Top Facts About Stiliyan Petrov, The Legendary Midfielder

Petrov first started to pursue football professionally at FC Montana. Over the years the footballer came a long way and managed to make a name for himself. Petrov made an impact at Aston Villa and captained the team. According to Stiliyan Petrov stats he made 219 competitive appearances for the side. We will walk you through all the details about Stiliyan Petrov transfer market stats as well.

Aside from his professional career, don’t miss the interesting details about

Stiliyan Petrov personal life

. They say behind every successful man there is a woman. The same goes for the former footballer as well. He has been married for 20 years to the stunning Paulina Petrova. Stiliyan Petrov wife supports her husband in every up and down in their life. We will tell you all the details about Stiliyan Petrov children too.

Top Facts About Stiliyan Petrov You Probably Didn’t Know 

The former footballer is a true Villa fan. He feels a deep affection toward the club and labels himself as a big fan of Aston Villa. During his days on the pitch, he became the captain of the team and was an inductee to the Aston Villa Hall of Fame for taking part in 219 competitive games for the club.

Stiliyan Petrov Childhood and Early Life 

Now let’s get into the details of

Stiliyan Petrov childhood

. Stiliyan Alyoshev Petrov was born on 5 July 1979 in Montana, Bulgaria to Alyosha Petrov and Svetla Sredkova. As a child, he was very passionate about football, and he played the game almost 24/7 with his childhood friends. Just like every little boy he dreamed of one day becoming a professional footballer. But this wasn’t just a passing fantasy. Stiliyan Petrov parents encouraged him to fulfill his dream. He grew up in a small town in Montana.

 He lived with his parents and younger brother Ivan in a small house while struggling to make ends meet. Stiliyan Petrov childhood was tough and in an interview he recalled: “If my parents' wages were late, we might not have any meat on the table for a couple of weeks. When times were tough we all chipped in to keep our spirits up, and my grandparents would also contribute as much as possible.

 He added: “I will never forget my roots and never forget the tough times – that is why I wake up every day and appreciate all the good things I have in life. Now that I'm a footballer and earn good money, I can help my family and send them back cash to make sure they are as comfortable as possible.” Stay tuned for more

top facts about Stiliyan Petrov

.

Petrov Road to Fame 

Petrov started his professional career while playing in the local team FC Montana. Stiliyan Petrov age was nineteen when he first was discovered by coach Dimitar Penev. As a result, he signed a contract with CSKA Sofia for €30k. He managed to win the Bulgarian Championship with the side in 1997 and the national cup in 1997 and 1999. Based on

Stiliyan Petrov transfer market stats

in 1999, he reached an agreement with John Barnes and joined Celtic. Just in his first season at the club, he won the League Cup with Celtic which was his second major honor and the first of many with Celtic.

Upon his arrival at the club Petrov faced a lot of difficulties as he was homesick and didn’t speak English. Most of the time he was alone and the fact that the manager put him on the pitch out of his position made everything worse. Later things got better as he worked in his friend’s burger van. His efforts to fit in paid off and his performance on the pitch got better. Find out more top facts about Stiliyan Petrov in the following.

The First Foreign Player to Win The SPFA Young Player of the Year Award

His first season with the club was good and his second one become even better. According to Stiliyan Petrov stats, under the supervision of Martin O'Neill's treble-winning side, he managed to aim the net for seven league goals during 28 games. He scored one of these goals in a 6-2 win against the

. He also became the first foreign player to win the SPFA Young Player of the Year award. Stiliyan Petrov parents were very happy for their son.

Due to the fact that he broke his leg in a league game over St Johnstone, Petrov couldn’t feature in any game. He missed both the Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup finals. The next season, the footballer made a strong appearance and was praised for being a dynamic, hardworking box-to-box midfielder, and winning his second SPL medal. Stay tuned for more

top facts about Stiliyan Petrov

.

Stiliyan Petrov Third SPL Medal 

During his fourth season at Celtic, the footballer proved himself to be a remarkable player. As a result, big European clubs showed interest in him. However, he preferred to stay at

and extended his contract with the side. Petrov showcased his talent while scoring 14 goals in 50 games. He managed to feature in the only European final of his career, getting a runner's up medal in the UEFA Cup. He continued his great form by making 105 appearances and aiming the net for 19 goals.

At the time he won the Scottish Cup twice and earned his third SPL medal.

Stiliyan Petrov parents

couldn’t be more proud. Martin O'Neill left the club during the 2004-05 season and later Petrov reunited with the manager at Aston Villa. During that season the footballer became the third player to win the Celtic Player of the Year award. In the 2005-06 season everything changed for Celtic as O'Neill who was the most successful manager left the club and Gordon Strachan filled his shoes. Learn more top facts about Stiliyan Petrov in the following.

Petrov Scored the First Hat Trick of His Career 

In the first match with the newly appointed manager, Celtic lost 5-0 against Slovakian minnows Artmedia Bratislava. Later things took another turn as they won 3-1 over

to draw Strachan's first league game 4–4. Stiliyan Petrov age was 26 when he helped the side take their revenge over the Fir Park side by scoring the first hat trick of his career in a 5-0 thrashing of their opponent. Celtic later won the SPL and League Cup double. In the 2005-06 season, there were speculations that the footballer was going to leave Celtic for another club.

It turned out to be true as he was linked to every mid-table side in England. Prior to his move, he featured in 3 games for the side. According to

Stiliyan Petrov stats

overall he made 312 appearances for the side in the period of seven years while aiming the net for 55 goals. The footballer made a lot of wonders during his time and managed to win the SPL four times and also won both the Scottish and Scottish League Cup 3 times each. Upon his departure, he was the tenth most prolific goal scorer in the SPL for his 55 goals.

Petrov scoring the goal of the season at Aston Villa

In April 2006, Petrov wrote a transfer request to Celtic which was rejected by the club. According to Stiliyan Petrov transfer market stats he joined Aston Villa and as we mentioned before he was reunited with his former manager Martin O'Neill. The footballer reached an agreement with the club for the estimated amount of £6 million and became the first signing of Aston Villa. Over the years,

Stiliyan Petrov net worth

grew with his career. On 10 September, he debuted for the side in a 1-1 draw. On 11 December 2006, the footballer aimed the net for his first goal in a 2-2 draw over Sheffield United.

However, he suffered from a patchy form during his first two seasons at the club. The footballer managed to score a volley from near the halfway line over the relegated side, Derby County on 12 April 2008. This was his first goal of the season as Villa won 6-0. His goal was praised by football pundits and it was marked as a possible candidate for "goal of the season". The goal also was labeled to be the furthest out recorded goal by an

player since the club was formed. Stay tuned for more top facts about Stiliyan Petrov.

The Captain of Aston Villa 

During the 2008-09 season Petrov flourished at the club and his great performance saw him to take part in six

games in a row. On 2 October 2008, he was named captain of the team for the first time during the UEFA Cup game over Litex Lovech. The footballer managed to aim the net for one of the goals. Petrov made a lot of wonders and thanks to his great form in the season on May 2009, he was named the by Aston Villa's supporters' "Player of the Year" and "Players' Player of the Year".

He also extended his contract with the cub until 2013. As Martin Laursen, the captain of the team hanged his boots and retired, Petrov commented: “leading a great club with a long tradition and history would be a great honour”. In the summer of 2009, the footballer became captain of the team and led the side to the sixth place in the Premier League. He was captain of the team during the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the final of the League Cup in his first season holding the armband. Find out more

top facts about Stiliyan Petrov

in the following.

Stiliyan Petrov 150th Premier League Appearance

Following the appointment of Gerard Houllier as manager, Petrov kept his position as the captain of the team. On 26 February 2011, while

Stiliyan Petrov age

was 32, he made his 150th Premier League appearance for Aston Villa as he substituted Robert Pires in the 4-1 victory against Blackburn Rovers. In an interview Petrov stated about his time at Aston Villa: “I’ve played with exceptional players at my time at Villa with all the names you mentioned. We’re talking about James Milner as well, Fabian Delph, those were the players who released their potential on the bigger stage.”

He added: “Some of them became champions, some of them won the Champions League so that just shows you what kind of players and characters we had at that time. We had great individuals, good winners and players which never accepted defeat which made our team very strong. We don’t have to forget about big John Carew as well – we had a great balance in the team with John Carew and

up front. They were at the best of their game and they were scoring every game – both of them. We had a great spirit as well, the right spirit!”

Petrov Battle with Leukemia

Based on the top facts about Stiliyan Petrov on 9 May 2013, Petrov announced his retirement due to the fact that he was diagnosed with leukemia. On 26 May 2013, a game was coordinated to honor the footballer’s achievements.

faced Aston Villa veterans such as Mark Kinsella and Bryan Small in an exhibition game that took place at the Vasil Levski. Bulgaria won the match 4-2. In October 2014, Petrov went back on the field while playing for his local Sunday League Over-35s side Wychall Wanderers.

In March 2015, Petrov was reunited with Aston Villa but this time in a coaching position. He commented upon the subject: “I’m very excited by this new challenge and I wish to thank the Club and the manager, Paul Lambert, for giving me the opportunity to continue my association with Villa, which I have always regarded as a privilege. I will study for my coaching badges over the coming months and I am looking forward very much to working with Gordon Cowans, someone I know and respect, a true Villa legend.” Find out details about Stiliyan Petrov personal life in the following.

Stiliyan Petrov Wife and Kids

Now let’s get into the details of Stiliyan Petrov personal life. They say behind every successful man there is a woman, the same goes for the former footballer as well. He is married to the stunning Paulina Petrova. The couple are together for twenty years now.

Stiliyan Petrov wife

is very supportive of her husband. She was there for him in every up and down, especially during his battle with Leukemia.

Petrov posted a photo of their 20th anniversary on Instagram and captioned: “Our togetherness in good and bad times has taught us great teamwork, our tolerance for each other's bad habits has taught us patience and our support during each other's struggles has taught us solidarity. You have been nothing short but the perfect partner in crime - beautiful, talented, caring and just so wonderful all around." Paulina gave birth to Stiliyan Petrov children, two sons Kristiyan and Stiliyan Jr.

Petrov Opens Up About His Battle with Cancer 

The former footballer struggled to survive his illness and he was between life and death. In 2005 he wrote an autobiography with the assistance of Sunday Mail sports journalist Mark Guidi entitled You Can Call Me Stan. They wrote about all the notable events of his life and career along with his battle with Cancer.

Stiliyan Petrov children

supported their father during his illness as well.

Petrov stated: “My boys have seen me in a state that nobody should see their parents in. But as for our own experience as a family, I don’t think about that. My thinking is positive and I’m going forward. I was diagnosed seven years ago and given little percentage to survive. And seven years later I’m still here. Very happy, back to full energy and back to full fitness. I still play football with friends, with my kids, and I’m looking forward to going back to football [full time].” Stay tuned for details about Stiliyan Petrov salary and income.

Stiliyan Petrov Salary and Income 

Over the years the footballer came a long way and established himself as one of the legendary midfielders in the world. He is considered one of Glasgow giant's longest-serving and most popular players. He is a big superstar in his hometown and captained his own nation on the pitch. Since Hristo Stoitchkov Petrov is highly regarded as one of the finest players in Bulgaria.

Stiliyan Petrov salary

is estimated to be £3.5 million.

Following his retirement and battle with Cancer Petrov decided to pursue his career as a coach. “It is difficult, it is challenging and people ask me why I’m doing it,” says Petrov. “But I have to do it. I’ve seen a lot of my friends, they walk into the job and they find themselves in a difficult position because they never understood how to do it. And by the time they’ve learned it, they’ve failed so many times that they never have the opportunity again.” Stiliyan Petrov net worth is estimated to be more than £85 million.

Stiliyan Petrov Social Media Accounts

As for

Stiliyan Petrov social media accounts

, the footballer is widely followed on Instagram. So far he has posted more than 200 posts on his Instagram and nearly 49k people keep up with his posts. Recently he posted a selfie along with Jack Grealish and captioned: “Good luck my friend and start a new journey! All eyes will be on you but you’re ready for the challenge.” The former footballer is available by the username of

on Instagram. Petrov stated: “We know how important social media and the internet is. You want your kids to remember you sometimes for where you’ve played, what you’ve achieved and goals they’ve seen.”

He added: “But I see my kids watching [clips] when I’m talking about my [leukaemia] treatment. Every time when they google my name, the first thing that comes up is ‘survived cancer’.” As for other Stiliyan Petrov social media accounts, the footballer has an account on Twitter as well. He is signed up by the username of

and nearly 146k people follow his account on Twitter. Looks like Petrov doesn’t own a Facebook account for himself but there are accounts without the blue checkmark under his name.   

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