Boyko Borisov Defeats Dimitar Berbatov For Bulgaria’s Player of the Year Award

Boyko Borisov doesn't spend much time improving as a soccer player because he is too busy running Bulgaria's affairs. The BBC reports Bulgarian voters must have taken that into consideration when they awarded him the country's soccer player of the year award.

The 52-year-old plays a bit-part at third division club Vitosha Bistritsa, but still collected 44 percent of the fans' votes. Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov was the runner-up by a wide margin with 24 percent of the vote. 

It was thought that Borisov might win as a protest vote by those Bulgarians who are disgusted with the state of the game in the Eastern European nation. Only 8,000 supporters voted in the poll.

"It is a signal that Bulgarian football needs reforms and a new policy," Borisov said. "Organizers should annul the vote."

Bulgarian teams have struggled at the club and international levels in recent years. Bulgaria finished last in its Euro 2012 qualifying group and the country was not represented in the group stage of this year's UEFA Champions League.

Photo via Flickr/europeanpeoplesparty