Paulina Petrova: Stiliyan Petrov's Wife and Family

Paulina Petrova is the wife of Stiliyan Petrov, the former Aston Villa captain and Bulgaria's most-capped player. The couple live near Birmingham and have two sons, and Petrov has said publicly that she was with him throughout his treatment for acute leukaemia, which was diagnosed in March 2012. She keeps a low public profile, so a lot of what circulates about her online (her age, her studies, her job, her wealth) is not backed by any reliable source. This article sticks to what Stiliyan, the clubs and reputable outlets have actually said, and tells you plainly where nothing has been published.

Who is Paulina Petrova?

Paulina Petrova is known mainly through her husband, who is from Montana in north-west Bulgaria. They are married: Stiliyan has called her his wife in his own Instagram posts, including a birthday message that reads "I have been fortunate enough to marry this special someone". She is also a trustee of the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation, the charity the couple's family set up after his illness.

The post above comes from Stiliyan's own account (@stanpetrov19) and was written for Paulina's birthday. In another post from his account he wished her a happy anniversary and wrote about "19 years" of smiles, ups and downs, calling the two of them "soul mates". The post is undated on the embed, so we do not use it to date the wedding.

How did Stiliyan and Paulina meet?

We could not find a first-hand account, from either of them or from a reputable outlet, of how they met or when they married. Earlier versions of this article gave a nightclub meeting and a private 2001 wedding in Bulgaria; we have removed both because we could not source them. What the record does show is that she was at his side during his illness in 2012.

Stiliyan Petrov's leukaemia and Paulina's role

Petrov was diagnosed with acute leukaemia on 30 March 2012, while he was Aston Villa's captain; the diagnosis followed a fever after Villa's 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, according to English Wikipedia's account of the period. He announced on 2 August 2012 that the illness was in remission, and on 9 May 2013 he announced his retirement from playing, taking a lap of honour at Villa Park on the final day of the 2012/13 season. Earlier versions of this article said he retired in 2016; that was wrong, and the 2016 date refers only to a short comeback attempt in training (see the timeline below).

In an interview with the Sunday Mail in July 2013, reported by Novinite, Petrov said Paulina had been "beside me every minute of every day" and that he owes her everything. He also said she researched it all and was in constant dialogue with the medical staff. That is the extent of what is on the record about her part in his treatment: we have not included details of his medical care beyond what he has said publicly.

Paulina Petrova bio: age, family, education and career

• Age and birthday: not published by a reliable outlet. Stiliyan posted a "40th birthday" message for her on his Instagram, but the post is not dated on the embed, so we do not derive a birth year from it. Sites that give an exact date and zodiac sign for her do not cite a source.
• Nationality: not stated by a reliable outlet.
• Parents and siblings: nothing public.
• Education: nothing public. An earlier claim that she studied interior design at the University of Sofia was a guess and has been removed.
• Work: we could not confirm a business or job for her from a reputable outlet, so we do not describe one.
• Net worth: no reliable figure exists. Earlier estimates on this page were not sourced and have been removed.

Above is Stiliyan's Instagram post for her 40th birthday, in which he calls her his "rock and partner in crime". It is a good example of how the family shows itself in public: through his account rather than hers.

Paulina and Stiliyan Petrov's children

The couple have two sons, Kristiyan and Stiliyan Jr., named by Petrov himself in the 2013 Sunday Mail interview reported by Novinite. Their birth years are not something the family has published, so we do not give them. Read Aston Villa described Petrov in May 2026 as still living near Birmingham. We have left out family photos that show the boys' faces.

The Stiliyan Petrov Foundation

After his diagnosis the family set up the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation to support medical research and children and families affected by serious illness. The Charity Commission register shows a trust deed dated 6 August 2013 and lists both Stiliyan and Paulina Petrova among its trustees from 23 September 2013.

The foundation has kept working into the 2020s. BTA reported in January 2024 that it had donated medical equipment worth more than half a million leva to hospitals in Bulgaria, money raised at a "Match of Hope" in Sofia on 6 September 2023. On 6 June 2026 BTA covered another "Match of Hope", at the Lazur stadium in Burgas, which Petrov initiated. A Bulgaria side lost 3-4 to an international All Stars team, part of the proceeds were earmarked for medical treatment for former footballers Lyuboslav Penev and Petar Hubchev, and a symbolic cheque for 40,000 euros from the Natsionali '94 Foundation was presented to Petrov's foundation before the match.

Who is Stiliyan Petrov? Career timeline

• 5 July 1979: born in Montana, Bulgaria (age 47 as of November 2026).
• 1995 to 1996: FC Montana.
• 1996 to 1999: CSKA Sofia; Bulgarian league title in 1997, Bulgarian Cup in 1997 and 1999.
• 24 December 1998: Bulgaria debut as a substitute against Morocco.
• 1999 to 2006: Celtic, signed for a reported 2.8 million pounds; four league titles, three Scottish Cups and three League Cups, and Celtic Player of the Year in 2004/05. He also reached the 2003 UEFA Cup final with Celtic.
• 2004: captained Bulgaria at Euro 2004, where he was sent off against Denmark.
• 30 August 2006: joined Aston Villa from Celtic, reuniting with Martin O'Neill.
• Summer 2009: became Villa captain.
• 26 March 2011: won his 100th cap in a 0-0 draw with Switzerland; he finished with 105 caps and 8 goals, Bulgaria's record for appearances, according to English Wikipedia.
• 30 March 2012: diagnosed with acute leukaemia.
• 2 August 2012: announced remission.
• 9 May 2013: announced retirement; inducted into the Aston Villa Hall of Fame the same year.
• May 2013 onwards: coaching roles at Villa, with a break from August 2013 to focus on his family and a return to the first-team backroom staff in March 2015.
• 9 July 2016: played in an 8-0 friendly win over GAK while training with Villa; he was not offered a playing contract.
• By 2020: had completed his UEFA Pro coaching licence and a master's degree in sports management.

Above, a post from Stiliyan's account about an evening at a James Milner Foundation charity ball, one of the charity events he has attended.

What is Stiliyan Petrov doing in 2026?

He works as a pundit for Sky Sports and TNT Sports on Celtic games, according to English Wikipedia, and runs the foundation with his wife. Ahead of Aston Villa's Europa League final in May 2026, he told the club's official website, as quoted by Read Aston Villa, that Unai Emery's team could play and that the match would mean everything to supporters. Villa went on to win the trophy 3-0 against Freiburg on 20 May 2026. We found no current head coaching job for him as of November 2026.

Paulina Petrova on Instagram

Stiliyan's account is @stanpetrov19. He tags Paulina as @paulinapetrov, which is her account. We could not check from outside whether it is public, so we do not quote follower numbers, and we do not embed photos from it. She is not a regular presence in interviews that we could find; most of what is known comes through her husband.

If you want a similar profile of a Bulgarian football partner, read about Elena Shtilyanova, Dimitar Berbatov's partner, whose partner Berbatov was Bulgaria's captain before Petrov took the armband again after 2010.

Quick facts

• Husband: Stiliyan Petrov, born 5 July 1979, Montana, Bulgaria.
• Children: two sons, Kristiyan and Stiliyan Jr.
• Home: near Birmingham, England.
• Role in charity: trustee of the Stiliyan Petrov Foundation since 23 September 2013.
• Illness: Stiliyan was diagnosed with acute leukaemia in March 2012 and announced remission on 2 August 2012.
• Not public: her birth date, parents, education and job.

FAQ

Who is Stiliyan Petrov's wife? Paulina Petrova, who has been married to the former Aston Villa and Celtic midfielder for many years. The exact date of the wedding has not been published by a reliable source.

How old is Paulina Petrova? Her age has not been published by a reliable outlet. Stiliyan marked her 40th birthday on Instagram, but the post is not dated on the embed, so we do not state a year.

Are Stiliyan Petrov and Paulina still together? As far as is publicly known, yes: no separation has been reported, and both are trustees of the same foundation, which was still active in June 2026.

Does Stiliyan Petrov have children? Yes, two sons, Kristiyan and Stiliyan Jr. Their ages and birth dates are private.

Did Stiliyan Petrov beat leukaemia? He announced remission on 2 August 2012 and has been active in football and charity work since. For anything about his current health, rely on what he says himself.

What does Paulina Petrova do for a living? We could not confirm any job or company for her from a reputable source. She is a trustee of her husband's foundation.

Why did Stiliyan Petrov retire? He announced his retirement on 9 May 2013 after treatment for leukaemia.