Biography
Who is Hristo Bonev?
Early Life and Real Name
Hristo Atanasov Bonev was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on February 3, 1947. He grew up in his home country and developed a passion for association football from a young age.
Known by the nickname Zuma, he began his path in the sport within his hometown before rising to prominence as one of the top athletes in the region.
Playing Career Highlights
Hristo Bonev started his senior club career at Lokomotiv Plovdiv in 1964. He played for the team until 1980, with a brief spell at CSKA Sofia in 1967.
During his time with Lokomotiv Plovdiv, he made 404 appearances and scored 180 goals in the A group. He also played 14 games and scored 6 goals in the UEFA Cup.
He later moved to Greece to play for AEK Athens and also spent time with Oxford United in England. He returned to Lokomotiv Plovdiv to end his playing career in 1984.
On the international stage, he represented the Bulgaria national team 96 times between 1967 and 1979. He scored a record 48 goals and played in the 1970 and 1974 World Cups.
Managerial Career
After finishing his playing days, Hristo Bonev transitioned into coaching. He managed Panathinaikos in Greece, where he won the Greek Championship in 1990 and earned the title of Manager of the season.
He also managed AEL and Ionikos, winning the second division league with the latter. Later, he took charge of APOEL in Cyprus, winning the Cypriot Cup and the Double.
He returned to Bulgaria to manage Lokomotiv Sofia before becoming the head coach of the Bulgaria national team for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He resigned from his post as national coach in September 1998.
Birthday and age
Hristo Bonev was born on February 3, 1947, which makes Hristo 79 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Hristo shares the date with 50 other famous people.
Explore more
