Mario Kirev

Mario Iliyanov Kirev (Bulgarian: Марио Илиянов Кирев; born 15 August 1989) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Pirin Blagoevgrad.[1]

Mario Kirev
Personal information
Full name Mario Iliyanov Kirev
Date of birth (1989-08-15) 15 August 1989
Place of birth Dupnitsa, Bulgaria
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Pirin Blagoevgrad
Number 1
Youth career
Germanea
Slavia Sofia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Slavia Sofia 6 (0)
2009–2012 Juventus 0 (0)
2009 → Grasshopper (loan) 0 (0)
2010 → FC Thun (loan) 0 (0)
2011–2012 → Poli Timişoara (loan) 7 (0)
2012–2014 ACS Poli Timișoara 19 (0)
2014 Olt Slatina 1 (0)
2015–2017 Slavia Sofia 40 (0)
2017–2018 Nea Salamina 9 (0)
2018 Kamza 1 (0)
2019 Drita 11 (0)
2019–2020 Olympiakos Nicosia 4 (0)
2020 FC Kyustendil 6 (0)
2021 Montana 4 (0)
2021– Pirin Blagoevgrad 3 (0)
International career
2008–2009 Bulgaria U21 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 October 2023

Club career

Youth career

Kirev began his career at FC Germanea. His first coach was Georgi Stanchev. At the age of fourteen, he began training with the junior team of Slavia Sofia.

Slavia Sofia

In August 2007 Kirev signed his first professional contract with Slavia. He made his competitive debut for the club on 25 April 2008 against Spartak Varna in the twenty five round of the Bulgarian top division. In next season (2008–09) Kirev was the first choice for goalkeeper of the coach Stevica Kuzmanovski. He earned 7 appearances playing in the A PFG.

Juventus

In December 2008, Kirev was invited by Serie A side Juventus to join trial period. On 30 January 2009, he signed a four-and-a-half year contract.

In the following days Kirev was loaned for six months in the Swiss team Grasshopper Club Zürich. On 1 July 2009, he returned to Juventus. He was included in the Primavera squad that winning a second consecutive Torneo di Viareggio.[2] However, he was the third keeper in the final.[3] In February 2010, Kirev signed for FC Thun in Switzerland, in an attempt to gain first team experience.

On 1 July 2010, Kirev returned to Juventus and became the 5th keeper, behind injured Buffon, new signing Marco Storari, Alex Manninger and new signing Marco Costantino. He was called up to the first team, for the first time on 29 October 2010, against Milan.

In September 2011, Kirev joined Romanian Liga II side Politehnica Timișoara on a season long loan deal.[4] He returned to Juventus on 1 July 2012.

On 6 July 2013 – Mario played in a friendly for Slovak side MFK Kosice against Hungarian side Debrecen, with MFK Kosice winning 4–1. This could signal a move to Slovakia and the end of his Juventus career.

Slavia Sofia

After six years spent abroad, Kirev returned to Slavia Sofia in the spring of 2015.[5] His contract was terminated by mutual consent on 11 August 2017.[6]

International career

In August 2008 Mario became part of the Bulgaria national under-21 football team and he was at the time the only player on the team plying his trade outside of Bulgaria.

References
  1. Mario Kirev at Soccerway
  2. "Juventus".
  3. "Trionfo Juve al Viareggio: in finale battuto l'Empoli". Tuttosport (in Italian). 15 February 2010. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  4. "Juventus Farm Mario Kirev Out On Loan To Timișoara". goal.com. 6 September 2011.
  5. "Марио Кирев: "Славия" е трамплин към чужбина". sportal.bg (in Bulgarian). 21 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  6. "Славия и Марио Кирев се разделиха по взаимно съгласие" (in Bulgarian). pfcslavia.com. 11 August 2017.
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