In the former, in another display of "team-first" attitude – and first discovering his versatile qualities – during the round-of-16 tie against Mexico (as Bulgaria prevailed in a penalty shootout) he filled in at centre-back, due to the absence of Trifon Ivanov (suspension) and Nikolay Iliev (injury).
ɪnðə fˈɔːɹmɚ, ɪn ɐnˈʌðɚ dɪsplˈeɪ ʌv "tˈiːmfˈɜːst" ˈæɾɪtˌuːd ænd fˈɜːst dɪskˈʌvɚɹɪŋ hɪz vˈɜːsətˌaɪl kwˈɔlᵻɾiz dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə ɹˈaʊndʌv sˈɪkstiːn tˈaɪ ɐɡˈɛnst mˈɛksɪkˌoʊ æz bʌlɡˈɛɹiə pɹɪvˈeɪld ɪn ɐ pˈɛnəlɾi ʃˈuːɾaʊt hiː fˈɪld ɪn æt sˈɛntɚbˈæk, dˈuː tə ðɪ ˈæbsəns ʌv tɹˈaɪfɑːn ˈaɪvɐnˌɑːv səspˈɛnʃən ænd nˈɪkəlˌeɪ ˈɪliːv ˈɪndʒɚɹi.