[2] At the club level, Stoichkov spent six years at CSKA Sofia and became the top goalscorer in Europe in 1990, receiving the European Golden Shoe.

'The Gunslinger') and was part of Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team," which won four consecutive La Liga titles and the 1992 European Cup.

At the beginning of his five-year tenure at CSKA, Stoichkov (who later became known for his short temper) was involved in a fight during the 1985 Bulgarian Cup Final, which resulted in an initial lifelong ban that was later reduced to a one-year suspension.

Stoichkov earned his first A Group title winner's medal at the end of the season, scoring 6 league goals.

He became part of manager Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team" and contributed to one of the most successful eras in the club's history, winning La Liga four consecutive times (from 1991 to 1994) and the European Cup after defeating Sampdoria in the 1992 final.

[3] Stoichkov then had a brief spell in Italy with Parma, scoring a total of seven goals, before soon returning to FC Barcelona, where he played until early 1998.

Bulgaria was not nearly as strong as in previous years, earning only one point from a 0–0 draw against Paraguay and scoring just one goal through Kostadinov in a 6–1 defeat by Spain.

[3] His last game was during the Euro 2000 qualification against England, which ended 1–1; Stoichkov assisted Georgi Markov for the equalizing goal from a free kick.

Ironically, both are Bulgaria's only goalscorers in a UEFA Euro tournament: Stoichkov was the sole scorer in 1996 with three goals, while Petrov scored in 2004 in the 2–1 loss against Italy.

[16][17] As the top goalscorer at the 1994 World Cup, he was also renowned for his prowess at taking free kicks and penalties,[18] and he was also an excellent crosser and passer of the ball.

"[20] Stoichkov faced criticism for his work rate at times,[21] and he gained a reputation for his aggressive temperament on the pitch despite his evident talent.

[4] In 2006, Stoichkov was sued by a former American University student whose leg he broke with a violent tackle during a friendly match for D.C. United in 2003.

[29] The official unveiling of the autobiography took place in November and was attended by numerous footballers, other sports figures, and former Bulgarian presidents, including Petar Stoyanov, Georgi Parvanov, and Rosen Plevneliev.

The most significant setback in his management came on October 12, 2006, when Stiliyan Petrov, the team captain, announced that he would no longer play for Bulgaria as long as Stoichkov was at the helm.

However, on March 17, 2007, Petrov revealed that he had a private conversation with Stoichkov, where they were able to resolve their differences, leading to his return to the national team.

[31][32] On 10 April 2007, the Bulgarian Football Union announced that they had accepted the resignation of Stoichkov from his position with the national team.

This decision was a result of the team's poor performance in the ongoing Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, which was followed by widespread criticism and debate regarding the manager's capabilities.

The specific match that intensified pressure on Stoichkov was the 0–0 home draw against Albania, despite the fact that the Bulgarians generally controlled the game and struck the post twice.

He had a brief and disappointing tenure as manager at Celta Vigo, where he was dismissed following the team's decline into the lower reaches of the Spanish Second Division.

[33] On 16 March 2010, he resigned from Mamelodi Sundowns, and the former South Africa national team manager Trott Moloto was appointed caretaker until a full-time replacement could be found.