At the end of 1999 the national coach Dimitar Dimitrov was offered to train Levski and he accepted it immediately. We were at a restaurant with Ivan Vutsov, Dimitrov and Stefan Danailov. We tried to persuade him not to go, but he rejected our efforts. Vutsov offered that I became the new coach. I had worked in the youth national team and took many of my players in the first team. I was not afraid at all, as it was a dream to be the national coach. I established the core team which qualified for Euro 2004. In Portugal .I would very much like Stoichkov to be a part of my team, but it just did not happen. My first game was on a tournament in Chile, where we finished second. Just before the start of the qualifications I had a hard decisision to take. . Our last friendly game was the 1:3 loss against Belgium in Sofia. I decided not take such players as Ivailo Iordanov, Daniel Borimirov, Stanimir Stoilov and Ilian Iliev. I will never forget how I called Vutsov, who was in Tryavna at that time. He supported me fully in my decision and I bear the whole responsibility for my actions. Up to this day I consider my decision to have been the right one.“
Mladenov’s team played exceptionally good in the qualifications. Before the last two matches with Denmark in Sofia and with the Czech Republic in Prague, our team was first in the table. It was pouring with rain at the day of the match with Denmark. They scored and we missed a lot of opportunities. In the last seconds of the match Denmark scored their second goal and we lost 0:2. Our dream to play in the World Cup had been taken away. We went to Czech Republic with the only thought of winning the game, but a catastrophe happened. The youth team lost 8:0 , and we suffered a 6:0 defeat.. We beliedved we would succeed, but strange things happened. I have my explanation, but do not want to speak in public. My contract with the national team ended and so I left the team.“