Born in Blagoevgrad, Dyakov began his football career with a local club, Pirin. In 2005, he signed with Pirin 1922.

Lokomotiv Sofia

On 18 June 2008, Dyakov became Lokomotiv Sofia's first summer signing. He signed a three-year contract.[2] He made his debut on 9 August 2008, in a 1–0 away win over Minyor Pernik. Dyakov made a further 24 league appearances in the 2008–09 season without scoring.

His first goal came in a 3–0 home win against Sliven 2000 on 6 November 2010. During his three years at Lokomotiv, Dyakov made 79 appearances, scoring two goals.

Ludogorets Razgrad

Dyakov playing for Ludogorets in 2011

After his contract with Lokomotiv expired, Dyakov joined Ludogorets Razgrad on a free transfer. He signed a two-year contract on 4 June 2011.[3] Dyakov made his league debut against Lokomotiv Plovdiv in a 0–0 home draw on 6 August. He enjoyed a successful first season at Ludogorets and quickly established himself as a first team regular. On 19 May 2012, Dyakov scored his first goal as a Ludogorets player in the team's league match against Kaliakra Kavarna after scoring a penalty. Ludogorets won the match 4–0. In his first season with Ludogorets, Dyakov collected his first A Group title winner's medal. He also won for first time in his career Bulgarian Cup and Bulgarian Supercup.

On 18 June 2013, Dyakov was appointed the club captain of Ludogorets for the 2013–14 season.[4] He scored his first-ever European goal on 3 October, in a 3–0 home win over Dinamo Zagreb in the group stage of Europa League. On 19 December, he was named the best midfielder of the year in Bulgaria.[5] On 4 October 2018, Dyakov was in the starting line-up for Ludogorets in a 1–0 away loss against FC Zürich in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League and together with teammate Cosmin Moți became the player with the joint most appearances for (a) Bulgarian team(s) in European club tournaments, alongside Hristo Yovov whose record of 66 matches they equaled.[6] He has (as of 14 April 2020) made 79 appearances (78 in the colors of Ludogorets and one as a footballer of Lokomotiv Sofia), trailing teammate Marcelinho who has 80 (all for Ludogorets).[7] In May 2020, Dyakov extended his contract with the team.[8]

On 19 May 2021, Ludogorets announced that Dyakov would leave the club after almost ten years of service, offering him a position in the club administrative, but Dyakov showed a desire to play for one more season at another club, before retiring and joining Ludogorets' technical body.[9]

Return to Pirin

In May 2021, Dyakov announced that he would join Pirin, the team where he started his career, which had just gotten promoted to the First League.[10][11] He officially retired on 21 May 2022, when he played his last match against Botev Vratsa, when he was substituted in the 18th minute, his playing number for the most of his career.[12]

International career

On 14 February 2012, Dyakov was called up to the Bulgaria squad, for their friendly fixture against Hungary.[13] Two weeks later, he marked his international début at the age of 27, with an assist[14] to a Valeri Bojinov goal in the 1–1 draw at ETO Park. On 11 September 2012, Dyakov was sent off for a second yellow card in a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Armenia that was won 1–0 by Bulgaria.[15] On 11 October 2013, he received a red card after being cautioned twice against the same opponent – Bulgaria lost the match held in Yerevan 2–1.[16] On 7 February 2015, Dyakov captained his country in the 0–0 draw with Romania in a non-official friendly match, as Ivelin Popov and Nikolay Bodurov were absent from the team.[17]

Personal life

Dyakov is also enrolled as a student at the South-West University, where he is pursuing coaching studies.[18]

Career statistics

Club

As of 18 May 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup / Supercup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Pirin 2002–03 20 1 2 1 – 22 2
2003–04 24 1 3 0 – 27 1
2004–05 29 0 1 0 – 30 0
Total 73 2 6 1 – 79 3
Pirin Blagoevgrad 2005–06 12 1 1 0 – 13 1
2006–07 23 5 2 1 – 25 6
2007–08 27 3 2 0 – 29 3
Total 62 9 5 1 – 67 10
Lokomotiv Sofia 2008–09 25 0 1 0 1 0 27 0
2009–10 27 0 2 0 – 29 0
2010–11 27 2 1 0 – 28 2
Total 79 2 4 0 1 0 84 2
Ludogorets Razgrad 2011–12 29 1 4 0 – 33 1
2012–13 28 3 0 0 2 0 30 3
2013–14 22 2 4 1 14 1 40 4
2014–15 24 0 5 1 11 0 40 1
2015–16 26 0 1 0 2 0 29 0
2016–17 22 1 3 0 14 0 39 1
2017–18 23 0 2 0 12 1 37 1
2018–19 30 0 3 0 14 0 47 0
2019–20 22 0 3 0 9 0 34 0
2020–21 19 0 2 0 0 0 21 0
Total 242 7 27 2 78 2 350 11
Career total 456 20 42 4 79 2 580 26

International

As of 12 November 2017

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Bulgaria 2012 8 0
2013 7 0
2014 6 0
2015 6 0
2016 8 0
2017 1 0
Total 36 0

Honours

Ludogorets

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Stats Centre: Svetoslav Dyakov Facts". guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012.
  2. ^ "Локо (Сф) привлече Дяков" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
  3. ^ "Светльо Дяков официално за две години в Лудогорец" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  4. ^ "Съни Дяков е новият капитан на Лудогорец" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 18 June 2013. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Светослав Дяков най-добър халф" (in Bulgarian). blitz.bg. 19 December 2013.
  6. ^ ""Лудогорец" загуби в Цюрих с гол в края на мача" (in Bulgarian). dariknews.bg. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Постижения и рекорди на Лудогорец в евротурнирите" (in Bulgarian). ludogorets.com. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  8. ^ Yanev, Ivaylo (18 May 2020). "Лудогорец преподписа с капитана си" (in Bulgarian). 7sport.net. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  9. ^ Лудогорец изпраща Моци и Дяков преди първия евромач
  10. ^ Дяков: Връщам се в Пирин
  11. ^ Дяков се завърна в Пирин!
  12. ^ Светослав Дяков напусна терена под аплодисментите на феновете
  13. ^ "Bulgaria's Petrovs Out of Squad for Hungary Friendly". thebulgariannews.com. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  14. ^ "Лудогорец с асистенция за ремито на националите с Унгария" (in Bulgarian). dariknews.bg. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  15. ^ "България мечтае след голяма драма (видео)". vipzona.bg. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  16. ^ "Адио, Рио! Националите не издържаха в Армения" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  17. ^ "Петев се произнесе: Съни ще е капитан! "В един колектив трябва да има дисциплина, за да има и резултати" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg (citing 7 dni sport). 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  18. ^ "Светослав Дяков вече е студент в Благоевград" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Иван Иванов е футболист на годината" (in Bulgarian). sportni.bg. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  20. ^ a b Dimitrov, Ivaylo (17 February 2015). "Владислав Стоянов е най-добрият български футболист за 2014 година! Лудогорци обраха почти всички индивидуални награди" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  21. ^ "Избраха Светльо Дяков за "Спортист на годината" на Разград, футболист е победител за трети път в тази класация" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 10 December 2014.