# Valentin Antov

Valentin Ivaylov Antov (Bulgarian: Валентин Ивайлов Антов; born 9 November 2000) is a Bulgarian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or defensive midfielder for Serie B club Cremonese, on loan from Monza, and the Bulgaria national team.
A youth product of CSKA Sofia, Antov became the youngest player ever to represent the club when he made his debut in 2015 at the age of 14 years, 9 months and 10 days. He moved on loan to Serie A side Bologna in the second half of the 2020–21 season, and to Serie B side Monza in the summer of 2021.
Antov has represented Bulgaria at every international level, debuting for the senior team in March 2019 at the age of 18.

## Club career
### CSKA Sofia

On 19 August 2015, Antov made his first team debut in a Bulgarian Cup match against Sofia 2010, becoming CSKA's youngest ever debutant at the age of 14 years, 9 months and 10 days, while also becoming the youngest ever captain for the club after taking the captain's armband for the last 25 minutes of the match.
Antov made his First League debut on 14 April 2018, in a league match against Vereya. He began to establish himself in the CSKA first team during the 2018–19 season, playing 26 matches in all competitions. On 12 July 2018, Antov made his debut in the Europa League playing 90 minutes in the first match of the first qualifying round against Latvian club Riga.

### Italy

On 1 February 2021, Antov was loaned to Serie A club Bologna until the end of the season with an option for a permanent transfer.

#### Monza

On 27 August 2021, Antov was sent on a one-year loan to Serie B side Monza, with a conditional obligation for purchase. He made his league debut the same year on 21 September, starting in a 2–1 loss to Pisa. Following Monza's Serie A promotion on 29 May 2022, Antov's obligation for purchase clause was triggered.

#### Loan to Cremonese

On 31 August 2023, Antov joined Cremonese on loan. After having played 35 games in the 2023–24 Serie B season, Antov's loan was renewed for a further season on 13 July 2024.

## International career

On 25 March 2019, Antov debuted for the Bulgarian senior squad as an 80th-minute substitute for Georgi Kostadinov in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Kosovo. On 23 September 2022, he scored his first international goal in a 5–1 victory against Gibraltar during the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League.

## Personal life

Antov is a nephew of former footballer Anatoli Nankov.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 14 March 2025
| Club | Season | Division | League | League | National cup | National cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| CSKA Sofia II | 2016–17 | Second League | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| CSKA Sofia | 2015–16 | Third League | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| CSKA Sofia | 2017–18 | First League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| CSKA Sofia | 2018–19 | First League | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 0 |
| CSKA Sofia | 2019–20 | First League | 17 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 1 |
| CSKA Sofia | 2020–21 | First League | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 2 |
| CSKA Sofia | 2021–22 | First League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| CSKA Sofia | Total | Total | 60 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 95 | 3 |
| Bologna (loan) | 2020–21 | Serie A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Monza (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie B | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Monza | 2022–23 | Serie A | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Cremonese (loan) | 2023–24 | Serie B | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| Cremonese (loan) | 2024–25 | Serie B | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| Cremonese (loan) | Total | Total | 57 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62 | 2 |
| Career Total | Career Total | Career Total | 141 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 185 | 5 |
* ↑ Includes Bulgarian Cup, Coppa Italia
* 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearance in Bulgarian Supercup
* 1 2 Appearance in play-offs

### International

    As of match played 18 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Bulgaria | 2019 | 1 | 0 |
| Bulgaria | 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| Bulgaria | 2021 | 8 | 0 |
| Bulgaria | 2022 | 4 | 1 |
| Bulgaria | 2023 | 9 | 0 |
| Bulgaria | 2024 | 8 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 32 | 1 |
    Scores and results list Bulgaria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Antov goal.
List of international goals scored by Valentin Antov :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
| 1 | 23 September 2022 | Huvepharma Arena, Razgrad, Bulgaria | Gibraltar | 1–0 | 5–1 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League C | |

## Honours

CSKA Sofia
* Bulgarian Cup: 2020–21
Individual
* Bulgarian Youth Footballer of the Year: 2018
* Bulgarian First League Best Defender of the Year: 2020