Berbatov: My love for Tottenham will be here forever

Dimitar Berbatov has reflected on his two seasons at Tottenham Hotspur, 20 years after scoring his first goal for the club, saying his affection for Spurs has never faded.

The Bulgarian striker joined from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2006 and went on to form a prolific partnership with Robbie Keane, the pair combining for 90 goals in all competitions across two seasons under manager Martin Jol.

"That's why my love and respect for the club will be forever here," Berbatov said during a recent visit to Hotspur Way, where he met head coach Roberto De Zerbi and watched the squad train alongside former team-mate Edgar Davids. "You gave me the opportunity to show what I can do in the English Premier League. We won a trophy. We entertained on the pitch. We scored goals all the time."

Berbatov singled out his penalty against Petr Cech in the 2008 League Cup Final against Chelsea — which levelled the match at 1-1 — as his standout moment in a Spurs shirt. "Not only because we won the trophy, but in that moment, the pressure of me scoring was unbelievable," he said. "Petr Cech is in front of me and behind him, our fans. Everybody was holding their breath."

The former striker attributed his success at the club to a consistent personal philosophy. "I stayed true to myself. When everybody was running around, going crazy, stay calm. In the eye of the storm, stay calm," he said.

Now 45, Berbatov said he is running a foundation supporting young football talent in Bulgaria for the past 20 years and has business interests outside the game. He also left the door open to a coaching role, specifically as a striker coach. "I think the individual work with strikers, defenders and midfielders is very important in modern football," he said. "The small details make a whole lot of a difference."