Villyan Bijev joined Coach Cameron Shahrokhi’s staff in 2024.
An elite player, Bijev played professionally for over 12 years at the highest levels across five countries, including England, Germany, Norway, Bulgaria, and the United States. A dual national of the U.S. and Bulgaria, Bijev began his professional journey when he signed with Kenny Dalglish’s Liverpool FC at age 18, training with the club’s U-23 academy and gaining valuable experience in one of the world’s most competitive football environments.
Throughout his career, Bijev played in top divisions across Europe and North America, bringing a global perspective to the game and learning from elite coaches and training systems. His international career also includes stints with Bundesliga side Fortuna Düsseldorf as well as Slavia Sofia, Cherno More Varna, and Sacramento Republic FC, where he earned USL All-League honors.
Bijev holds a USSF B-License and brings a player first philosophy to his coaching. Known for his tactical intelligence, technical ability, and professionalism, Villyan now channels his experience into coaching the next generation of players. His approach emphasizes not only skill development and game understanding but also the mental and emotional growth needed to succeed at all levels of the game. His player development is grounded in a passion for helping athletes reach their full potential on and off the field.
In his first season as Assistant Coach at FPU, Villyan helped lead the Sunbirds to the PacWest Tournament championship game. Bijev has championship pedigree as well from his time as Shahrokhi's' Assistant Coach at Clovis North High School, helping lead the Broncos to back-to-back section championships.
