| Svetoslav Kovachev | |
| Fullname: | Svetoslav Svetlozarov Kovachev |
| Birth Date: | 1998 3, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Pleven, Bulgaria |
| Currentclub: | Akhmat Grozny |
| Clubnumber: | 98 |
| Position: | Winger |
| Youthyears1: | 2008–2010 |
| Youthclubs1: | Svoboda Milkovitsa |
| Youthyears2: | 2010–2011 |
| Youthclubs2: | Spartak Pleven |
| Youthyears3: | 2011–2016 |
| Youthclubs3: | Ludogorets Razgrad |
| Years1: | 2015–2018 |
| Caps1: | 54 |
| Goals1: | 10 |
| Years2: | 2016–2021 |
| Caps2: | 10 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2018–2019 |
| Clubs3: | → Dunav Ruse (loan) |
| Caps3: | 28 |
| Goals3: | 5 |
| Years4: | 2019 |
| Clubs4: | → Etar (loan) |
| Caps4: | 19 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2020 |
| Clubs5: | → Arda Kardzhali (loan) |
| Caps5: | 24 |
| Goals5: | 5 |
| Years6: | 2021–2024 |
| Caps6: | 61 |
| Goals6: | 12 |
| Years7: | 2023–2024 |
| Clubs7: | → Akhmat Grozny (loan) |
| Caps7: | 24 |
| Goals7: | 3 |
| Years8: | 2024– |
| Clubs8: | Akhmat Grozny |
| Caps8: | 4 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2015–2016 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2016–2018 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 15 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2018–2020 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 7 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2020– |
| Nationalteam4: | Bulgaria |
| Nationalcaps4: | 5 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Pcupdate: | 11 August 2024 |
| Ntupdate: | 19 November 2023 |
Svetoslav Svetlozarov Kovachev (Bulgarian: Светослав Светлозаров Ковачев; born 14 March 1998) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Russian club Akhmat Grozny.
His younger brother Lachezar is also a footballer, currently playing for Spartak Pleven.
Born in Pleven, Kovachev started his career in Svoboda Milkovitsa.[1] He joined Ludogorets in 2011 recruited by the Bulgarian legend Plamen Getov.[2] In 2014, he played for Ludogorets U19 in the UEFA Youth League, being a starter in all of the 6 matches.[3]
He made his debut for Ludogorets Razgrad II on 6 December 2015 in a match against FC Pirin Razlog.[4]
On 22 May 2016 he made his complete debut in A Group for Ludogorets in a match against Beroe Stara Zagora.[5]
Kovachev started the 2017-18 season in Ludogorets II by scoring a goal in the first match of the season against Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia.[6] On 29 July 2017 he played for the main team in the 0-0 draw against Lokomotiv Plovdiv coming as a substitute in the First League match.[7] Kovachev was on the bench for the Europa League group stage match against İstanbul Başakşehir, but stayed as an unused substitute.[8] On 21 September 2017 he made his debut for the Bulgarian Cup in the first round against Oborishte.[9]
Kovachev was named captain for the Ludogorets U19 team in the UEFA Youth League in the first match from the Domestic Champions Path against Željezničar U19 on 27 September 2017.[10]
On 15 February 2018 Kovachev was named on bench for the Europa League Round of 32 match against Milan and made his debut as a substitute in the 81st minute.[11] [12]
In June 2018, Kovachev was loaned to Dunav Ruse, although he spend the pre-season camp with Ludogorets first team.[13] He made his debut for the team in the first league match of the season against Vitosha Bistritsa on 20 July 2018, assisting for the only goal for Dunav.[14]
On 4 November 2018 he scored his first goal for the team in First League, netting the second goal for the 3:0 win over Vitosha Bistritsa.[15]
Kovachev joined Arda Kardzhali on a year long loan on 6 January 2020.[16] He returned to Ludogorets team in end of December 2020, having a contract with Razgrad team until July 2021, which he didn't extend.[17] In February 2021 he signed a 3 year pre-contract with Arda, from July 2021, leaving him out of Ludogorets team until end of the season.[18]
On 3 August 2023, Kovachev joined Russian Premier League club Akhmat Grozny on a season-long loan with an option to buy.[19]
Kovachev was called up for the Bulgaria U19 team for the 2017 European Under-19 Championship qualification from 22 to 27 March 2017.[20] After a draw and 2 wins the team qualified for the knockout phase which will be held in July 2017.[21]
Kovachev made his debut for Bulgaria U21 on 27 March 2018 in a European Under-21 qualification match against Kazakhstan U21, keeping a clean sheet for the 3:0 win. [22]
Kovachev received his first call-up for senior Bulgarian squad on 29 August 2018 for the UEFA Nations League matches against Slovenia and Norway on 6 and 9 September.[23] He earned his first cap on 26 February 2020, coming on as a substitute for Ismail Isa during the second half of the 0:1 home loss against Belarus in a friendly game.[24]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Ludogorets Razgrad II | 2015–16 | B Group | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Second League | 19 | 2 | — | — | — | 19 | 2 | |||||
| 2017–18 | Second League | 24 | 6 | — | — | — | 24 | 6 | |||||
| Total | 54 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 10 | |||
| Ludogorets Razgrad | 2015–16 | A Group | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2016–17 | First League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | First League | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Total | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |||
| Dunav Ruse (loan) | 2018–19 | First League | 28 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[25] | 0 | 32 | 5 | ||
| Etar Veliko Tarnovo (loan) | 2019–20 | First League | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 | |||
| Arda Kardzhali (loan) | First League | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 2 | ||||
| 2020–21 | First League | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 5 | |||||
| Arda Kardzhali | 2021–22 | First League | 24 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 28 | 4 | ||
| 2022–23 | First League | 35 | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 8 | ||||
| 2023–24 | First League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 61 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 68 | 12 | ||||
| Akhmat Grozny (loan) | 2023–24 | Russian Premier League | 24 | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 31 | 4 | |||
| Akhmat Grozny | 2024–25 | Russian Premier League | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 224 | 35 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 248 | 36 | |||
| Bulgaria national team | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 5 | 0 | |