Kaloyan Bozhkov

Kaloyan Bozhkov (Калоян Божков; born 1 February 2008) is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Croatian club GNK Dinamo Zagreb.

In October 2025, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2008 worldwide, as part of their "Next Generation" series.^[1]

Born in Plovdiv, Bozhkov began his career at the academy of Vekta Plovdiv, before going through the youth systems of Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Ludogorets Razgrad.

In early 2025, he spent a brief period with Croatian club Lokomotiva Zagreb. Despite his young age, he became a key player for their under-17 team, scoring 7 goals and providing 6 assists in 19 matches. In a notable moment from April 2025, Bozhkov played for the Bulgaria U17 national team in a European qualifier and, less than 24 hours later, came on as a half-time substitute for his club, helping them secure a 3–3 draw.^[2]

Following his impressive performances, in August 2025, Bozhkov completed a transfer to Croatian giants GNK Dinamo Zagreb, joining their under-19 team. After a period of injury recovery, he returned to action for the club in October 2025.^[3]

Bozhkov has represented Bulgaria at all youth levels. He made his debut for the under-15 team in August 2022. He later became the captain and a key player for the under-17 team, earning 14 caps and scoring 1 goal. In 2025, he made his debut for the under-19 squad.