Former Bulgaria international Hristo Stoichkov is to make his coaching debut with top MLS club DC United.
Stoichkov is quitting Chicago Fire after two seasons to take up a position as player-coach with the Washington club where he work in tandem, initially, with English-born Ray Hudson. In three seasons in Chicago.
Stoichkov, 36, has scored 37 goals in 64 games and he believes that, despite a string of injuries last year, he can still play on at the highest level.
Stoichkov, whose outstanding career also took him to CSKA Sofia, Barcelona, Parma, Al Nasser (Saudi Arabia) and Kashiwa Reysol (Japan) was voted European Footballer of the Year in 1994.
By Keir Radnedge