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Speculation ends Bulgarian World Cup star Stoichkov joins Chicago Fire
Posted: Thursday March 16, 2000 12:40 PM
CHICAGO (AP) -- Hristo Stoichkov, the World Cup veteran from Bulgaria, joined Major League Soccer on Wednesday and might be able to play for the Chicago Fire in their season opener. The 34-year-old forward signed a one-year contract with an option for a second year. He last played in the Japanese league in July. Stoichkov is the second major European player to join the MLS this season. He follows German star Lothar Matthaeus, who will play for the New York-New Jersey MetroStars. Stoichkov, the co-leading scorer at the 1994 World Cup, arrived in New York on Wednesday. The Fire is training in Bradenton, Fla., and Stoichkov is to work out there in preparation for Chicago's opener Saturday against the Dallas Burn. "I'll have a better feel for where I am after training," Stoichkov said at a news conference Wednesday. The deal for Stoichkov involved the San Jose Earthquakes, who received two "allocation" player assignments for the transfer of midfielder Eddie Lewis to Fulham of the English first division. San Jose traded one of the allocations for selections in the annual MLS draft to Chicago, which used the opening to acquire Stoichkov. Stoichkov said he never really retired after leaving the Japanese club Kashiwa Reysol last year. "I just needed to take a couple of months off," he said. "After 20 years, everybody should take some time off." Stoichkov last played for his country in a 1-1 European Championship qualifying tie against England on June 9. He comes to the United States while under contract as general manager of both the Bulgarian senior and junior men's teams. Those positions are unaffected by his signing with the MLS, Stoichkov and the Bulgarian Football Union said Wednesday. Stoichkov is the second-leading career scorer in Bulgarian soccer. He played six full seasons with FC Barcelona and one more in Parma in Italy. Stoichkov joined Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia and CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria before signing with Kashiwa Reysol in July 1998. He apparently tired of the separation from his family and left soccer a year later.
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