Hristo Stoichkov (Plovdiv, Bulgaria, February 8, 1966) praises the organizational level of the World Cup, but not the football level of the tournament. The former Bulgarian FC Barcelona striker considers that the teams that have competed best have survived in Qatar.
After 30 years playing and watching soccer, what do you think of this World Cup? First of all, it is very well organized. It is a small country but it has made this World Cup familiar, with everything very close, like the Olympic Games. The courses are spectacular, the hotels are spectacular, the people are fantastic. It will be very difficult to beat.
And at the football level? Low level. Except for a few, games with dynamics, with good plays, have been lacking. The six goals for England or the seven for Spain are not a parameter of this tournament.
It was said that being November there will be more physical freshness. It hasn’t been like that. There have been a lot of games with a lot of possession, a lot of touching, without attacks, without depth, without one-on-one plays.
For what is this? The word is fear. fear of losing Nobody has risked anything. Everything is more stopped. I don’t see anything different.
Is it a ball speed problem? It’s not just the speed of the ball. How many look for depth, the shot from outside the area? Eight hundred passes and zero shots on goal. Deep balls? One. A lot of touch but he doesn’t shoot. What are we playing?
“There have been a lot of games with a lot of possession, a lot of touching, without attacks, without depth, without one-on-one plays. Fear of losing. Nobody has risked anything”
Has soccer evened out, between the fear of the powerful and the growth of the most modest?
Those below have come out to compete. You come to the World Cup to win, not to show that you have this or that you have a future. What future? That for the fashion catwalks. On the grass, it is not taught: there you compete and win. Those below have come out to compete. That’s the difference: the not-so-quality teams are showing that you can win with spirit, with discipline.
For example, Morocco. For example. No one predicted that he would pass from the group. With order and discipline, knowing their possibilities, they have made history. They are already among the top four in the world. Now there is more information, more analysis, more videos are watched and the footballer feels more pressure.
“You come to the World Cup to win, not to show that you have this or that you have a future. What future? That’s for the fashion catwalks. On the grass, you don’t teach: there you compete and win”
Is the conclusion that the most determined wins, the most concentrated? The ambition to win is a plus. There are teams that compete with your resources. Croatia is another example. It is runner-up in the world, and being such a small country it has given birth to another generation of footballers. From Suker, Boban, Boksic, etc. to Modric, Kovacic, Perisic, Livakovic, Brozovic… What was very defensive against Brazil? They worried about playing their game. How are you going to play against Brazil? With Bulgaria we eliminated Germany, Argentina, etc. to the counterattack.
What are you liking the most? We are not going to discover Mbappé, but every day he moves better, he looks more mature on the field; Giroud is always there, now in a more goalscoring role. I like Julián Álvarez, he will be one of the great strikers in the world. He has ambition, spirit, desire to progress, and surely with Pep [Guardiola] upgrade to. He is a different footballer. That’s why he plays for City.
“By 2026 I am very clear that Spain can be world champion. It will be a failure if it does not reach the semifinal or the final”
There have been many layoffs of coaches. More than normal. When the results do not accompany you this happens.
What do you think of Luis Enrique’s departure? I dont know what has happened. She thought that she would stay. She has worked well with this team and it has been seen that there is enough material to compete. We have the two best under-20s, who are Gavi and Pedri, plus Ansu Fati, a goalkeeper like Unai SimÓn, who allows you to be one more to play. In front you need a guy to plug them in. Dani Olmo is a great player, Sarabia is a different player. To be world champion you need a ready-made team. This year he was not there to be world champion.
Nope? By 2026 I have it very clear that he can be world champion. It will be a failure if they don’t reach the semifinal or the final in 2026. With this generation and two or three tweaks in some positions, they do have a chance. There are diamonds to polish. We are used to wanting things from today for tomorrow, but you have to work hard. It’s what Johan did with me. I was surprised that Luis left him because he is a fighter, a worker, has knowledge, uses technology & mldr; Spain had different qualities from others, but if you don’t score goals you are doomed.
“There are diamonds to polish. We are used to wanting things from today to tomorrow, but we have to work hard. Spain had different qualities from others, but if you don’t score goals you’re doomed”
And Brazil? It was the great candidate. I think Tite was wrong in some decisions. When you start making so many changes…
What is it referring to? To change the entire team already classified? When a team plays well, why break the dynamic. And many substitutions are made in games, unnecessary substitutions that make your team worse. the game stops, they break your rhythm… That hobby of exhausting the five changes that does not make sense. To waste time? If now they lengthen it!
Do you agree that a game lasts so long? Eight or ten minutes is too long if there hasn’t been a serious injury.
“Argentina. Before they gave the ball to Messi and everyone stopped. Now they combine and open up other parts of the field. They defend well, they go to the limit and that is their strength”
Is it Messi’s World Cup? We enjoyed with Messi. But Argentina has changed a bit. For good. Of course there is dependence on Messi, of course. Before they gave him the ball and everyone stopped. And now I see an Argentina, that sometimes they don’t give it to them on purpose and they move more, combine and open up other parts of the field and Messi can rest and be calmer.
Is it more equipment? Yes. They defend well, they go to the limit and that is their strength. It’s an important factor: you win matches this way. When Scaloni began to make changes, he broke the rhythm. Yes, Holland put in a big man and then another, and they backed down. What does it matter if two big guys get in! If I press forward I take them out of the area.
“Croatia and Morocco are similar in that they defend well and know how to compete with their weapons. It’s difficult to play one on one if you don’t have good raw material, like France or England”
“Brazil is a resounding failure. I wouldn’t say so about Spain; I would say it’s an unfulfilled goal. Germany? Another failure. They arrived as always: they play poorly but win. But they don’t win that much. The red alarm has sounded for them”
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Four semifinalists, would you say four different styles? Yes, although Croatia and Morocco are similar in that they defend well and know how to compete with their weapons. It’s hard to play one-on-one if you don’t have good raw material, like France or England. The four clearly deserve the semifinal. Croatia knows how to play, with Modric, Perisic, Brozovic… They know the trade: behind and together… what are you going to do against Brazil? Go on the attack?
Has Brazil been the biggest disappointment? Yes. With the team he had, he is a resounding failure. I wouldn’t say it about Spain; I would say that it is an unfulfilled goal. Germany? Another failure. They arrived as always: they play badly but they win. But they don’t earn that much. The red alarm has sounded, very red. They don’t have a Klinsmann, a Hasler, a Matthäus, a Brehme… Yes, there’s Gundogan, Gnabry, Musiala, Kimminch… Portugal: another terrible disappointment. Good players without a leader, now that they remove Cristiano. Neymar, another great player, but who is not a leader. Not even in his country do they consider him a leader.