đ Share this article I Am Called Man Utd: This Superfan Who Struggled to Change His Identity Pose the question to any Manchester United devotee of a certain age regarding the importance of 26 May 1999, and the answer will be that the date changed them forever. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar SolskjĂŚr secured an incredible come-from-behind victory in the European Cup final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the world of one United fan in Bulgaria, who has died at the 62 years old, took a new direction. Hopes in a Bygone Era The fan in question was given the name Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in Svishtov, a settlement with a population of 22,000. Growing up in the former Eastern Bloc with a passion for football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to⌠the Red Devils. Yet, to claim the name of a organization from the Western world was a futile endeavor. Had Marin tried to do so during the socialist era, he would likely have ended up in jail. A Promise Forged in Drama A decade after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria â on that night in May 1999 â Marin's personal goal edged closer to fulfillment. Watching the final from his modest home in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to change his name that of the team he adored. Then, against all odds, it transpired. He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams. A Protracted Court Struggle The next day, Marin visited a lawyer to state his extraordinary desire, thus initiating a difficult fight. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had gained his fandom, was long gone, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on a meager daily wage. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his dream became an obsession. He quickly turned into the subject of gossip, then became an international sensation, but many seasons full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation lay ahead. Legal Obstacles and Small Wins The application was turned down at first for trademark concerns: he could not change his name of a world-famous brand. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was could not adopt United as his family name. âBut I donât want to be named after a city in England, I want to bear the identity of my cherished club,â Marin informed the judge. The battle persisted. His Beloved Cats During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his back yard in Svishtov and loved them as much as the Manchester United. He christened them after club legends: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of his close friends' nickname for him? One named after David Beckham. He was often seen in full club regalia. Progress and Integrity He achieved a further success in court: he was permitted to include the club name as an recognized alias on his personal papers. But this did not satisfy him. âI wonât stop until my full name is as I desire,â he vowed. His narrative resulted in financial opportunities â a chance to have club products branded with his legal name â but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The Manchester United name was sacred to him. Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols His story was captured in 2011. The production team made his aspiration come true of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even met his compatriot, the national team player then at the club at the time. Permanently marked the club badge on his brow three years later as a demonstration against the judicial outcomes and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher for him to persist with his fight. Job opportunities were scarce and he suffered the death of his mother to the virus. But against the odds, he persevered. Originally of Catholic faith, he got baptised in an orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. âIn the eyes of the divine, I am with my real name,â he often stated. On a recent Monday, his heart stopped beating. Maybe at last the club's restless soul could at last be at rest.