Dimitar Mitov has described helping Aberdeen win the Scottish Cup as one of the best moments of his life, revealing the penalty secrets behind his heroics and a fan gesture that will stay with him forever.
The Bulgarian goalkeeper saved spot-kicks from Alistair Johnston and Callum McGregor in the shoot-out as the Dons ended their 30-year wait for the trophy in May 2025. Mitov, who joined St Pauli in a £450,000 deal last week, admitted he feared his save from Johnston would be ruled out for coming off his line.
Nervy wait for VAR check
Speaking in a Daily Record 'In Conversation' interview, Mitov said: "With Alistair Johnston's penalty, I went very early. I genuinely thought I had come off my line, I was panicking. It was the worst five second of my life when the ref was doing the VAR check and I saw the boys running. I was thinking, 'Oh no, this is not good'. Then when I looked back I wasn't even close. It wasn't even the emotions, it was just a relief."
He added: "You have such a pressure and mountain on your shoulders. As soon as that happened, everything was just released (when the save stood). The scenes and celebrations, there are no words to describe. If you could pack away those emotions and be able to go back and open them up here and there, then it is the best feeling in the world. I always said the best moment of my career was playing for my country but that moment was incredible."
Goalkeeping coach's crucial advice
Mitov credited Aberdeen goalkeeping coach Craig Hinchcliffe for guiding him on where to dive for the first penalty from McGregor. He said: "I walked back and Hinchy told me, 'This is your time, you are made for this'. I always make a decision where I am going to go before the penalty is taken. Hinchy told me for the first penalty (where to go)."
He explained: "We watched Callum McGregor, we knew he was going to take the first penalty. He is their best player and by far the best player in the league. He makes Celtic tick and it is because of him. I was thinking, 'If I save this penalty from their captain and leader, it is very difficult for them to come back'."
"We watched him. Every time he took a penalty in the league or Europe, he always went keeper's left. Every time it was a penalty shoot-out in a final, he went keeper's right. Hinchy spotted it and he told me, 'You need to go keeper's right'. So when I saved it, I pointed at him because he was the one who made the decision to go to the keeper's right and I trusted him."
Key save before penalties
Mitov believes his most important save came at the end of extra-time, denying Daizen Maeda. He said: "The talking point for everybody was the penalties. For me, the talking point should be Daizen Maeda's chance at the end. I did save it. By far it was the most important save of my career. Nothing comes close to it because when he came one v one with me in that moment, everything just froze, everything became really slow."
"It is crazy to say because I still get goosebumps now. That was the moment for me – when I managed to make that save, I knew we would win the Cup. The confidence in myself I had after that save... I looked ay my team-mates, they looked at me and they knew they had someone at the back that's going to save us. It is crazy to say this and it is crazy to explain but I just saw a belief in my team and I thought, 'I can't let them down'."
He added: "I have watched the final back only once. If you remember there was a deflected cross, I came and caught it and went on the ground. I was talking to myself because I knew it was going to penalties, it was done. I was talking to myself, 'This is my moment, now go and be a hero'. You can lip-read it! I needed to be there for them and the rest is history."
Fan's gesture and parade memories
The celebrations with Aberdeen fans continued from the dressing room back to the city and into the early hours. Mitov recalled a taxi driver's kindness the following morning as he headed for Pittodrie ahead of the open-top bus parade. He said: "I was speaking to the driver and he was a big Aberdeen fan. When he dropped me at the stadium, I went to pay and he said, 'No, my friend, you will never have to pay for anything in Aberdeen again'. You don't realise what you have done for the city. He made my day, he said something that is going to stay with me for the rest of my life."
Describing the parade, he said: "I thought the game was the best day of my life but that parade... Mamma Mia! When we walked into Union Street to get on the bus, I didn't know there were that many people in Aberdeen. It was a beautiful sunny day and it was just a sea of red Aberdeen fans. It was incredible."
