Manchester United striker
Dimitar Berbatov was the victim of a kidnapping as a teenager.
According to a book published last year — and now confirmed by
the player — Berbatov was 18 and the jewel in CSKA Sofia’s
crown.
“Where did you find out about that?” Berbatov asked The
Times. “That’s true. It was a horrific ordeal but a long time
ago now. That was a time back then, you know.”
In a scene straight out of a movie, Berbatov was grabbed after
training by three henchmen of Georgi Iliev, a Bulgarian gangster,
who was said to be determined to force this emerging star to sign
for his club, Levski Kjustendil.
Dragged to meet Iliev, Berbatov managed to make a frantic call
to his father, Ivan, a former footballer, who intervened. In August
2005, Iliev was gunned down as part of a suspected turf war between
rival criminal gangs.