BUL

Bulgaria have not reached a World Cup since 1998 or a European Championship since 2004.

The Bulgarian Football Union has run the national team since 1922, and the side took the field for the first time on 21 May 1924, losing 6–0 to Austria in Vienna. At the 1994 World Cup, Emil Kostadinov's goal knocked out holders Germany in the quarter-finals, sending Bulgaria into a semi-final against Italy that they lost 1–2, with Hristo Stoichkov converting from the spot. A 4–0 defeat by Sweden in the third-place playoff followed, but Stoichkov still went home with the tournament's Golden Boot and Bronze Ball.

Home games are played in white shirts, green shorts and red socks, the colours behind the nicknames Lewovete and Trikolyorite — the Lions and the Tricolours. Romania has long been the team's fiercest rival.

No one wore the shirt more than Stiliyan Petrov , capped 105 times between 1998 and 2013, and no one has scored more than Dimitar Berbatov .