PFC Ludogorets 1945

Formation

PFC Ludogorets 1945, commonly known as Ludogorets Razgrad, is a Bulgarian professional football club based in Razgrad. The club was established in November 1945 through the merger of several rural football clubs from the Ludogorie Region. Initially, Ludogorets participated in the Third Division of Bulgarian football, achieving promotion to the Second Division in 1961. The club underwent a significant transformation in 1997 when it merged with FC Antibiotic Razgrad, adopting the name FC Antibiotic-Ludogorets. However, by 2005, the club faced challenges and became defunct.

Breakthrough

The revival of Ludogorets began in the 2009/10 season when Aleksandar Aleksandrov took over the club's history and records, restoring its name to PFC Ludogorets 1945 Razgrad. Under the management of Ivaylo Petev, the team climbed back to the Second Division. A pivotal moment came in September 2010 when Bulgarian entrepreneur Kiril Domuschiev purchased the club, aiming to elevate it to the top tier of Bulgarian football. This goal was realized in May 2011 when Ludogorets was promoted to the First Professional Football League for the first time in its history.

Success and Legacy

Ludogorets quickly made its mark in Bulgarian football, winning its first Bulgarian Cup title in May 2012 with a 2-1 victory over Lokomotiv Plovdiv. This was followed by a triumph in the Bulgarian Supercup in August 2012, where they defeated Lokomotiv 3-1. Remarkably, Ludogorets became the first team to achieve a treble in its inaugural season in A Group, solidifying its status as a formidable force in Bulgarian football and setting a precedent for future clubs.