Full name: Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov (Димитър Бербатов)
Nicknames: Berba, Berby, Berbo. Also known as Mitko which is Dimitar for short like Bobby is to Robert.
Birth Date: 30 January 1981
Birthplace: Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria
Vital stats: Tall, dark and handsome (that's 6'2" & 82kg to everyone else)
Playing position: I could get smutty, but the standard answer would be striker
Squad number: 9
Youth club(s): Prin BlagoevgradSenior club(s): CSKA Sofia 1999-2001; Bayer Leverkusen 2001-2006, Tottenham Hotspur 2006-date
National team caps & goals: 58 / 35
Honours: Bulgarian Cup 1999; Bulgarian footballer of the year 2002, 2004, 2005; Bulgarian fans' player of the year 2006; Spurs club members' player of the year 2006/07; Spurs fans' player of the year 2006/07.
Career background:
Dimitar's father Ivan was a professional footballer with local outfit Pirin Blagoevgrad, and his
mother Margarita was a professional handballer. His career began at the same club, and continued until he was spotted by legendary scout and coach Dimitar Penev and at just 17 years old, he moved to one of the most successful Bulgarian clubs CSKA Sofia, following in the footsteps of his father, who also played for the club as a left winger and later as a defender. He played for CSKA between 1998 and January 2001 making his debut as an 18-year-old in the 1998-99 season. He started to make his name the following year when he scored 14 goals in 27 league games and won the Bulgarian National Cup in 1999. However, Berbatov did not enjoy a good relationship with the fans of the club. He was seen to have missed chances in crucial games, one example being in May 2000 when CSKA lost to arch rivals Levski and also lost the title. Things went sour further after CSKA started the new season with a scoreless draw against Litex Lovech. The fans were further enraged blaming the misfiring youngster for the early exit in the UEFA Cup against MTK. Worried about her son's safety Berbatov's mother made a public appeal to the most radical fans.
A run of 9 goals in 11 games in 2000/01 was enough to persuade German club Bayer Leverkusen to sign Berbatov in January 2001. He had a slow start to his career in the Bundesliga with just 16 goals in his first 67 appearances for the club. He did however play a crucial role in the Champions League during his first season with the club scoring a memorable solo effort against Lyon as well as a goal against Liverpool in the quarter finals. He also played a part in the Final against Real Madrid, coming on as a substitute after 38 minutes. In 2001-02 
Leverkusen were runners-up in the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal. During the 2002-03 season Berbatov established his place as the first choice forward but it wasn't until the following season that he really began to shine scoring 16 goals in 24 starts. The following two seasons saw him go from strength to strength, netting another 46 goals including 5 in the Champions League 2004/05, raising awareness of his talent and generating interest from teams throughout Europe.In May 2006, Berbatov joined Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £10.9m making him the most expensive
Bulgarian player in history. He scored two goals in two minutes in his first match as a Tottenham player against Birmingham in a pre-season friendly match. No-one seems to have a video clip of this and apparently Berba himself has been trying to get hold of it. He scored his first goal on his home debut in the 
Premiership game against Sheffield Utd at White Hart Lane. Although it took a few months for him to adapt to the Premiership, he gradually built up a rewarding partnership with Robbie Keane in the UEFA Cup until Spurs' departure to Seville in the quarter-finals, and, despite Martin Jol's rotation of his fellow strikers, Berbatov has firmly established himself as the first choice forward at the club . His experience in Europe is already reaping rewards for his new club. He scored five goals in four games during the group stage of the UEFA Cup, with his performances earning two man-of-the-match awards in the group stages against Besiktas and Club Brugge. 
Tottenham fans got the first hint that Berbatov was not only highly talented but also different when he scored in the 1-0 win away to Bayer Leverkusen, his former club, in their UEFA Cup group B match in November. Instead of indulging in wild celebrations — and not wanting to hurt the sensibilities of the home team’s fans, he parried the hugs and embraces of his new teammates and hurried back to the halfway line. A rare example of thoughtfulness in the modern game.
He soon began to regain the great league form he had shown at Leverkusen with excellent performances week after week and soon became the fans' favourite with his name regularly being chanted from the stands. Berbatov came on as a second half substitute against Fulham in the FA Cup to score his first two goals in the competition. He scored his first away goal in the Premiership away at Everton. On February 25 2007, Berbatov earned one of many Man of the Match awards in a 4-1 win against Bolton, after putting on a sensational lone attacking performance when Keane had been sent off. This won him many plaudits, despite him not scoring in the match. In the month that followed he began to firmly establish his reputation as one of the most skillful strikers in the Premiership. Berbatov ended the 2006/07 season with 23 goals in all competitions and just as importantly, chipping in with 11 assists.
Berbatov was also included in the FA Premier League's PFA Team of the Season on April 21, 2007. The player of the month award was jointly won by himself and Robbie Keane in April. 
Berbatov also won the Spurs Player of the Season award in 2006/2007 which was voted for by club members. He scored Tottenham's 100th goal of the season which helped to condemn Charlton to relegation. Berbatov is also one of the few people to have two goals included in the BBC's goal of the month competition shortlist, with his efforts against Wigan and Middlesbrough both being recognised. Unfortunately neither was chosen as the winner.
Spurs have just recently competed in a mini tournament in South Africa involving Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates which Dimitar played a part and scored twice. Here is a pic of him in some silly headgear which shows he also has a sense of humour.
For his national side Bulgaria, he is now captain. His goal tally is phenominal with 35 in 58 appearances. Currently Bulgaria are in a fairly good position to qualify for the European Championships 2008 and I certainly hope they make it so I'll have another team to support as well as England (if they make it).
Random other stuff:
One of Berby's pastimes is drawing which to me, shows a sensative side to his nature. And from this picture I found, you could say he is very talented indeed. Certainly something he could fall back on if he didn't continue in football after retiring.
Showing his caring side, he is the UNICEF goodwill ambassador for Bulgaria. Not only does he naturally attend formal meetings but also goes into schools and interacts with children. He features on several TV adverts in his country, raising awareness for underpriveleged children.
In June 2007, Mitko received his glory star on the Walk of Fame in Sofia. This was the twelfth time that Bulgarians have been handed the honourable plate in a red carpet ceremony. "You tell me if I am famous! I have not changed at all from the time I played for CSKA FC and drove a Zhiguli," he jested after the ceremony! Again, being modest.
On a more serious note, Berba has shown his support, along with his mother who spearheaded the campaign, for the release of five Bulgarian nurses held in Libya on death row for allegedly injecting 400 children in a hospital in Benghazi with the HIV virus. The women, all of whom are married with children in Bulgaria, were arrested eight years ago and put in jail to await trial. It was widely acknowledged that the Libyan authorities were seeking scapegoats for what is seen as poor hygiene in the management of blood transfusions at the hospital. Yet despite international outrage, in December last year the original verdict in 2004 was upheld.Berba has been wearing an armband most of the season saying 'You Are Not Alone' to show his support (see pic below).
Dimitar's mother Margarita said “I had no idea Mitko was going to join the campaign. It was his idea, but he has always supported my work. I was watching him play for Spurs one weekend and there was the armband. It made me so proud.” Margarita attempted to get the whole Tottenham team to wear the insignia but was overruled by club officials. “The players still lent their support and so did the Spurs fans,” she said. “I would like to thank them and ask them to continue to give publicity to this terrible episode. “It was natural for Mitko to wear the band. He is a very compassionate man and football is not the only thing in his life. Whenever he is here, he comes with me to the orphanage I support and brings them gifts. Now the children all have shoes because of him. They love him.She says that her campaign efforts go back several years, long before the death sentences were handed down. She gathered thousands of signatures but failed to attract sustained support from the Bulgarian Government. The fact that Bulgaria joined the EU in January may have helped the cause and finally, just last week it was announced that the nurses had all been pardoned and they arrived home in Bulgaria to be reunited with their loved ones. Great news!
Berbatov once indicated that, had it not been for football, he could have drifted into the Bulgarian underworld. Bizarrely, he learnt English by watching the Godfather films and the lure of the seamier side of life, as well as a love for nightclubbing that he is said to have enjoyed in Germany, seems to have passed. He is known in Bulgarian footballing circles as “the devil with the angel’s face” and was recently voted among the country’s ten Hottest Men of the Year (must be THE hottest surely?)
So finally, what's my story?
Well, to be totally honest I had never heard of Dimitar Berbatov when Spurs signed him. Despite my passion for football, I rarely take notice of what's going on in the rest of Europe and for other national sides. My initial thoughts about his playing ability were pretty negative to say the least. I recall myself saying at one point in about October 2006 whilst watching him at White Hart Lane, and I quote 'Get him off, what a waste of money'. I am ashamed of myself looking back on that now but that was my honest reaction at the time. He looked to me like a lazy player who didn't chase the ball or make tackles and I compared him to Freddie Kanoute, a former Spurs player. However, I soon learned that this was simply his own personal style of play, and once he'd got a feel for the Premiership and started to show his skill, vision, link-up play and dazzling goals, I soon changed my mind and he easily became my favourite player. I have to apologise to Robbie Keane who has been my fave for years but talant AND handsome good looks win every time! However, I didn't instantly think 'wow' this guy is gorgeous - it took until about January I think when the attraction suddenly hit me in the face. Now everything is Berby this and Berby that - I simply can't get enough of him. His blue/grey eyes are just amazingly dreamy - so large with long lashes any woman would die for. The way his hair curls up at the end when it gets long is just so cute, his voice and accent are sexy and his smile makes you want to melt. I could go on and on but feel I should stop there - I think I've embarrassed myself enough and it's only me who's read it so far!
Watching him play is just sheer pleasure and he never fails to make me smile. I've watched his goals a million times either on dvd or on YouTube, whichever's the closest to hand and I watch interviews of him over and over again. I have over a thousand pictures of him saved on my pc, I've joined a Berbatov message board which is great, my myspace page has him splashed all over it, I have a signed photo of him on the wall, and this coming season's shirt has his name on the back. I think I'm obsessed to the point of needing a shrink; maybe it's getting a bit stalker-ish! All there is to do now is meet the guy. I think of nothing else, but if it ever happened, what would I say? I'd probably just faint in a mess on the floor, blathering like an idiot! Don't get me wrong, top of my wish list is to meet ALL the Spurs players, but Berby happens to be my first choice. 
I have it first hand from someone who knows Mitko personally (lucky girl) that he is really shy. You can always tell anyway from some of the interviews he gives where he's scratching his neck for no reason. Despite this, he always signs autographs for fans and poses for photos with them. I quite like shyness as a trait in a guy though; it sweet. However, when you look at this recent magazine cover of him, you'd ask yourself 'Is this man really shy?' He has obviously posed for photos in a countless number of Bulgarian magazines due to his popularity in his own country. When I first lai my eyes on this particular picture, my jaw fell open and my pulse rate must have gone off the scale!
He's incredibly modest too. When faced with compliments on how well he's played for example, he will always turn it around and talk about how good the team played, taking the emphasis off individuals. He's so passionate about the achievements of the team and really shows he cares. Sometimes when something goes wrong in the pitch, his body language clearly shows his annoyance.
Berby has a tattoo on his right forearm. Normally I don't really approve of them but if they are well done and not plastered all over a body, they are okay. Clearly I'm biased in this case because I just love it! (see pic). The Chinese symbols I found out from my Chinese friend, translates as 'touch wood' as in the superstition. Other suggestions have been that it means 'jackpot' or 'lucky one'.
Of the 23 goals Berby scored last season, my personal favourite was the one against Middlebrough at the Riverside Stadium. Ghaly crossed the ball in hope more than anything else as Berba was the only other Spurs player approaching the 18 yard box. The only thing he could do with the ball is hit it side footed on the volley which he did, and it amazingly flew into the far right hand side of the goal. Mitko himself chose his three favourite goals of the season and this one was his personal third. Second was the one against Charlton and his favourite was the superb free kick at West Ham when we beat them in that classic 4-3 game. Here is the video footage:
The excitement I get from watching my team has tripled since Berbatov signed for Spurs - that's how much of an impact he's had on me. It's almost torture being in the stands seeing him on the pitch and not being able to reach out and touch him (and I mean that in a non-smutty way, honest!). If he leaves the club I will be absolutely devastated, inconsolable even. I can't bear to think about it. All those rumours in the past couple of months of a possible transfer to Manchester Utd have done my head in but all is well for the time being. I just hope Spurs can win a trophy next season or qualify for the Champions League so there'll be more reason for him to want to stay. BRING IT ON!
The following video shows footage of Berba's goals from last season.
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