“The biggest recognition for us was to have people stop us on the street and feel their love. We loved being loved.”
Today, the legendary number 7 from the 60s and 70s of Botev Plovdiv, Georgi Popov – Tumbi, left this world.
Charismatic, humble, dedicated, hardworking, honest, irreplaceable, guardian of beauty and faith in football. Such was our Tumbi. Such will remain in the memories of all fans of the oldest football club in Bulgaria. A man who gave his life for football, went through catharsis to stay true to his principles until his last earthly hour. Tumbi was the real Don Quixote in the yellow and black ranks, synonymous with all the great qualities we find less and less today.
Georgi Popov achieved a lot. He became champion and vice-champion with Botev, won the country’s Cup, winner of the Balkan Cup, national competitor. He was the coach of his favorite team. But as if that is not the most important thing. Toombi was an aristocrat at heart. He talked so passionately about his memories in the yellow and black jersey, about Chico, about Gundy, about the youngsters. He dreamed of romanticism. For the real game – without fakes and lies. And that was his pain.
Participant in Botev’s major European games in the 1960s with Atlético, Steaua. Shamrock, Rapid Bucharest, Zaragoza, Coventry. With Botev, he recorded 308 championship matches, in which he scored 83 goals. In the European tournaments with the yellow-black jersey, there are 12 matches and 3 goals (2 matches with 1 goal in the European Cup, 6 matches and 2 goals in UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and 4 matches for the UEFA Cup).
For Tumbi, whatever we say today will be little. But the most important thing is to remember him as he was – steadfast in his principles, true to his ideals.
Today Botev lost not just the football player Georgi Popov.
Botev lost his Tumbi, who went to his friends Chiko, Gundi, Viden Apostolov, Ivan Zanev, Rayko Stoinov, Dobri Nenov…
Rest in peace, Legend!
