Ilia Gruev (footballer, born 2000)

Ilia Iliev Gruev (Bulgarian: Илия Илиев Груев; born 6 May 2000) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for EFL Championship club Leeds United and the Bulgaria national team.

In this Bulgarian name, the patronymic is Iliev and the family name is Gruev.

Ilia Gruev
Personal information
Full name Ilia Iliev Gruev[1]
Date of birth (2000-05-06) 6 May 2000
Place of birth Sofia, Bulgaria
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Leeds United
Number 44
Youth career
0000–2015 Rot-Weiß Erfurt
2015–2019 Werder Bremen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Werder Bremen II 19 (2)
2021–2023 Werder Bremen 59 (1)
2023– Leeds United 4 (0)
International career‡
Bulgaria U17 3 (1)
2017 Bulgaria U18 5 (0)
2017 Bulgaria U19 2 (0)
2021–2022 Bulgaria U21 12 (1)
2022– Bulgaria 12 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:34, 26 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:13, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Gruev made his professional debut for Werder Bremen in the second round of the 2020–21 DFB-Pokal on 23 December 2020, coming on as a substitute in the 87th minute for Jean-Manuel Mbom against Hannover 96. The away match finished as a 3–0 win for Bremen.[2]

On 31 August 2023, Gruev signed for EFL Championship club Leeds United on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[3]

International career

Gruev has appeared for the Bulgaria under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21 national teams.[1][4][5][6][7][8] He received his first call-up for the senior national team on 5 September 2022, for the games of the UEFA Nations League games against Gibraltar and North Macedonia on 23 and 26 September 2022.[9] He made his debut in the match against Gibraltar on 23 September, won 5–1 by Bulgaria.[10]

Personal life

Gruev was born in Sofia, but also holds German citizenship.[1] He is the son of Iliya Gruev, former footballer and current manager.[11]

Career statistics

Club
As of October 20 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total Ref.
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Werder Bremen II 2019–20 Regionalliga Nord 152––—152 [12]
2020–21 Regionalliga Nord 40—–—40 [12]
Total 192000000192 —
Werder Bremen 2020–21 Bundesliga 1020–—30 [12]
2021–22 2. Bundesliga 26100–—261 [12]
2022–23 Bundesliga 31010–—320 [12]
2023–24 Bundesliga 1000–—10 [12]
Total 591300000621 —
Leeds United 2023–24 Championship 300000—30
Total 3000000030 —
Career total 813300000843 —

International
As of 17 October 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Bulgaria 202240
202380
Total120

References
  1. Ilia Gruev at WorldFootball.net
  2. "Germany » DFB-Pokal 2020/2021 » 2. Round » Hannover 96 – Werder Bremen 0:3". WorldFootball.net. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  3. "Ilia Gruev joins Leeds United from Werder Bremen". www.leedsunited.com. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  4. "България U18 стартира с равенство участието си на турнира "Валентин Гранаткин"" [Bulgaria U18 starts its participation in the Valentin Granatkin tournament with a draw]. Bulgarian Football Union (in Bulgarian). 8 January 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  5. "България U18 e лидер в група "А" на турнира "Валентин Гранаткин"" [Bulgaria U18 is the leader in Group A of the Valentin Granatkin tournament]. Bulgarian Football Union (in Bulgarian). 10 January 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  6. "България U18 се класира за четвъртфиналите на турнира "Валентин Гранаткин"" [Bulgaria U18 qualifies for the quarter-finals of the Valentin Granatkin tournament]. Bulgarian Football Union (in Bulgarian). 12 January 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  7. "България U18 отстъпи на Русия U18 с 0:3 на четвъртфиналите от турнира "Валентин Гранаткин"" [Bulgaria U18 lost 0–3 to Russia U18 in the quarter-finals of the Valentin Granatkin tournament]. Bulgarian Football Union (in Bulgarian). 15 January 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  8. "България U18 загуби от Словакия U18 с 1:3 на турнира "Валентин Гранаткин"" [Bulgaria U18 lost 1–3 to Slovakia U18 at the Valentin Granatkin tournament]. Bulgarian Football Union (in Bulgarian). 18 January 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  9. Кръстаич обяви играчите за Гибралтар и Северна Македония, Чочев и Михайлов са аут
  10. Зрелищен успех за младата България в дебюта на Младен Кърстаич
  11. Ilia Gruev at FootballDatabase.eu
  12. "Ilia Gruev » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 23 December 2020.


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