Iliya Gruev, playing for Leeds, won the "Footballer of the Year" award in Bulgaria for the past 2025.
In second place in the ranking of sports journalists was Ivaylo Chochev. In third place in the "Footballer of the Year" ranking is Kiril Despodov, who has consistently won first place in the ranking for the past four years.
Leeds United midfielder Iliya Gruev was named Bulgaria's number 1 Footballer for 2025 in the 65th edition of the poll. Gruev received 184 points in the poll, in which 86 sports journalists took part.
Ludogorets midfielder Ivaylo Chochev came in second with 168 points, and the top three was completed by the winner of the last four years, Kiril Despodov from PAOK, who collected 52 points.
A total of 86 sports journalists took part in the poll.
A ceremony to announce the winners of the poll was held at the Hyatt Regency Sofia. The award for the best Bulgarian coach for 2025, which already bears the name of the great Dimitar Penev, was won by the coach of the Turkish Goztepe, Stanimir Stoilov, with 234 points. Bulgaria's number 2 coach is Alexander Tunchev from Arda with 127 points, and number 3 with 78 points is Hristo Yanev, who in 2025 leads Botev Vratsa and CSKA, BTA reported,
The prize "Bulgaria's number 1 female football player" for 2025 was shared between Nikoleta Boycheva (Farul) and Evdokia Popadinova (AEK Athens). Both collected 21 points in the poll. Lora Petrova is third.
For the tenth consecutive year, the special award of the Bulgarian Association of Sports Journalists "Lion Heart - Trifon Ivanov" was also presented, which this year was awarded to Georgi Lazarov from Cherno More, who lost his hearing as a child.
The most beautiful goal for 2025 was scored by CSKA defender Lumbard Delova against Septemvri Sofia with a shot from the center. Footballer number 1 in the "Minifootball" category is Denis Ivanov. Coach number 1 is Neno Georgiev.
The best foreigner in the efbet League for 2025 is Petar Stanic from Ludogorets. He beat Maikon from Levski and Leandro Godoy from CSKA.
The best goalkeeper in the efbet League for 2025 is Svetoslav Vutsov from Levski with 73 votes, followed by Dimitar Evtimov (Botev Vratsa and CSKA) with 4 and Levi Ntumba from Slavia with 3 points.
The best defender in the efbet League for 2025 is Maikon from Levski. He has 28 votes, second is Kristian Dimitrov with 22, and third is Kristian Makun with 13 votes. All of them are teammates in Levski.
The best midfielder in the efbet League for 2025 is Ivaylo Chochev from Ludogorets. He collected 54 points, 20 went to his Ludogorets teammate Petar Stanic, and third was James Eto'o from CSKA with 8 points.
The best striker in the efbet League for 2025 is Leandro Godoy from CSKA, who spent half the year in Beroe. He won the prize with 52 points, Mustafa Sangare from Levski has 8 points, and Mamadou Diallo from CSKA 1948 - 7.
The most progressive young footballer for 2025 is Kristiyan Balov from Slavia. Kristiyan Balov overtook Petko Panayotov from CSKA by 2 points. Third in the ranking was Pisa defender Rosen Bozhinov.
"Footballer of the Year" is organized by "Dax Media" in partnership with the Bulgarian Association of Sports Journalists. The survey officially began in 1961.