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Pose the question to any Man United supporter from an earlier generation concerning the meaning of 26 May 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion changed them forever. It was the night when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an incredible come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the life of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who recently died at the 62 years old, changed forever.

Hopes in a Bygone Era

That supporter was given the name Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a settlement with a tight-knit community. Living in communist Bulgaria with a passion for football, he aspired to changing his name to… his beloved club. Yet, to adopt the name of a football club from the other side of the Iron Curtain was a futile endeavor. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have been arrested.

A Promise Forged in Drama

Ten years after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's personal goal edged closer to achievement. Viewing the match from his simple residence in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin vowed to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would do anything to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, the impossible happened.

A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.

The Long Legal Battle

A day later, Marin visited a lawyer to present his unique case, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was deceased, and the man in his thirties was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a construction worker on a meager daily wage. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He rapidly evolved into the subject of gossip, then gained worldwide attention, but a decade and a half full of legal battles and disheartening court decisions lay ahead.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

Marin’s wish was turned down at first for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a world-famous brand. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be named after a city in Britain, I want to bear the identity of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. The struggle continued.

His Beloved Cats

During breaks from litigation, he was often tending to his pets. He had plenty of them in his garden in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the his team. He christened them after team stars: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. The one he loved most of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.

He was often seen in full club regalia.

Breakthroughs and Principles

He achieved a further success in court: he was permitted to include United as an legal alternative on his personal papers. But still he wasn’t happy. “I will continue until my entire name is as I desire,” he declared. His narrative resulted in financial opportunities – a chance to have supporters' goods made using his identity – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he did not want to profit from his favourite club. The team's title was sacred to him.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A film was made in 2011. The filmmakers fulfilled his wish of visiting Old Trafford and there he even encountered Dimitar Berbatov, the national team player playing for United at the time.

Marin tattooed the club badge on his forehead three years later as a protest against the court decisions and in his final years it became increasingly hard for him to continue his legal battle. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But against the odds, he persevered. Born as a Catholic, he was christened in an orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my chosen name,” he often stated.

On a recent Monday, his time ran out. It is possible that Manchester United’s restless soul could finally find peace.