Vasil Petrov (Bulgarian: Васил Петров; born 5 October 1986) is a Bulgarian professional football manager and former player who played as a defender.

In 2007, aged 17, Petrov started his own football academy, later registered as FC Sofia 2010 and in 2015 bought by Stoyne Manolov and transformed into Tsarsko Selo. In 2017, he started a new academy in Varna, called FC Varna 2017.

Academy ownership

In March 2007, under the initiative of his father Vladimir, Petrov established a football academy in Sofia. In 2010, after three consecutive years of growth, the academy formed a men's team and registered it with the Bulgarian Football Union under the name FC Sofia 2010.^[1] In the 2014–15 season, the team was playing in third league when it was bought by Stoyne Manolov. On 28 July 2016, the team was officially merged with Tsarsko Selo; the new team joined the Bulgarian Second Professional League.^[2]

In 2017, Petrov decided to start a new academy, but this time in Varna and called it FC Varna 2017.^[3] In September 2022, FC Varna 2017 become a satellite of Spartak Varna academy, where Petrov become director month earlier.

Managerial career

In August 2020, Petrov was announced as the new manager of Spartak Varna in Bulgarian Third League.^[4] The team made а peremptory run, won the 2020–21 season and returned to the Second League.^[5] The team kept up the good performances under Petrov and ended the half season in first place. On 5 May 2022, after a 2:1 home win against Sozopol he secured a top 3 place and return to the First League for the 2022–23 season, after 12 years of absence for Spartak.^[6] His team ended up on 3rd place with having the same points with first and second team in group. ^[7] Petrov resigned as a manager on 11 August 2022, after his team scored just one point after the first 5 rounds in the First League.^[8] On 19 September 2022 he was announced as the new academy director of Spartak.^[9] Petrov become a manager of Spartak II on 26 October 2022.^[10] On 22 August 2023 he was once again announced as manager of Spartak main team, but this time as interim, as Valentin Iliev was released for poor results in Second League.^[11] His good results and the immediately improve of play, made a lot fans to root for full return as manager.^[12] He was announced to stay in the club in the end of December, but on 16 January he was surprisingly released from the club.^[13]

Managerial statistics

As of 18 January 2024

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	Win %	GF	GA	GD
Spartak Varna	18 August 2020	11 August 2022	70	44	13	13	062.86	149	63	+86
Spartak Varna II	26 October 2022	16 June 2023	19	10	4	5	052.63	33	19	+14
Spartak Varna	22 August 2023	16 January 2024	16	10	2	4	062.50	35	13	+22
Total			105	64	19	22	060.95	217	95	+122

Career honours

Head coach

Spartak Varna

Third League:

• Champions (1): 2020–21