Club career
Litex
Zhelev joined Litex Lovech quite young but fought hard to get a place in the first team. He formed a formidable duet with ex-Bulgarian national defender Rosen Kirilov. However, due to a lack of strikers Zhelev was also used by managers to play as a striker for Litex and scored a lot of goals in this position. He is the defender who has scored the most goals in the whole history of Bulgarian football. He has been considered one of the favourite players by Litex fans, due to his dedicated and selfless manner of playing, and his loyalty to the club. He has been awarded the title "The best player of Litex" in 2006.Oţelul
On 12 July 2007, Zhelev joined Romanian club Oţelul Galaţi for a fee of €125,000 On 8 November 2009, after a game against FC Timişoara, he and his teammateSteaua
On 5 January 2010, Steaua and Oţelul agree Zhelev and Ochiroşii swap deal. On 10 January 2010, Steaua signed the Bulgarian centre-back on a free transfer until June 2011. First match in Liga I for Steaua: 20 February 2010 • Steaua- Ceahlăul 1–3. First goal in Liga I for Steaua: 25 April 2010 • Steaua- FC Timişoara 3–3. In June 2010, Steaua has terminated the contract with Zhelev.Inter Baku
On 25 June 2010, Zhelev signed a one-year deal with the Azerbaijani football club Inter Baku. Thus, he joins compatriot Petar Zlatinov in the club squad.Slavia Sofia
At the end of the 2010–11 season, Zhelev returned to Bulgaria and joined Slavia Sofia on a free transfer. He made his comeback league debut at the start of the 2011–12 season in a 1–0 defeat to Levski Sofia on 8 August. Zhelev was frozen out of the first team in October 2013 (after Asen Bukarev had been replaced as coach) and in December 2013 joined Vereya Stara Zagora in the third division of Bulgarian football.Vereya Stara Zagora
In March 2015, Zhelev took over from Radostin Kishishev as head coach of Vereya Stara Zagora. However, his assistant Vladislav Yanush was officially registered as the manager, as Zhelev had not yet obtained the coaching license to manage in theLitex Lovech
In July 2016, Zhelev became the manager of Litex Lovech and coached them in the third tier of Bulgarian football.Honours
Player
; Litex Lovech * Bulgarian A Group: 1998–99 * Bulgarian Cup (2):Head coach
; Litex Lovech * Third League: 2016–17References
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zhelev, Zhivko 1979 births Living people Sportspeople from Stara Zagora Bulgarian footballers Bulgaria international footballers Association football defenders PFC Beroe Stara Zagora players PFC Litex Lovech players PFC Litex Lovech managers ASC Oțelul Galați players FC Steaua București players Shamakhi FK players PFC Slavia Sofia players FC Vereya players First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players Liga I players Expatriate footballers in Romania Expatriate footballers in Azerbaijan Bulgarian football managers Bulgarian expatriate sportspeople in Azerbaijan