Courtesy: The Asahi Shimbum


Futsal and food keep retired Bulgarian player busy

July 21, 2012

by Keisuke Masuda

A former top soccer player from Bulgaria is making his mark on the world of futsal in Japan.

Ilian Stoyanov, 35, began playing in the Hiroshima Prefectural Futsal League's third division this season and is in the running for top scorer, with 13 goals to his name. Sports aren't the only thing on his mind, however.

After retiring from soccer last season, the former Bulgarian national team defender says he was planning to open a restaurant and soccer school in Hiroshima when he came up with the idea of starting a futsal team. He and 12 others, including friends he met through darts, launched the dios Hiroshima team.

During his soccer career, Stoyanov usually played defense as center back. But since switching to futsal, he has moved to the front lines, leading offensive attacks.

He hasn't given up on his other dreams either. On July 3, he opened the Restaurant Stoyanov in Hiroshima, serving Bulgarian and other western European dishes. And he looks forward to teaching as well.

"First, I want to teach children. My ultimate dream is to be head coach of a professional soccer team. I would like to take the helm of a J.League club team as well," Stoyanov says.

The 183-centimeter Stoyanov competed in the 2004 European championships and other matches as a member of the Bulgarian national team. He joined JEF United Ichihara Chiba, one of J.League's division one (J1) teams, in 2005 and played for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, another J.League team, from 2007 to 2010.

In his final season with the league, he played with second-division (J2) team Fagiano Okayama. The Bulgarian scored 10 goals over the course of 176 J1 and J2 games and was selected for J.League's Best Eleven in 2005.

Stoyanov decided to stay in Japan after hanging up his cleats because he loved the "rich nature and polite people of Japan."

In the future, he says he plans to travel between Europe and Japan in order to obtain a coaching license from the Union of European Football Associations.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com