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.