The Bulgaria national football team has successfully qualified for seven World Cup Championships since 1962. During the first three World Cup tournaments it couldn’t make it out from the group but in 1986 it managed to reach the play-off where it was beaten by Mexico 2-0.
Bulgaria showed its best ever result in the 1994 World Cup held in the USA. Qualifying for that Championship Emil Kostadinov netted two goals to the French goal which allowed the team to succeed to the major championship. It was drawn in one group with Argentina, Greece and Nigeria. The group stage started with defeat to Nigeria 0-3 but then Bulgaria beat Argentina 2-0 and Greece 4-0. In the play-off the team defeated Mexico in 1/8 final and Germany in quarter-final. Having reached the semifinal Bulgaria lost to Italy 1-2 and then to Sweden 0-4 in the match for the third spot. That is the team’s most impressive ever achievement.
Bulgaria played in the World Cup finals in 1998 for the last time and since that it hasn’t succeeded in the qualifying campaign.
The Balkan Cup, which is held on occasional basis, is worth mentioning as Bulgaria has won it four times.
The team is ranked 92nd in FIFA World Rankings.
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