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What's the story?
Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters have new followers from Europe in the form of football lovers in Bulgaria, thanks to the club's talisman Dimitar Berbatov, who is pretty much a cult-hero back in his home country.
The extended fan base of the two-time ISL finalists only adds to their already existing group of football enthusiasts called the 'Manjappada', which translates to 'yellow army', who turn up in huge volumes to support the club.
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In case you didn't know...
Berbatov is one of the ISL's biggest names this year and he is also Bulgaria's all-time top scorer with 48 goals in 78 appearances. The former Manchester United striker has already expressed his delight in coming down to India through his personal website and is fan favourite at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium.
The mercurial striker has also posted various photos on social media with his new teammates, which, in turn, has caught the eye of the fans in Bulgaria.
The heart of the matter
Sportal, a popular sports website in Bulgaria, covers a lot of news and comes up with articles and updates on the Kochi based ISL club. The comments section on the website further reveals the fact that there are a lot of followers, who speak in high volumes about the Berbatov's new club and the atmosphere generated during games in Kochi.
A number of fans have also expressed their desire in the comments to get together and follow the games, which means the Blasters might just become the first ISL side to have a dedicated fanbase in Europe!
What's next?
As the Bulgarian forward gets into rhythm, one expects him to start weaving his magic and contribute in the form of goals and assists. Such performances will only help the club's popularity soar in Bulgaria.
Author's take
The stature of Kerala Blasters continue to grow, thanks to their fan base all over India as well as outside the country. The only missing piece in the puzzle are the results and Bulgaria alongside God's own country will be hoping that Berbatov fires in all cylinders on Sunday against Mumbai City FC.
