FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

A smoke, a drink and having a good time does not harm performance according to some of the world’s best footballers and the Bulgarian football squad are no exception. In fact smokers around the world can rejoice that the Bulgarian World Cup football squad are puffing around the clock and still compete at world class levels.

And the Bulgarians also like to go out on the town. Residents of England’s north eastern coastal town of Scarborough will remember how they found the town boring because there wasn’t much night life there during Euro 96.

Most of the Bulgarian squad smoke and players have been openly smoking in their hotel in Le Coudray Montceaux 30km south of Paris. Goalkeeper Borislav Mihaylov explained: “It’s a question of culture. All the players like to have a cigarette after dinner.” Bulgaria reached the 1994 semi-final in the USA on the back of late nights out, drinking and smoking to the surprise of many. Of course footballers having a good time in this way is hardly anything new.

Brazilian Romario, who pulled out of the World Cup squad with a calf injury, says he always played better after a night out, as does his friend Edmundo, who is in the squad.