Ilian Iliev (footballer, born 1999)

Bulgarian footballer

In this Bulgarian name, the patronymic is  Ilianov and the family name is  Iliev.

Ilian Iliev

Iliev with Cherno More Varna in 2019

Personal information
Full name|  Ilian Ilianov Iliev
Date of birth|  (1999-08-20) 20 August 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth|  Funchal, Portugal[1]
Height|  1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[2]
Position(s)|  Attacking midfielder, winger
Team information

Current team

|  CSKA Sofia
Number|  73
Youth career
2006–2017|  Cherno More
2017–2019|  Académica de Coimbra
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
2016–2017|  Cherno More|  3|  (0)
2017–2019|  Académica de Coimbra|  0|  (0)
2019–2021|  Cherno More|  47|  (5)
2021–2024|  Apollon Limassol|  49|  (2)
2023–2024|  → Kifisia (loan)|  19|  (0)
2024|  → Cherno More (loan)|  13|  (0)
2024–|  CSKA Sofia|  28|  (3)
International career‡
2017|  Bulgaria U18|  5|  (0)
2019–2020|  Bulgaria U21|  5|  (1)
2021–|  Bulgaria|  21|  (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 04:54, 10 August 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:02, 10 June 2025 (UTC)

Ilian Ilianov Iliev (Bulgarian: Илиан Илианов Илиев; born 20 August 1999), also known as Ilian Iliev Jr., is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for CSKA Sofia.

## Club career

[edit]

Ilian made his first team league début in a 1–3 home defeat against Ludogorets on 9 September 2016, coming on as substitute for Georgi Iliev.[3] He scored his first goal in the top division of Bulgarian football on 30 August 2019, in the 1–1 draw with Dunav Ruse.[4]

On 31 July 2017, Iliev joined Académica de Coimbra's academy.[5]

On 19 July 2021, Iliev agreed a deal to join Cypriot First Division side Apollon Limassol on a four-year contract.[6] Having spent the first-half of the 2023–24 season on loan with A.E. Kifisia, Iliev returned to Cherno More on loan for the remainder of the season in February 2024.[7]

## International career

[edit]

Iliev made his debut for Bulgaria national team on 25 March 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Switzerland.[8]

## Personal life

[edit]

He is the son of former footballer and current manager Ilian Iliev Sr.

## Career statistics

[edit]

### Club

[edit]

As of 9 August 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition  Club  | Season  | League  | Cup  | Continental  | Other  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Cherno More | 2016–17 | First League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0
Académica de Coimbra | 2017–18 | LigaPro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0
2018–19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0
Total  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0
Cherno More  | 2019–20 | First League  | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 3
2020–21 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 2
Total  | 47 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 49 | 5
Apollon Limassol | 2021–22 | Cypriot First Division | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 1
2022–23 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 1
Total  | 49 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 2
Kifisia (loan)  | 2023–24 | Super League Greece | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0
Cherno More (loan)  | 2023–24 | First League  | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0
CSKA Sofia | 2024–25 | 26 | 3 | 6 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 33 | 4
2025–26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0
Total  | 28 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 4
Career total  | 159 | 10 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 175 | 11

### International

[edit]

As of match played 10 June 2025
Appearances and goals by national team and year  National team | Year | Apps | Goals

|
|
|

Bulgaria | 2021 | 6 | 0
2022 | 3 | 0
2023 | 3 | 0
2024 | 5 | 0
2025 | 4 | 0
Total | 21 | 0

## Honours

[edit]

Apollon Limassol

* Cypriot First Division: 2021–22

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Илиан Илиев: Ако е лесно, значи не е за мен" (in Bulgarian). temasport.com. 29 June 2015.
2. ^ "Състав на "Черно море" за сезон 2016/2017" (in Bulgarian). Cherno More official website. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
3. ^ "Черно море води 58 минути на Лудогорец, но допусна пълен обрат. Синът на Илиан Илиев с дебют на 17 години" (in Bulgarian). petel.bg. 9 September 2016.
4. ^ Dimitrov, Ivaylo (30 August 2019). "Черно море и Дунав завършиха наравно 1:1" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
5. ^ "Илиан Илиев ще играе в Португалия" (in Bulgarian). chernomorepfc.bg. 27 July 2017.
6. ^ "ΣΥΜΦΩΝΙΑ ΜΕ ΤΣΕΡΝΟ ΜΟΡΕ ΓΙΑ ΤΟΝ ΙΛΙΑΝ ΙΛΙΕΦ" (in Greek). Apollon Limassol FC. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
7. ^ "Черно море привлече Илиан Илиев" [The Black Sea attracted Ilian Iliev]. chernomorepfc.bg (in Bulgarian). 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
8. ^ "Bulgaria v Switzerland game report". FIFA. 25 March 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Ilian Iliev at Soccerway

* v
* t
* e

PFC CSKA Sofia - current squad

* 1 Busatto
* 2 Pastor
* 3 Sanyang
* 4 Lapeña
* 5 Dellova
* 7 Skarsem
* 8 Seger
* 9 Godoy
* 11 Bytyqi
* 12 Orlinov
* 13 Córdoba
* 14 Ivanov
* 15 Vion
* 16 Chorbadzhiyski
* 17 Lokilo
* 18 Pinto
* 19 Turitsov
* 20 Stoychev
* 21 Lapoukhov
* 22 Dodaj
* 24 Y. Iliev
* 28 Pittas
* 29 Tasev
* 30 Panayotov
* 45 Iseka
* 73 I. Iliev
* 91 Bornosuzov
* 99 Eto'o
* Manager: Kerkez

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template