Unbelievable: they held a minute of silence for an idol who was still alive

European soccer experienced a surreal episode when Arda Kardzhali, a team where Petko Ganchev left his mark in the past, mistakenly announced his death and dedicated a minute of silence to him before their match against Levski Sofia. However, the veteran Bulgarian forward was alive and had to come out to deny the news. His reaction did not go unnoticed: "When I heard the terrible news, I poured myself a bit of brandy".

The incident occurred last weekend, when the players of both teams gathered in the center circle of Arena Arda stadium to pay tribute to the supposed death of the 78-year-old former forward. The club, currently fifth in Bulgaria's first division, had received incorrect information and decided to pay tribute before the start of the match.

While the ceremony was taking place in the stadium, Ganchev was driving home to Kolarovo, a small village in southern Bulgaria, intending to watch the match on television. His phone kept ringing, but since he was driving, he couldn't answer immediately.

"I never miss Arda's matches on television. Now against Levski I arrived about ten minutes late because I had work. While driving home, my phone started ringing a lot. But I was driving. I parked in front of the house, entered the yard, and my wife greeted me in tears", he began his story.

Upon entering his home, he found his wife, Nadya, who received him visibly affected. "She shouted: 'Petko, Petko, they announced on television that you're dead'", the former footballer recounted.

The news took him completely by surprise and he soon received confirmation of what happened from friends and acquaintances. Among them was Stoyan Iliev, a former teammate, who was in the stadium and stood up to bid him farewell. Upon learning that it was all a mistake, Iliev expressed his bewilderment by stating that he didn't know "whether to laugh or cry". Ganchev's response was clear: "You can do both".

Arda Kardzhali quickly acknowledged their mistake and issued a statement offering apologies. "The management of PFC Arda wants to express its sincerest apologies to former Arda footballer Petko Ganchev and his family after the club received incorrect information about his death. We wish Petko Ganchev many more years of health and to enjoy Arda's successes", the institution stated.

Far from being upset, the former player decided to take the situation with humor and relax with a glass of brandy while attending calls and messages from friends and journalists. "Sometimes things like this happen", he commented in an interview with the BLITZ agency. "It wasn't a pleasant moment, but in the end, we have to be positive", he added.

Meanwhile, Arda Kardzhali continues to fight for a place in European competitions. In the match in question, the team drew 1-1 against Levski Sofia, a result that allows them to remain in the championship zone. Next weekend they will face Beroe, their classic rival.

Meanwhile, Ganchev continues to enjoy soccer and his retirement in peace, although this unusual episode left him with an unforgettable anecdote. "Being buried alive is quite stressful", he joked.

Other similar cases:

The unusual episode went viral on social media, where fans reacted with astonishment and humor, and remembered similar cases that occurred in soccer. One of these was the English club Bishop Auckland in 2009, which held a minute of silence in honor of their former player Tommy Farrer, who was actually still alive and had simply gone out to buy the newspaper.

Something similar happened in 1993, when Fred Cope, a fan of Congleton Town, interrupted the preparations for his own tribute after learning that the club had mistakenly announced his death.