Ismail Isa Mustafa (Bulgarian: Исмаил Иса Мустафа; born 26 June 1989) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Cherno More Varna.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...
Ismail Isa
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Personal information
Full name Ismail Isa Mustafa
Date of birth (1989-06-26) 26 June 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Targovishte, Bulgaria[1]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Cherno More
Number 9
Youth career
0000–2005 Svetkavitsa Targovishte
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Svetkavitsa 8 (2)
2006–2007 Haskovo 32 (14)
2008–2011 Levski Sofia 22 (3)
2008–2009Sliven (loan) 17 (1)
2009–2010Lokomotiv Mezdra (loan) 25 (10)
2011–2012 Karabükspor 3 (0)
2012Elazığspor (loan) 6 (2)
2012–2013 Litex Lovech 24 (11)
2013–2015 Sheriff Tiraspol 44 (14)
2015–2016 Beroe 25 (7)
2016–2017 Dacia Chișinău 19 (5)
2017 Vereya 7 (2)
2018–2019 Dunav Ruse 27 (9)
2019–2021 Cherno More 50 (13)
2022– Cherno More 60 (10)
International career
2007–2008 Bulgaria U19 ? (?)
2009 Bulgaria U21 1 (0)
2015 Bulgaria B 1 (0)
2019–2020 Bulgaria 8 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:02, 23 September 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 October 2020
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Club career

Born in Targovishte, Isa started playing football at PFC Svetkavitsa's youth teams.[2]

Levski Sofia

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Isa with Levski Sofia

Ismail Isa made his unofficial debut for Levski in a friendly match against Dynamo Kyiv on 20 January 2008. He played for 33 minutes. The result was a 1–2 loss for Levski. On 20 February, he scored his first goals in a friendly against Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo. He scored two goals in the 75th and 85th minute. The result of the match was a 3–0 win for Levski. He made his official debut in a 1–0 defeat away to Lokomotiv Plovdiv.

During the 2008–09 season, he was loaned to OFC Sliven 2000. Anyway, after the end of the season, he returned to Levski.

Isa re-debuted for Levski on 15 July 2009 in the 2nd Qualifying round of UEFA Champions League, where Levski defeated the team of UE Sant Julià. The result of the match was 4–0 with a home win for Levski. On 21 July, he was sent off at the stroke of half time for a second bookable offense in the return leg against the Andorran side, but despite playing a man down his team won 5–0. His return was in a match against Dundalk – a second qualifying round of Europa League. Levski won the first match and the result was 6:0. Isa scored two of the goals. He further added to his tally in the 5–2 home win against the Swedish Kalmar FF, where he scored another two goals.

Isa scored his first goal for Levski in the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group on 23 August 2010 against Kaliakra Kavarna.

Lokomotiv Mezdra (loan)

On 2 August 2009, Ismail Isa was loaned for half a season in Lokomotiv Mezdra. After matches, in which he scored 7 goals in 12 matches, Isa returned to Levski. Shortly afterwards on 11 January 2010, though, he was loaned out to Lokomotiv Mezdra again. On 21 March 2010, he scored the only goal for his side to give the team from Mezdra a 1:0 lead against the other Bulgarian top team CSKA Sofia. This goal got him in the news since just a few minutes after it the CSKA supporters flooded the field and stopped the match, earning their team a 3–0 disciplinary loss (4:0 aggregate loss).[3] After scoring 11 goals in 25 caps Isa was brought back to Levski on 24 May.

Karabükspor

In June 2011, Isa joined Turkish Super League club Karabükspor. Media reports estimated the transfer fee to be around €200,000.[4] On 22 October 2011, Isa made his official debut for his new team, playing the first 85 minutes and earning himself a yellow card in the 2:0 home win over Istanbul B.B. in a Turkish Süper Lig match.[5]

Litex

Isa was signed by Litex Lovech for the 2012/2013 season and netted 7 goals in 11 appearances during the first half of the season. He finished the 2012/2013 A PFG season as the fifth highest goal scorer in the league, having managed 11 goals.

Sheriff Tiraspol

In June 2013, Isa signed a contract with Moldovan club Sheriff Tiraspol.[6] He marked his debut by scoring a goal in the 2:0 win over FC Tiraspol in a Moldovan Super Cup match that was held on 29 June.

Beroe

Isa returned to Bulgaria, joining Beroe Stara Zagora in September 2015.[7]

Vereya

On 19 October 2017, Isa signed with First League side Vereya.[8]

International career

Isa was a part of the Bulgaria national under-19 football team. During his time with the team he played in the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in the Czech Republic. On 29 April 2008, he scored a goal in qualifying match against Norway.

On 7 February 2015, Isa made his first appearance for Bulgaria, in the 0–0 draw against Romania in a non-official friendly match, playing over the course of the first 70 minutes.[9] He was recalled to the national team in May 2019 by new manager Krasimir Balakov and played as a starter in the 1–2 away loss against the Czech Republic in a Euro 2020 qualifier on 7 June 2019, opening the scoring with his first international goal.[10]

Personal life

His family is of Turkish descent.[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of 28 April 2024
More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Svetkavitsa 2005–06 820082
Haskovo 2006–07 21900219
2007–08 11500115
Levski Sofia 2007–08 30000030
2009–10 00002020
2010–11 1932064277
Sliven 2000 (loan) 2008–09 17120191
Lokomotiv Mezdra (loan) 2009–10 2510102610
Kardemir Karabükspor 2011–12 300030
Elazığspor (loan) 2011–12 610061
Litex Lovech 2012–13 241143002814
Sheriff Tiraspol 2013–14 26113084113816
2014–15 191326210295
Beroe Stara Zagora 2015–16 2575200309
Dacia Chișinău 2016–17 1951100206
Vereya Stara Zagora 2017–18 720072
Dunav Ruse 2017–18 640050114
2018–19 2151042267
Cherno More 2019–20 2313102413
2020–21 2701110291
2022–23 24351294
2023–24 25510265
Career total 33996259221021388116
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International

Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first.[12]
More information No., Date ...
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.7 June 2019Stadion Letná, Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic1–01–2UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
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Honours

Levski Sofia

FC Sheriff Tiraspol

References

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