With his transfer to the Lisbon “lions” Balakov became one of the few Bulgarian footballers who succeeded in a serious club in Western Europe without playing for the two big Bulgarian teams CSKA and Levski.
Player number ten quickly became favorite one to the fans of his new team and he immediately won a titular position in the “green-white” team. In 1991 Sporting finished third in the Portuguese Championship and the appraisals of the German press were extremely flattering. A great honor for the player from Veliko Tarnovo came in 1992 when he was declared for the best footballer of the Portuguese Super League from the “A Bola” magazine.
At that time Sporting star was the future bearer of the “Golden ball” Luis Figo. Soon after Balakov joined the Lisbon club two other Bulgarian players followed him – Ivaylo Yordanov and Boncho Genchev.
Krasimir’s best season in Portugal was in 1993/94 when the technical midfielder scored 15 goals in 29 games. The award for that good game for the Bulgarian national player and his team-mates was the final for the Cup of the country and bronze medals from the Portuguese championship.
After Balakov and all Bulgarians’ incredible summer of 1994, he was in his best which led to superb praises in the Portuguese press after each Sporting game. In spring 1995 Krasi achieved his greatest success in Portugal – the Cup for the Super Cup of the country.
That period was suitable for the Bulgarian star to take a bigger challenge. Since the summer of 1995 Balakov had already been player for the German Stuttgart which the Portuguese football friends regretted for a very long time.
Sporting (1991 - 1995)
Sporting - 1991/spring – Super League, 18 games/4 goals
Sporting - 1991/1992 - Super League, 32/7
Sporting - 1992/1993 - Super League, 32/12
Sporting - 1993/1994 - Super League, 29/15
Sporting - 1994/1995 - Super League, 27/6
