The 28-year-old, capped 58 times by Bulgaria, garnered 241 points in the annual poll of sports journalists. Palermo midfielder Ivaylo Chochev was second and CSKA Moscow midfielder Georgi Milanov third.
Stanimir Stoilov won the coach's award after leading Astana, who were founded in 2009, to their second league title in Kazakhstan and the Champions League group stages last year.
"It would have been more pleasant to achieve such a success with a Bulgarian club but at least the name of Bulgaria can still be heard," Stoilov said.
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(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov, editing by Ed Osmond)
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