ALL TIME BEST TOP DIVISION GOAL SCORERS - BULGARIA (Part 22)


Picture : Martin Kamburov surpassed Petar Zhekov !


All-time best top division goal-scorers: Bulgaria (Part 22)

The all-time goal-scoring record in Bulgarian league has changed name recently. Martin Kamburov, shortly before his retirement, managed to surpass a long-term holder Petar Zhekov. He set the new record on 13 September 2021, with a goal for Beroe in the game vs Tsarsko Selo (2-0), which was the 254th. He scored then another 2 and finished career at 256.
The legendary Zhekov was yet alive at that moment (passed away February this year). Curiously, he denied the fact of beating his record, claiming that he scored in the early 1960s, at the dawn of his career, another 8 goals for Khimik Dimitrovgrad, in addition to those 8 credited to him. It’s not clear what he did mean indeed (perhaps, some goals in the 2nd division where Khimik played before entering top tier).
Kamburov and Zhekov are only 2 players to reach 200 goals over almost 100 years of Bulgarian league (existed since 1924).
10 players have reached 150 goals; no foreigners and no active players between them.
Abroad player with the most goals in the league is Claudiu Keșerü (Romania, 113).
Dinko Dermendzhiev holds the record on goals for a single club: 194 for Botev Plovdiv.
Slavia Sofia took the name ZhSK-Slavia for a short period; CSKA took few other names (including CSKA Cherveno Zname, CSKA Septemvriysko Zname, Sredets), as well as Levski (Dinamo, Levski-Spartak, Vitosha, Levski-1914 etc.).


 BULGARIA1924-  ALL-TIME BEST TOP DIVISION GOAL SCORERS 
      
 PlayerPeriodGoalsGamesBreakdown by clubs
      
1Martin Kamburov1998–2021256456Botev Plovdiv 3, Spartak Pleven 5, Lokomotiv Plovdiv 145, 
     Lokomotiv Sofia 33, CSKA 3, Beroe 58, CSKA-1948 9
2Petar Zhekov1962–1975253333Khimik Dimitrovgrad 8, Beroe 101, CSKA 144 
3Nasko Sirakov1980–1998196294Haskovo 8, Levski 165, Botev Plovdiv 4, Slavia Sofia 19
4Dinko Dermendzhiev1959–1978194447Botev Plovdiv 194
5Hristo Bonev1964–1984185410Lokomotiv Plovdiv 180, CSKA 5 
6Plamen Getov1977–1998165286Spartak Pleven 109, CSKA 8, Etar 2, Levski 26, Shumen 20
7Nikola Kotkov1956–1971163322Lokomotiv Sofia 142, Slavia Sofia 3, Levski 18 
8Stefan Bogomilov1962–1976162353Cherno More 162
9Petar Mihtarski1982–2001158301Pirin 79, Levski 46, CSKA 33 
10Petko Petkov1968–1980152229Beroe 144, Akademik Svishtov 8