Lachezar Hristov Kotev

Lachezar Hristov Kotev is a Bulgarian midfielder, born in Sofia on 5 January 1998. He developed in the academies of Levski Sofia and Septemvri Sofia before beginning his senior career with Vitosha Bistritsa, where he played from 2017 to 2020. Kotev joined Arda Kardzhali in 2020 and became a regular in the Bulgarian top flight during his first spell. In February 2023, he moved to Russian Premier League club Khimki, making six league appearances before returning to Arda on loan for the 2023/24 season. The move back to Kardzhali became permanent in August 2024, and he remains registered with Arda, operating chiefly as a deep-lying midfielder who shields the defence and helps progress possession. Kotev represented Bulgaria Under-21s in qualification for the 2019 European Championship and received a senior national-team call-up in May 2021 for friendlies against Slovakia, Russia and France.