Bulgarian National Quidditch Team

The Bulgarian National Quidditch team is a world-class Quidditch team that competed in the 422nd Quidditch World Cup in 1994. Renowned for their highly skilled and internationally famous Seeker, Viktor Krum, the team was known for its aggressive, physical playing style. They were the runners-up in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, narrowly losing to the Irish National Quidditch team in a dramatic and memorable final.

The Bulgarian team's journey to the Quidditch World Cup final in 1994 was a significant event in the wizarding world. They reached the final after a decisive victory over the Transylvanian team in the semi-finals. The final match against Ireland took place at the Quidditch World Cup Stadium on Dartmoor, England. The match was a display of contrasting styles. While the Irish Chasers worked together seamlessly, scoring repeatedly, the Bulgarian team relied heavily on the individual brilliance of their Seeker, Viktor Krum, and the brutal effectiveness of their Beaters. Throughout the match, the Bulgarians committed numerous fouls, and their play was described as intimidating. Krum successfully executed a dangerous Wronski Feint, a move so perilous it caused the Irish Seeker, Lynch, to crash into the ground. Despite Krum's skill and the physical dominance of his teammates, the Irish team established a commanding lead of 170 to 10. In a stunning conclusion, Viktor Krum caught the Golden Snitch, earning his team 150 points. However, this act ended the match with the final score at 170-160 in favor of Ireland. Krum's decision was tactical; he chose to end the one-sided match on his own terms rather than allow his team to suffer a more humiliating defeat. Despite the loss, Krum was widely hailed for his incredible flying and sportsmanship. The post-match celebrations were tragically cut short by an attack from a group of Death Eaters, leading to chaos and terror in the campsite. The Bulgarian Minister for Magic, who attended the match, was noted for his jovial but poor English and was referred to by Cornelius Fudge as both Mr. Oblansk and Mr. Obalonsk.

• Team Roster (1994):
  • Seeker: Viktor Krum
  • Chasers: Ivanova, Zograf, Levski
  • Beaters: Volkov, Vulkanov
  • Keeper: Dimitrov
• Mascots: The team's official mascots were Veela, beautiful, magical women with white-gold hair who could mesmerise men with their dancing. When angered, however, they transformed into frightening, harpy-like creatures with beaked heads and scaly wings. During the opening ceremony of the final, they enchanted the crowd, including the match referee, Hassan Mostafa.
• Playing Style: The Bulgarian team's style was characterized by its raw power and aggression. Their Beaters, Volkov and Vulkanov, were particularly noted for their brutality. The team's overall strategy seemed to revolve around bludgeoning their opponents while creating opportunities for their star Seeker, Viktor Krum, to catch the Snitch. This contrasted sharply with the more cooperative, strategic play of their Irish opponents, who employed formations like the Hawkshead Attacking Formation.

• Robes: The team wore scarlet Quidditch robes.
• Broomsticks: The entire team was equipped with Firebolt racing brooms, the fastest and most advanced broomstick of the time. This was a significant display of the team's prestige and resources.

The Bulgarian team's most prominent relationship in the narrative is their intense rivalry with the Irish National Quidditch team, culminating in the 1994 Quidditch World Cup final. Viktor Krum, as the team's star player, developed a complex relationship with Harry Potter and a romantic one with Hermione Granger during his subsequent year at Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament. The team commanded a large international following, with many wizards like Ron Weasley idolising Krum despite supporting an opposing team.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Bulgarian team's robes are depicted as a much darker brownish-red with black accents, rather than the bright scarlet described in the book. (film)
• The book provides only the surnames for the Bulgarian players, with the exception of Viktor Krum. First names for the other players have appeared in supplementary materials such as video games, but these are not considered primary canon. (video game)
• There is a minor inconsistency in the book regarding the name of the Bulgarian Minister for Magic, who is called “Oblansk” in one chapter and “Obalonsk” in another by Cornelius Fudge.