BULGARIA is home to a multitude of football maniacs. I label them "maniacs" simply because these people epitomize the "true fan." Their allegiance affects their everyday life, from social interactions to their very wardrobe.

Here in Sofia, fans speak proudly of their home team, Levski, officially established in 1914, and is one of Bulgaria's oldest teams. It is also considered to be one of, if not the most, popular teams in the country. One may observe many a Bulgarian sporting the blue jersey from Sofia all the way to Varna. Levski players who have heralded international attention include Georgi "Gundi" Asparuhov, famous in the 1960s for scoring the first goal in the 1962 World Cup (Chile) game against Hungary. This was Bulgaria's first time to have played in the World Cup. As for today, Georgi "Gonzo" Ivanov is considered the most famous footballer in Bulgaria. Joining the team in 1997, Gonzo gained fame only one week after his arrival. His first match was against the red-shirted CSKA, Levsky's greatest rival. Volleying the ball past the goalkeeper in the 85th minute (five minutes before the end of the game), Gonzo was the game's sole scorer, marking the beginning to a successful run with the team. Sadly, he was sold to the French team, Rennes, in 2003 and is currently playing for a popular football club in Turkey.

The end of World War 2 brought the 45 year reign of the Communist regime. In 1948, the Central Sports Club of the Army (CSKA), the "official" team of the republic, was founded and came to take the role as Levski's "true" rival. The team was composed of soldiers from the Bulgarian Army, a compilation of the best footballers in the nation. This rivalry serves as a subject worth great discussion due to the political symbolism each team represents and the history which divides the collected fans.

Since my arrival to Bulgaria, I have heard numerous times about the stifled liberty which was imposed by Communist rule. There were so few outlets for the Bulgarian people to show their frustration and opposition towards the government. However, one such outlet became football. It was simple: To support CSKA represented ones allegiance towards the government. Levski fans on the other hand, represented a form of rebellion against the Communist regime, an assumption of distrust and abhorrence towards the times' political leaders. Between 1948 and 1989, CSKA won an average of six national titles every 10 years, with Levski claiming only three titles during the same span of time. During the 1950s, what many Bulgarians had considered the most difficult period during the regime, CSKA won nine consecutive national titles. Since the fall of communism, Levsky has won six titles and CSKA has won only two. The other titles have been shared by numerous other Bulgarian national teams, all equally as good, but none with history or significance as Levski and CSKA.

Similar to many areas in football crazed Europe and comparable to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, one may choose their friends based on the allegiance to their favorite team. As one friend explained to me, "If you are sitting on a bus riding from Sofia to Stara Zagora (about four hours), naturally you may want to strike up a conversation with the guy next to you. Most likely, you would begin to discuss the recent events in football, but if the guy turns out to be a fan of CSKA, and you support Levski, then expect a very long, unpleasant ride. However, if he too is a fan of Levski, then naturally, you will become the best of friends and most likely have a very pleasant time."

The other day, when lounging around my friend's house, I made the mistake of wearing a cheap red shirt I had bought at Wallmart. My friend glared at me, asking me what I was doing? I obviously had no clue what he was talking about. He responded, "Why are you wearing that red shirt! Are you a fan of CSKA?!?" He then explained to me that no true Levski fan would own a single red item in his wardrobe. Then, in confidence, he agreed that it was kind of stupid, and to promise not to tell his friends, but he actually like the colour red! But what takes precedence is his obvious commitment to Levski, though he too wishes he could sometimes sport the vivacious hue. This is only one other example of the extremity fans go to in expressing their loyalty.

However, with Levski and CSKA, the allegiance is deeper then that of the simple enjoyment of the greatest sport of all time. It is a political allegiance. Today, to support CSKA, often represents the sentiments of that fan's loyalty to the communist regime, or at least, the support of how things "used to be." The anger spurred between Levski and CSKA is a represented fury seeded in nearly 55 years of history and political oppression.

For the duration of my time here in Sofia, I am hoping to be wary of my wardrobe as well as the topic of conversation I choose when interacting with people around the city. However, I feel like my unbiased stance on Bulgarian football may not last nor tolerated for long. If this proves to be an issue, then Levski will most likely become "my" team, all of course for the most obvious reason: I have far more blue shirts then I do red.

As they say...SAMO LEVSKI!