Article by Tudor Belivaca – published Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 13:21 / Updated Wednesday, October 15, 2025 13:21
At the age of 62, the man known as Manchester United ceased life. The Bulgarian worker in construction, born Marin Zdravkov Lavidzhov, legally changed his name in Manchester United and became known after tattooing his beloved club emblem.
His passion for “red devils” was born after the dramatic victory in the Champions League final, when the team led by coach Alex Ferguson won the historical triple. According to The Sun, Lavidzhov fought for 15 years to legally change his name, and the wish eventually fulfilled in 2014, when it officially became Manchester Zdravkov Lavidzhov Unedent.
The decision to change his name in Manchester United was taken while he was hanging immediately after the 1999 Champions League
Mr. Manchester United / Photo: X
The decision would have been made while it was hangman, the day after the “red devils” defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 in the 1999 Champions League final, on Camp Nou. The goals of Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar S solskaer, scored in extensions, brought one of the most glorious victories in the club's history. It was a night who inspired this passionate fan to bind his name to the club he loved. Also, the supporter tattooed the coat of arms of the Manchester club on his forehead.
His fight for changing the name was documented in a 2011 Bulgarian documentary film, entitled “My Manchester United”. In the same year, with The Sun, he fulfilled his dream and visited Old Trafford.
The club has paid tribute to the legendary supporter: “We are very sorry”
“We are very sorry for this news and we send condolences to the family and his friends,” said a Manchester United spokesman, according to Sportal.Blic.rs.
Mr. United, as he was legally known, had the opportunity to visit the “Dream Theater” in 2014. He cried when he stepped into the footballers' locker room and then on the field at Old Trafford. Later, he traveled to the Sunderland stadium to watch the “red devils” in a Premier League match, which ended with a score of 1-1. For that visit, he traveled over 6,400 kilometers.
“I cannot thank the Sun enough for fulfilling my dream. To see where they walked and played the heroes of my life is the biggest thing I have ever experienced. I will keep this day forever and tell about it to my family and friends,” he said then, according to the quoted source.
Mr. Manchester United called his cat David Beckham
Mr. Manchester United's story does not end here. He named his cat after his favorite footballer of all time, David Beckham, because the club was the central point of his life. His house in Bulgaria was full of United souvenirs: posters, shirts and banners with their favorite players, including his countryman Dimitar Berbatov.
Undoubtedly, it was a moment of pride for him when Berbatov joined the club in 2008. Mr. United returned to Manchester in 2017, when he had the opportunity to meet the players-another climax in his unusual and emotional life story.
