Stoichkov: 'Van Gaal is a liar'

Former Bulgarian midfielder Hristo Stoichkov has criticized the coach who managed him at Barca during the first half of the 1997-1998 season.

"Van Gaal is a hypocrite," Stoichkov told Mundo Deportivo on October 15. "He means nothing in my life and I don't want to waste another minute on him."

Stoichkov still praised Van Gaal for his professionalism, tactics, and coaching methods. However, the Bulgarian football legend did not approve of the former Dutch coach in terms of his character. He even suggested that those who had worked with him disliked Van Gaal.

Van Gaal (left) working with Stoichkov at Barca during the first half of the 1997-1998 season. Photo: MD

In contrast to Van Gaal, Stoichkov paid tribute to Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff. "In 1994, when I returned from Paris with the Ballon d'Or, I saw Johan happy and with tears in his eyes," Stoichkov recalled. "This made me truly realize what Johan meant to me: a father and a mentor."

Under Cruyff's guidance from 1990 to 1995, Stoichkov scored 108 goals in 214 matches for Barca. During this period, he won four consecutive La Liga titles and one European Cup. In the 1996-1997 season, after returning from Parma, Stoichkov scored eight more goals in 35 matches, helping Barca win a Cup Winners' Cup and a Copa del Rey.

Van Gaal began managing Barca in 1997. He only gave Stoichkov six games in the first half of the 1997-1998 season before loaning him to CSKA Sofia. After that, the former Bulgarian star joined Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia), Kashiwa Reysol (Japan), Chicago Fire, and DC United (USA).

At the national team level, Stoichkov's peak was leading Bulgaria to the semi-finals of the 1994 World Cup and winning the Golden Boot with six goals. He also won the Ballon d'Or that same year and the European Golden Boot in 1990.

Van Gaal rose to prominence between 1991 and 1997, leading Ajax to three Dutch league titles and one Champions League. However, after this peak with the Dutch club, he has not achieved any further success that could be considered comparable. Van Gaal won two La Liga titles with Barcelona, one Dutch league title with AZ Alkmaar, led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga and reached the 2010 Champions League final, before winning the FA Cup with Manchester United. With the Netherlands national team, Van Gaal won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Cup and reached the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

Thanh Quy (according to Mundo Deportivo )

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