hiː ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntᵻd ðə nˈeɪʃən æt ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɪks fˈiːfə wˈɜːld kˈʌp ɪn mˈɛksɪkˌoʊ skˈoːɹɪŋ ɐɡˈɛnst ˈɪɾəli ɪnðə ɡɹˈuːp stˈeɪdʒ wˈʌn wˈʌn ænd hˈɛlpɪŋ ðə nˈæʃənəl tˈiːm tə ðə ɹˈaʊnd ʌv sˈɪkstiːn ænd æt ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ wˈɜːld kˈʌp ɪnðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts: dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə lˈæɾɚ, æz bʌlɡˈɛɹiə fˈɪnɪʃt ɪn ɐ bˈɛstˈɛvɚ fˈoːɹθ pəzˈɪʃən, hiː plˈeɪd ɪn ˈɔːl ðə mˈætʃᵻz, skˈoːɹɪŋ ɐɡˈɛnst ˌɑːɹdʒəntˈiːnə fɚɹə tˈuː zˈiəɹoʊ ɡɹˈuːp stˈeɪdʒ wˈɪn, ˈɔːlsoʊ ˈɜːnɪŋ pˈɛnəlɾiz ɐɡˈɛnst ɡɹˈiːs ænd ɪnðə sˌɛmɪfˈaɪnəl lˈɔs ɐɡˈɛnst ˈɪɾəli.
He represented the nation at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico – scoring against Italy in the group stage (1–1) and helping the national team to the round of 16 – and at the 1994 World Cup in the United States: during the latter, as Bulgaria finished in a best-ever fourth position, he played in all the matches, scoring against Argentina for a 2–0 group stage win, also earning penalties against Greece and in the semifinal loss against Italy.