Dimitar Yakimov

Dimitar Yakimov

Personal information
Full name	Dimitar Nikolov Yakimov
Date of birth	August 12, 1941(1941-08-12)
Place of birth	Sofia, Bulgaria
Height	1.84 m (6 ft  1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Offensive Midfielder/Second Striker
Number	9
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
	CSKA Sofia	308	(287)
National team
1960–1974	Bulgaria	47	(24)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Dimitar Nikolov Yakimov (Bulgarian: Димитър Якимов) (born August 12, 1941), is one of the players of the Bulgarian football team CSKA Sofia, sometimes called "the poet of football" for his dribbling skills. Yakimov played a decisive role in probably the most important victories of the Bulgarian national team in the 1960s. He scored the winning goal for Bulgaria in the World Cup qualifier play-off against France, played on a neutral field in Italy in 1961, leading his country to its first participation in World Cup finals.

In Italy, four years later, his precise long pass cut the whole Belgian defense, reaching Georgi Asparuhov in a clear scoring position to seal another famous victory which sent Bulgaria to the World Cup in England. On a club level, Yakimov reached the semifinal of the Cup of European Champions with CSKA Sofia in 1967. His career was ended prematurely in the early 1970s, although he was neither injured, nor with declining skills. He still can be seen occasionally playing for the CSKA veterans. The most successful Bulgarian player of all time, Hristo Stoichkov (CSKA, Barcelona), has pointed out Yakimov as a big inspiration of his youth.^{[citation needed]}

Yakimov played for Bulgaria at the 1960 Summer Olympics.^[1]

References

1. ^ "Dimitar Yakimov Biography and Statistics". Sports Reference. http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ya/dimitar-yakimov-1.html. Retrieved 2009-10-26. 

Persondata
Name	Yakimov, Dimitar
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	August 12, 1941
Place of birth	Sofia, Bulgaria
Date of death
Place of death