Zhivko Zhelev
Zhelev as a player in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Zhivko Dinchev Zhelev | ||
| Date of birth | 23 July 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Stara Zagora, Bulgaria | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
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Current team
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Litex Lovech (manager) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1996 | Beroe Stara Zagora | 3 | (0) |
| 1996–2007 | Litex Lovech | 196 | (29) |
| 1996–1998 | → Olimpik Teteven (loan) | 37 | (3) |
| 2007–2009 | Oțelul Galați | 73 | (7) |
| 2010 | Steaua București | 16 | (1) |
| 2010 | Inter Baku | 1 | (0) |
| 2011 | Simurq Zagatala | 2 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Slavia Sofia | 66 | (4) |
| 2013–2016 | Vereya Stara Zagora | 64 | (11) |
| Total | 458 | (55) | |
| National team | |||
| Bulgaria U-21 | |||
| 2001–2006 | Bulgaria | 6 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2014–2015 | Vereya (assistant) | ||
| 2015–2016 | Vereya (playing manager) | ||
| 2016– | Litex Lovech | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11:48, 18 June 2016 (UTC). |
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Zhivko Dinchev Zhelev (Bulgarian: Живко Желев; born 23 July 1979 in Stara Zagora) is a retired Bulgarian football defender and currently head coach of Litex Lovech.
Zhelev joined Litex Lovech quite young but fought hard to get a place in the first team. He formed a formidable duet with ex-Bulgarian national defender Rosen Kirilov. However, due to a lack of strikers Zhelev was also used by managers to play as a striker for Litex and scored a lot of goals in this position. He is the defender who has scored the most goals in the whole history of Bulgarian football.
He has been considered one of the favourite players by Litex fans, due to his dedicated and selfless manner of playing, and his loyalty to the club. He has been awarded the title "The best player of Litex" in 2006.
On 12 July 2007, Zhelev joined Romanian club Oţelul Galaţi for a fee of €125.000
On 8 November 2009, after a game against FC Timişoara, he and his teammate Stoyan Kolev decided to leave Oţelul because of the financial situation of the club.
"Coming to Steaua is a very important step in my career. I wanted to come to Steaua, because it is a very big club."
On 5 January 2010, Steaua and Oţelul agree Zhelev and Ochiroşii swap deal. On 10 January 2010, Steaua signed the Bulgarian centre-back on a free transfer until June 2011.
First match in Liga I for Steaua: 20 February 2010 • Steaua-Ceahlăul 1–3.
First goal in Liga I for Steaua: 25 April 2010 • Steaua-FC Timişoara 3–3.
On June 2010, Steaua has terminated the contract with Zhelev.
On 25 June 2010, Zhelev signed a one-year deal with the Azerbaijani football club Inter Baku. Thus, he joins compatriot Petar Zlatinov in the club squad.
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