Leeds United midfielder Ilia Gruev withdraws from Bulgaria squad for personal reasons after 2025 award | OneFootball

Ilia Gruev has been named Bulgaria’s player of the year for 2025, the first time he has won the award, but the Leeds United midfielder has withdrawn from this international window for personal reasons.

He had been called up for the 2026 FIFA Series in Jakarta, with Bulgaria due to face the Solomon Islands then either the hosts or St Kitts and Nevis, but he has pulled out. He said, per fakt.bg, that the reasons were personal and he would not comment further.

Gruev helped Leeds win the Championship last year, starting 20 of his 23 league games after returning from a serious mid-season knee injury in January.

The 25-year-old made nine appearances for Bulgaria across last year and his award ends Kiril Despodov’s four-year run. He had finished runner-up for the previous three years and now joins Hristo Stoichkov and Dimitar Berbatov on the roll of honour.

Under Daniel Farke he has been a regular in recent months, starting 11 of his past 12 Premier League matches. Gruev described the accolade as a childhood dream realised, called it an honour to follow his country’s greats and thanked those who supported him, adding that he is proud to represent the colours.

Source: Leeds Live