PETALING JAYA: In just two months, Damyan Damyanov has gone from a little-known signing from Bulgaria to Kelantan’s most important name on the team sheet.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper was the difference-maker in the FA Cup round of 16, where his commanding displays across two legs helped the Real Warriors knock out Kuala Lumpur on aggregate.
The second leg in Cheras was where his reputation was truly forged. Kuala Lumpur threw everything forward – point-blank shots, a bicycle-kick, even a goal ruled out by VAR – but each time, Damyanov stood tall.
His saves frustrated Safawi Rasid and company, and gave Kelantan the belief to weather the storm and reach the quarter-finals.
“The first match played a big role,” Damyanov reflected.
“Kuala Lumpur slightly underestimated us, and that cost them. We knew the second game would be tough, but we followed the coach’s instructions well and achieved our goal.”
That mix of calmness, pragmatism, and team-first mentality is quickly making Damyanov the embodiment of Kelantan’s collective spirit.
His goalkeeping journey began in Sofia, where his father was a coach.
At seven, he stumbled into the role simply because the only spare kit at his father’s academy was a goalkeeper’s jersey.
Soon after, he won Best Goalkeeper at a youth tournament – and never looked back.
He rose through Ludogorets Razgrad, Bulgaria’s most successful modern club, before spells elsewhere and, finally, a leap to Asia.
“I had wanted to play in Asia for a long time,” he said.
“When my agent told me about Malaysia, I didn’t think twice – I accepted straight away.”
For a team still finding their rhythm after just two months together, Damyanov’s arrival has proven invaluable. He brings not just sharp reflexes and big saves, but also a calm assurance that steadies the backline.
His praise for the coaching staff led by E. Elavarasan is telling.
“The coach gives precise and clear instructions to each player, and everyone knows exactly what they should do at every moment.”
That clarity has allowed him to adapt quickly to Malaysian football, where the pace and physicality demand constant concentration.
Damyanov avoids bold predictions, instead leaning on an old Bulgarian cliche – “match by match”.
