He started to make his name in season 1997–98 when played for the present team Litex Lovech.

After that he played for İstanbulspor, Fenerbahçe SK and Ankaragücü football clubs in Turkey and Kuban Krasnodar in Russia.

Petkov made his first appearance for Bulgaria in 1996 when he was picked by Hristo Bonev for the friendly against Saudi Arabia on 6 November.

[2] He scored his first international goal on 18 August 1999, with a 32-yard shot in a 1–1 friendly draw against Ukraine.

He was part of the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the Euro 2004 squads, playing the first two matches in both competitions.