Bulgarian great Ormandzhiev dies

"Bulgarian football has lost one of its biggest legends" following the death of former national-team player and coach Stoyan Ormandzhiev at the age of 86.

League winner
Ormandzhiev won 20 caps for Bulgaria and was captain five times in a playing career which saw the right-sided defender win the league with PFC Lokomotiv Sofia in 1945 and the Bulgarian Cup three years later. He also played for his hometown club Radetski Varna and their city neighbours Vladislav Varna but it was as a coach that he will be best remembered.

Bronze medal
He became Bulgaria coach in 1950 aged 30 and would be involved in various spells over the next 27 years, registering a record 76 games at the helm. His finest hour came in 1956 when Bulgaria won bronze at the Melbourne Olympic Games. He also enjoyed success as a club coach, winning two titles with PFC CSKA Sofia in addition to reaching the semi-finals of the 1966/67 European Champion Clubs' Cup.

History maker
"Stoyan Ormandzhiev and everything he has done for the development of our football will remain in history forever," said Bulgarian Football Union president Borislav Mihailov. "Bulgarian football has lost one of its biggest legends." The news comes just ten days after fellow Bulgarian great Nachko Mihailov passed away.