Georgi Ivanov: Bulgaria must earn its place in World Cup finals through work, not through format expansion

The President of the Bulgarian Football Union, Georgi Ivanov, made several important statements regarding the development of football and the World Cup final. According to him, expanding the tournament to 48 teams is a positive step that gives more nations the opportunity to participate in the greatest football event.

"I believe the 48-team format is good. This way, viewers can see national teams that more rarely reach the world finals," Ivanov noted, adding that the organization of the current championship deserves high praise from FIFA.

However, the head of the BFU was categorical that Bulgaria's return to major international forums cannot be achieved through changing the rules or making the format easier. He emphasized that the path to success passes through long-term planning and work at the grassroots levels of football.

"For two and a half years, we have been working seriously on building structures in youth football and the development of clubs. Our goal is to create higher-quality players so that we have a national team that can represent the country with dignity at European and World championships," the federation president stated.

On the eve of the final match between Spain and Argentina, Ivanov predicted an extremely intense duel. Although he expressed a preference for the European representative, he emphasized the class of Argentina and Lionel Messi, hoping for an unforgettable spectacle for all fans.