Indiana_Vassilev
Indiana Vassilev
American soccer player
Indiana Denchev Vassilev (Bulgarian: Индиана Денчев Василев; born February 16, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club St. Louis City SC.[3] He has represented the United States at the under-17, under-18, under-20, and under-23 levels.[4] He has played in the English Premier League for Aston Villa, as well as spending time on loan at English Football League sides Cheltenham Town and Burton Albion, winning the 2020–21 League Two title at the former.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Indiana Denchev Vassilev[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (2001-02-16) February 16, 2001 (age 23) | ||
| Place of birth | Savannah, Georgia, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | St. Louis City | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2013–2015 | Tormenta FC | ||
| 2015–2018 | IMG Academy | ||
| 2018–2020 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | Aston Villa | 4 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | → Burton Albion (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Cheltenham Town (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Inter Miami (loan) | 21 | (3) |
| 2022 | → Inter Miami (loan) | 24 | (2) |
| 2023– | St. Louis City | 41 | (3) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2015–2017 | United States U17 | 17 | (3) |
| 2018 | United States U18 | 6 | (2) |
| 2019 | United States U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2023– | United States U23 | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 7, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2023 | |||
Aston Villa
Vassilev started his career with Tormenta FC Academy in Statesboro, Georgia from 2013–2015[5] before switching to IMG Academy in Florida. He was first scouted by Aston Villa in November 2016 and then again while representing the United States at the 2017 U17 World Cup. He was finally offered a professional contract in 2018. His coach at the IMG Academy, Kevin Hartman, described him as having great leadership qualities and all the attributes he thought were required for him to play at the top level.[6]
Vassilev started playing for Aston Villa's U23 team in the Premier League 2, scoring 4 goals in his first 6 games of the 2019–20 season. He was rewarded with a place in Aston Villa's first team on January 4, 2020, coming off the bench to replace Marvelous Nakamba in an FA Cup tie against Fulham.[7] On January 18, 2020, Vassilev made his Premier League debut, coming on as a substitute in the 67th minute in a 1–1 draw away to Brighton & Hove Albion.[8][9]
2020–21 season: Burton Albion and Cheltenham Town loans
On September 17, 2020, Vassilev signed for Burton Albion of EFL League One on a season-long loan.[10] He made his Burton debut on September 19, in a 2–1 home victory over Accrington Stanley.[11]
Aston Villa recalled Vassilev from Burton Albion on January 28, 2021. The next day, January 29, he joined League Two side Cheltenham Town on loan until the end of the season.[12] He made his Cheltenham debut on January 30, as a late substitute in a 0–0 away draw against Forest Green.[13] He went on to make 12 appearances for Cheltenham, as they won the League Two title on May 8, 2021 – Vassilev's first trophy.[14]
2021–: Loans to MLS
On July 7, 2021, Vassilev joined MLS side Inter Miami on loan for the remainder of their 2021 season.[15] Vassilev made his MLS debut as a substitute in a 5–0 defeat to New England Revolution on July 21, 2021.[16] On August 8, 2021, Vassilev scored his first goal in the MLS – an injury time winner against Nashville.[17] Vassilev returned to Aston Villa training in November 2021, after the Inter Miami season had finished.[18]
On May 5, 2022, Vassilev returned to Inter Miami for a second season on loan.[19] Vassilev's contract option was declined by Miami following their 2022 season.[20]
St. Louis City
On November 12, 2022, Vassilev's MLS rights were acquired by St. Louis City SC as part of the 2022 MLS Expansion Draft. Inter Miami received $50,000 as part of the deal.[21] A permanent transfer for Vassilev to St. Louis City was confirmed by Aston Villa on January 17, 2023 - for an undisclosed fee.[22]
On February 26, 2023, Vassilev made his debut for St. Louis in their first ever competitive game, a 3–2 MLS victory over Austin.[23]
Due to his parents' nationality, Vassilev was eligible to represent both the United States and Bulgaria at international level. He represented the United States at the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup and has since made appearances for the United States national under-20 team.[4] At the beginning of 2020, Georgi Dermendzhiev, the Bulgaria national team head coach, stated that Vassilev had politely declined a call up for the Bulgaria under-21 team to continue representing the United States.[24] In May 2023, the new Bulgaria national coach, Mladen Krstajić, reached out to Vassilev regarding a potential call-up, but was informed that the player would want to focus on his adaptation to his new club and would discuss a call-up for the next matches.[25]
On October 8, 2023, Vassilev was called up to the United States under-23 national team ahead of friendlies against Mexico and Japan.[26]
Vassilev is of Bulgarian descent. His parents settled in the United States in the early 1990s. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all played soccer in their native Bulgaria.
Vassilev’s former girlfriend, Ellie Bentley, who moved with him to St. Louis from the UK, was seriously injured after being hit by a car following a shootout on a St. Louis street. She was treated in the ICU for multiple injuries.[27] Bentley's lawyer described that she had hidden beneath a car when shooting broke out when the owner of the car had tried to escape the scene - and ran Bentley over, dragging her under the car for two blocks. The lawyer claimed that the driver of the vehicle knew Bentley was there before attempting to drive away. The alleged gunman and the driver of the car were both arrested. Bentley came out of ICU in late March 2024, but described that she had a long road to recovery ahead of her.[28]
Club
- As of match played April 7, 2024[29]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[lower-alpha 1] | League cup[lower-alpha 2] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa | 2019–20 | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1[lower-alpha 3] | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | |||
| Burton Albion (loan) | 2020–21 | League One | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Cheltenham Town (loan) | 2020–21 | League Two | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Inter Miami (loan) | 2021 | MLS | 21 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 3 | ||||
| 2022 | MLS | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 2 | |||
| Total | 45 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 48 | 5 | ||||
| St. Louis City | 2023 | MLS | 34 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 40 | 2 | |
| 2024 | MLS | 7 | 1 | — | — | 2[lower-alpha 5] | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 41 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 114 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 129 | 9 | ||
- Includes FA Cup and U.S. Open Cup
- Includes EFL Cup and MLS Cup Playoffs
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- Appearances in Leagues Cup
- Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup
Cheltenham Town
- "2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- "Indiana Vassilev: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
- "St. Louis City choose Indiana Vassilev among expansion picks". sportsnaut.com. November 12, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
- Clark, Travis (September 29, 2017). "Five potential breakout USMNT players to watch at the U-17 World Cup". FourFourTwo. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
- Bonnell, Jonny (January 4, 2020). "Aston Villa team news v Fulham: Dean Smith and Scott Parker name FA Cup line-ups". Birmingham Mail.
- "Brighton 1–1 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. January 18, 2020.
- "Aston Villa's Vassilev Is 2nd-Youngest American to Play in EPL". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- "Vassilev joins Burton on loan". Aston Villa Official Site. September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- "Burton Albion 2–1 Accrington Stanley". BBC Sport. September 19, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
- "Aston Villa youngster heads in on loan". www.ctfc.com. January 29, 2021.
- Palmer, Jon (January 30, 2021). "Forest Green v Cheltenham Town RECAP: Derby draw at New Lawn as 10-man Rovers shut out Robins". GloucestershireLive. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- "Cheltenham 4–1 Harrogate: Michael Duff's Robins clinch League Two title in style". Sky Sports. May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- "Inter Miami CF Signs U.S. Youth International Indiana Vassilev on Loan". Inter Miami CF – Official Site. July 7, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- "Inter Miami CF Falls 5–0 To New England Revolution At Home". CBS Miami. July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- "Recap: Inter Miami CF 2, Nashville SC 1 | MLSSoccer.com". MLS. August 8, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
- Townley, John (November 23, 2021). "Sanson, a loan return & more things spotted in Gerrard's Villa training session". BirminghamLive. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- "Indiana Vassilev rejoins Inter Miami on loan". Aston Villa Football Club. May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- Rowe, Patrick (November 13, 2022). "Statement made over transfer for Aston Villa loan player Indiana Vassilev". BirminghamLive. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
- "Indiana Vassilev completes MLS move". Aston Villa Football Club. January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- "St. Louis City wins inaugural match, beats Austin 3-2". AP NEWS. February 26, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- "Twenty-three Players Called to U.s. Olympic Men's Soccer Team Training Camp as Preparations for Paris 2024 Kick Off in Phoenix". ussoccer.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- "British ex-girlfriend of US soccer star fights for life after hit-and-run during shootout in St Louis". LBC. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
- O'Leary, Abigail (March 13, 2024). "Driver who 'hit US soccer star's girlfriend and dragged her two blocks' pictured". The Mirror. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
- Indiana Vassilev at Soccerway