Ivaylo Lyudmilov Chochev

Ivaylo Chochev's career carries a long stretch that never showed up on a pitch. He signed for Pescara on a free transfer after a serious injury sustained at Palermo in March 2019, and the recovery kept him out of every competitive match for the Italian club before he moved on. Palermo paid roughly €2.0 million to sign him from CSKA Sofia in July 2014.

Chochev turned professional at Chavdar Etropole. After Palermo and the injury lay-off at Pescara, he rebuilt his career back home at CSKA 1948, where his form peaked: he was named Best Midfielder in Bulgarian Football in 2021, finished as the Bulgarian First League's top scorer in the 2022–23 season, and was runner-up for Bulgarian Footballer of the Year in 2015, with third-placed finishes in 2022 and 2023.

That form took him to Ludogorets Razgrad in February 2024, in a €0.5 million move from CSKA 1948. He was named the league's Player of the Season for 2024–25.

Chochev made his debut for Bulgaria on 8 June 2015 against Turkey and has gone on to earn 51 caps, scoring four goals. Among them was the winner against Sweden during 2018 World Cup qualifying and a goal against Japan at the 2016 Kirin Cup.