Svetoslav Kovachev

Svetoslav Kovachev
Personal information
Full name	Svetoslav Svetlozarov Kovachev
Date of birth	14 March 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Pleven, Bulgaria
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Akhmat Grozny
Number	98
Youth career
2008–2010	Svoboda Milkovitsa
2010–2011	Spartak Pleven
2011–2016	Ludogorets Razgrad
Senior career*
Years	Team
2015–2018	Ludogorets Razgrad II
2016–2021	Ludogorets Razgrad
2018–2019	→ Dunav Ruse (loan)
2019	→ Etar (loan)
2020	→ Arda Kardzhali (loan)
2021–2024	Arda Kardzhali
2023–2024	→ Akhmat Grozny (loan)
2024–	Akhmat Grozny
International career‡
2015–2016	Bulgaria U17
2016–2018	Bulgaria U19
2018–2020	Bulgaria U21
2020–	Bulgaria
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 November 2024; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2023

Svetoslav Svetlozarov Kovachev (Bulgarian: Светослав Светлозаров Ковачев; born 14 March 1998) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Russian club Akhmat Grozny.^[1]

His younger brother Lachezar is also a footballer, currently playing for Spartak Pleven.

Career

Ludogorets Razgrad

Born in Pleven, Kovachev started his career in Svoboda Milkovitsa.^[2] He joined Ludogorets in 2011 recruited by the Bulgarian legend Plamen Getov.^[3] In 2014, he played for Ludogorets U19 in the UEFA Youth League, being a starter in all of the 6 matches.^[4]

He made his debut for Ludogorets Razgrad II on 6 December 2015 in a match against FC Pirin Razlog.^[5]

On 22 May 2016 he made his complete debut in A Group for Ludogorets in a match against Beroe Stara Zagora.^[6]

Kovachev started the 2017–18 season in Ludogorets II by scoring a goal in the first match of the season against Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia.^[7] On 29 July 2017 he played for the main team in the 0–0 draw against Lokomotiv Plovdiv coming as a substitute in the First League match.^[8] Kovachev was on the bench for the Europa League group stage match against İstanbul Başakşehir, but stayed as an unused substitute.^[9] On 21 September 2017 he made his debut for the Bulgarian Cup in the first round against Oborishte.^[10]

Kovachev was named captain for the Ludogorets U19 team in the UEFA Youth League in the first match from the Domestic Champions Path against Željezničar U19 on 27 September 2017.^[11]

On 15 February 2018 Kovachev was named on bench for the Europa League Round of 32 match against Milan and made his debut as a substitute in the 81st minute.^[12]^[13]

Loan to Dunav

In June 2018, Kovachev was loaned to Dunav Ruse, although he spend the pre-season camp with Ludogorets first team.^[14] He made his debut for the team in the first league match of the season against Vitosha Bistritsa on 20 July 2018, assisting for the only goal for Dunav.^[15]

On 4 November 2018 he scored his first goal for the team in First League, netting the second goal for the 3:0 win over Vitosha Bistritsa.^[16]

Arda Kardzhali

Kovachev joined Arda Kardzhali on a year long loan on 6 January 2020.^[17] He returned to Ludogorets team in end of December 2020, having a contract with Razgrad team until July 2021, which he didn't extend.^[18] In February 2021 he signed a 3-year pre-contract with Arda, from July 2021, leaving him out of Ludogorets team until end of the season.^[19]

Loan to Akhmat Grozny

On 3 August 2023, Kovachev joined Russian Premier League club Akhmat Grozny on a season-long loan with an option to buy.^[20]

International career

Youth levels

Kovachev was called up for the Bulgaria U19 team for the 2017 European Under-19 Championship qualification from 22 to 27 March 2017.^[21] After a draw and 2 wins the team qualified for the knockout phase which will be held in July 2017.^[22]

Kovachev made his debut for Bulgaria U21 on 27 March 2018 in a European Under-21 qualification match against Kazakhstan U21, keeping a clean sheet for the 3:0 win.^[23]

Senior

Kovachev received his first call-up for senior Bulgarian squad on 29 August 2018 for the UEFA Nations League matches against Slovenia and Norway on 6 and 9 September.^[24] He earned his first cap on 26 February 2020, coming on as a substitute for Ismail Isa during the second half of the 0:1 home loss against Belarus in a friendly game.^[25]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 27 November 2024^[1]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Ludogorets Razgrad II	2015–16	B Group	11	2	—		—		—		11	2
	2016–17	Second League	19	2	—		—		—		19	2
	2017–18	Second League	24	6	—		—		—		24	6
	Total		54	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	54	10
Ludogorets Razgrad	2015–16	A Group	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	2016–17	First League	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	2017–18	First League	5	0	2	0	1	0	—		8	0
	Total		10	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	13	0
Dunav Ruse (loan)	2018–19	First League	28	5	2	0	—		2^[a]	0	32	5
Etar Veliko Tarnovo (loan)	2019–20	First League	19	0	1	0	—		—		20	0
Arda Kardzhali (loan)	2019–20	First League	9	2	0	0	—		—		9	2
	2020–21	First League	15	3	1	0	—		—		16	3
	Total		24	5	1	0	—		—		25	5
Arda Kardzhali	2021–22	First League	24	4	2	0	2^[b]	0	—		28	4
	2022–23	First League	35	8	3	0	—		—		38	8
	2023–24	First League	2	0	0	0	—		—		2	0
	Total		61	12	5	0	2	0	—		68	12
Akhmat Grozny (loan)	2023–24	Russian Premier League	24	3	7	1	—		—		31	4
Akhmat Grozny	2024–25	Russian Premier League	10	0	6	1	—		—		16	1
Career total			230	35	24	2	3	0	2	0	259	37

^ Relegation Play-offs
^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

National team

As of 19 November 2023

Bulgaria national team
Year	Apps	Goals
2020	4	0
2023	1	0
Total	5	0

References

[26] Relegation Play-offs

[UECL-27] Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

[soccerway-1] Svetoslav Kovachev at Soccerway

[2] Светослав Ковачев капитан на Лудогорец (98)

[3] Младите надежди на Лудогорец разкриват тайни

[4] Таланти от Благоевград, Дупница и Кюстендил пред дебют в Шампионската лига за младежи

[5] Ludogorets II vs Pirin

[6] Берое си гарантира Европа на "Лудогорец арена", "орлите" показаха младата генерация

[7] Лудогорец 2 започна с успех новия сезон във Втора лига, разочарование за Локо (Сф)

[8] Резервите на Лудогорец - тлъста нула срещу Локо Пд

[9] Браво на Лудогорец! Изигра силен мач и изпусна турската сензация Истанбул ББ

[10] Румънец спаси Лудогорец и Херо от голям резил срещу тим от Втора лига

[11] При равен резултат завърши първият мач от Младежка Шампионска лига в Разград

[12] "Europa League (Sky Sports)".

[13] Ковачев: Радвам се, че имах възможност да играя срещу Милан, но ми е гадно, че загубихме

[14] "Дунав взима Светослав Ковачев от Лудогорец" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 9 June 2018.

[15] Витоша (Бистрица) победи Дунав (Русе) с 2:1 на старта на новия сезон в Първа лига

[16] Дунав разби Витоша за 18 минути

[17] "Арда привлече младежки национал". fcarda.bg (in Bulgarian). 6 January 2020.

[18] "Светослав Ковачев е на кръстопът". gong.bg (in Bulgarian). 30 December 2020.

[19] Един от големите таланти на Лудогорец избра Арда

[20] "Светослав Ковачев перешел в "Ахмат"" (in Russian). FC Akhmat Grozny. 3 August 2023.

[21] Съставът на България (U19) за Елитния кръг във Франция

[22] Футболът ни възкръсна! 19-годишните лъвове "изядоха" всички, България с нов грандиозен успех

[23] Браво, момчета! Младежите се развихриха и съсипаха Словения

[24] Съставът на България - петима дебютанти за "лъвовете" срещу Словения и Норвегия, Спас Делев аут

[25] "Експериментален състав на България отстъпи на Беларус (видео+галерия)". sportal.bg. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2020.

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