Valeri Bojinov

Valeri Emilov Bojinov (Bulgarian: Валери Емилов Божинов, pronounced [vɐˈlɛri ɛˈmilof boˈʒinof]; born 15 February 1986) is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a forward for Serbian SuperLiga side Partizan. Internationally, he plays for the Bulgaria national football team.

Biography

Born in Gorna Oryahovitsa, Bulgaria, Bojinov moved to Malta at the age of 12 with his mother Pepa, a former Bulgaria women's national football team player and stepfather Sasho Angelov, who had played for the Bulgarian national football team during the 1990s.

Bojinov was discovered at the age of 14 by Lecce sports director Pantaleo Corvino, while playing for Pietà Hotspurs, and signed for just 30,000,000 ITL (around €15,000).

Club career

Lecce

Bojinov settled in Lecce and continued his studies there while playing for U.S. Lecce youth teams. He debuted in Italian Serie A on 22 January 2002, at the age of 15 years and 11 months for U.S. Lecce, becoming the youngest foreign player to make an appearance in the top level of Italian football. He scored his first goal in the top division on 6 January 2004 in a home 1–2 defeat against Bologna, becoming the youngest non-national to score in Serie A.