Kiril Despodov

Despodov's current-season form is up 30% on last season (Season 10→13), while his Rating eased 27→23. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 39).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	PAOK · 3rd	18	3	1	7.03	23	13
2024/25	PAOK · 3rd	16	0	4	6.78	27	10
2023/24	PAOK · 4th	33	10	7	7.21	37	39
2023/24	Ludogorets	4	1	0	—	—	—
2022/23	Ludogorets	30	14	0	—	—	—
2021/22	Ludogorets	25	6	0	—	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 10 earlier seasons and 1 youth-team spell in the full career.

Bulgaria · international

Side	Apps	G
Bulgaria	68	16
Bulgaria U21	12	5
Bulgaria U19	17	5
Bulgaria U17	9	5

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentre-forward

K. Despodov is a 29-year-old centre-forward at PAOK, rated 23.3 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 162nd of 267 on scout potential in the Super League 1. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (28% of available minutes). He brings 0.45 goal contributions per 90 (0.34 goals, 0.11 assists). Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Despodov.

Judged on this season alone, Despodov graded 13 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 26th of 33 of the 33 centre-forwards in the Super League 1, on 3 goals and 1 assist in 18 appearances (0.446 involvements per 90).

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 10 → 13). Over the 4 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 23, 18th of 33 of the 33 centre-forwards in the Super League 1. At 29 Despodov is in his prime years, and a market index of 2 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2023/24 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2023/24Trending down

Current potential18th of 33 centre-forwards · Super League 1 · 18 apps Current season26th of 33 centre-forwards · Super League 1 · 18 apps26th-best centre-forward in the Super League 1162nd in the Super League 1 · potential18th-highest potential centre-forward in the Super League 1

23.3

Ratingi

18th of 33 centre-forwards

13.1

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

28%

Minutes

limited game time

0.45

Goal contrib / 90

productive for the role

Output in context · PAOK finished 3rd of 14 · an upper-table side

Goals

Assists

G+A

0.17

Goals / app

3 goals in 18 appearances (0.17 per game) — light end product the role wants to see climb. Add 1 assist for 4 goal contributions in all.

Strengths

Final-third output. 0.45 goal contributions per 90 (0.34 goals, 0.11 assists) — productive for the role.

Watch points

Game time. Only 28% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 23.3, Despodov carries the 18th-highest potential of the centre-forwards in the Super League 1 of 33 — though on just 18 appearances this season, so the standing rests on a small sample. In the final third he profiles as a productive contributor (0.45 goal contributions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.1× now → 0.8× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %28%

Available fixtures32 of 32

Goals / 900.335

Assists / 900.112

Goal contribution / 900.446

Defensive actions / 901.338

Player flow

Goal involvements4

Shot conversion %37.5

Shot accuracy %61.5

Pass accuracy %72

Dribble success %42.1

Cards / 900.112

Foul involvement / 902.342

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~4), then tapers with age. At 29, Despodov sits on 2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Despodov's projected Rating — 23.3 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-forwards in the Super League 1 with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals3

Shots on target8

Shots13

Passing

Assists1

Pass accuracy72%

Possession

Successful dribbles8

Dribble success42.1%

Fouls won16

Defending

Tackles9

Interceptions3

Fouls committed5

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1

Red cards0

Transfer history

€7.6M total transfer fees · 7 moves

PAOK2023/24 – now€ 3.6M

Ludogorets2021/22 – 2023/24

Ludogorets(on loan)2020/21 – 2021/22

Cagliari(back from loan)2020/21 – 2020/21

Sturm Graz(on loan)2019/20 – 2020/21

Cagliari2018/19 – 2019/20€ 4M

CSKA Sofia2016/17 – 2018/19Free

Litexuntil 2016/17

About K. Despodov

Kiril Vasilev Despodov is a 29-year-old centre-forward who plays for PAOK, born on November 11, 1996 in Kresna, standing 178 cm tall. He is from Bulgaria. PAOK currently sit 3rd of 14 in the Super League 1.

This season

In the current season, K. Despodov has made 18 appearances with 3 goals and 1 assist across 807 minutes, averaging a 7.11 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 1 yellow card. His season has spanned the Super League 1 and the UEFA Europa League. Though primarily a centre-forward, he has also lined up in midfield this season.

When K. Despodov plays, PAOK's record this season is 14W-7D-5L — and his match ratings average 6.96 at home against 6.94 on the road.

Recent matches

March 22, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Volos NFC (32 minutes, 6.2 rating)
March 15, 2026: 3-0 win at home vs Levadiakos (16 minutes, 6.3 rating)
March 8, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Olympiakos Piraeus (9 minutes, 7 rating)
February 8, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Aris Thessalonikis (57 minutes, 7 rating)
February 1, 2026: 4-1 win at home vs Panserraikos (90 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist, 8.9 rating)
January 29, 2026: 2-4 loss away at Lyon (13 minutes, 6.5 rating)
January 22, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Real Betis (12 minutes, 6.3 rating)
January 10, 2026: 3-0 win away at Panetolikos (13 minutes, 6.3 rating)
December 14, 2025: 0-2 loss away at Atromitos (80 minutes, 7.3 rating)
December 11, 2025: 3-3 draw away at Ludogorets (90 minutes, 1 goal, 1 assist, 9.3 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates K. Despodov at 23.3 with a Season form score of 13.1, ranking 162nd of 267 centre-forwards in the Super League 1. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 11 career titles — among them the Super League 1 and the First League. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 15 recorded seasons, K. Despodov has totalled 278 club appearances with 71 goals and 17 assists for 7 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2023/24, with 33 appearances for PAOK.

K. Despodov's career has also included time at Ludogorets, Cagliari, Sturm Graz, CSKA Sofia and Litex.

On the international stage, K. Despodov has represented Bulgaria, Bulgaria U21, Bulgaria U19, Bulgaria U17 — 106 caps and 31 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · PAOK finished 3rd of 14 · an upper-table side

Strengths

Watch points