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Adrian Popescu

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Adrian Popescu
Personal information
Full name Adrian Mihai Popescu
Date of birth (1960-07-26) 26 July 1960 (age 65)
Place of birth Craiova, Romania
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position Right-back
Youth career
1970–1980 Universitatea Craiova
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980–1992 Universitatea Craiova 236 (18)
1992–1995 Locarno
1995 Universitatea Craiova 7 (0)
1996–1997 Electroputere Craiova 14 (0)
1997–1998 Constructorul Craiova
1998–1999 Politehnica Iași 13 (2)
Total 270 (20)
International career
1990–1992 Romania 7 (1)
Managerial career
1999 Universitatea Craiova (assistant)
2014–2016 Universitatea Craiova (assistant)
2016 Concordia Chiajna (assistant)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Adrian Mihai Popescu (born 26 July 1960) is a former Romanian footballer who played as a right-back.

Club career

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Popescu was born on 26 July 1960 in Craiova, Romania and began playing junior-level football at local club Universitatea.[1][2] He made his Divizia A debut on 14 March 1981 under coach Ion Oblemenco in a 2–1 away loss to Jiul Petroșani.[1][3] That was his only appearance during that season, as the club won The Double.[1][3][4][5] Subsequently, he helped the club win the 1982–83 Cupa României, as coach Constantin Oțet sent him in the 63rd minute to replace Ion Geolgău in the 2–1 win over Politehnica Timișoara in the final.[2][6]

Popescu was a member of the "Craiova Maxima" generation and made 21 appearances with one goal for "U" Craiova in European competitions.[1][2][7] Notably, he played in a 3–0 win over AS Monaco in the second leg of the first round of the 1985–86 European Cup Winners' Cup, after losing the first leg 2–0.[1][8] However, they were eliminated in the following round by the eventual winners of the competition, Dynamo Kyiv.[1][8] Popescu won another Double with Universitatea in the 1990–91 season, playing 29 league games and scoring once, while serving as the team's captain under coach Sorin Cârțu.[1][2][3][7] He also played the entire match in the 2–1 victory against FC Bacău in the Cupa României final.[1][2][9]

In 1992, Popescu joined Swiss club Locarno.[1][2][10][11] Three years later, he returned to Romania to make a comeback with Universitatea Craiova.[1][2][10] He made his last Divizia A appearance on 21 October 1995 in a 1–0 win over AS Bacău, totaling 301 matches with 18 goals in the competition, all of them for Universitatea.[1][2] Afterwards, Popescu went to play in Divizia B for Electroputere Craiova.[1][2][10] In the 1997–98 season, he played for fourth tier club Constructorul Craiova, helping them achieve promotion to Divizia C at the end of the season.[1][2][10] Popescu played during the 1998–99 Divizia B season for Politehnica Iași, retiring afterwards.[1][2][10]

International career

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Popescu played seven matches and scored once for Romania, making his debut on 21 May 1990, when coach Emerich Jenei sent him in the 72nd minute to replace Mircea Rednic in a 1–0 friendly victory against Egypt.[12][13] He was selected by Jenei to be part of the 1990 World Cup squad, as Miodrag Belodedici, Ștefan Iovan and Dan Petrescu were unavailable, but did not play in a single game there.[12][2][7][14] Subsequently, he played two matches in the Euro 1992 qualifiers, a 1–0 win over Switzerland and a 1–1 draw against Bulgaria, scoring once against the latter.[12] His last appearance for the national team took place on 12 February 1992 in a 1–0 friendly loss to Greece.[12]

Coaching career

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After ending his playing career, Popescu worked on several occasions as an assistant coach to Emil Săndoi, starting in 1999 at Universitatea Craiova. Subsequently, they worked together from 2014 to 2016 at Universitatea Craiova and in 2016 at Concordia Chiajna.[2][7][15]

Personal life

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In 2003, Popescu received the Honorary Citizen of Craiova title.[16]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[12]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Romania 199010
199151
199210
Total71
Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Popescu goal.
List of international goals scored by Adrian Popescu[12]
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
120 November 1991Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria Bulgaria1–01–1Euro 1992 qualifiers

Honours

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Universitatea Craiova

Constructorul Craiova

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Adrian Popescu at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Interviu cu un fost fotbalist al "Craiovei Maxima": "Bergodi? Nouă ne trebuia un oltean. Sau Hagi!"" [Interview with a former "Craiova Maxima" footballer: "Bergodi? We needed an Oltenian. Or Hagi!"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Adrian Popescu at National-Football-Teams.com
  5. ↑ "Romanian Cup – Season 1980–1981". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Romanian Cup – Season 1982–1983". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Căpitanul Universității Craiova a ajuns să muncească la Sala Polivalentă din Bănie. Ce s-a ales de fostul fotbalist care a împărțit vestiarul cu greii din "Craiova Maxima": "Să mai câștige titlul când voi fi eu acolo". EXCLUSIV" [The Universitatea Craiova captain has ended up working at the Bănie Multipurpose Hall. What became of the former footballer who shared the dressing room with the legends of "Craiova Maxima": "Let them win the title when I'm there." EXCLUSIVE] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 "După 39 de ani, Universitatea Craiova încearcă o altă remontada europeană de la 0-2. Cine a fost eroul din 1985 al oltenilor" [After 39 years, Universitatea Craiova is trying another European comeback from 0-2. Who was the 1985 hero of the Oltenians] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
    "Francezii nu au uitat că Universitatea Craiova i-a făcut de rușine! France Football şi-a adus aminte de oltenii care o umileau pe AS Monaco! Video" [The French have not forgotten that Universitatea Craiova put them to shame! France Football remembered the Oltenians who humiliated AS Monaco! Video] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 7 November 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
    "Adrian Popescu. Cup Winners Cup 1985/1986". WorldFootball. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Romanian Cup – Season 1990–1991". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Adrian Popescu!" (in Romanian). Ucv1948.ro. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "La mulți ani, Adrian Popescu!" [Happy Birthday, Adrian Popescu!] (in Romanian). Ucv1948.ro. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Adrian Popescu". European Football. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Romania 1-0 Egypt". European Football. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Căpitanul Craiovei din anul ultimului titlu, Adrian Popescu: "Trebuie să facem totul pentru a lua campionatul, ar fi o super-sărbătoare în Bănie"" [Adrian Popescu, the captain of the Craiova team that won the last title: "We must do everything to win the championship; it would be a massive celebration in Bănie."] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Fotbal – Adrian Popescu: Performanțele din trecut se pot repeta în curând!" [Football – Adrian Popescu: Past achievements could soon be repeated!] (in Romanian). Gds.ro. 23 January 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
    "Adrian Popescu, la ceas aniversar" [Adrian Popescu – Marking a Milestone] (in Romanian). Gds.ro. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
    "Săndoi, OUT de la Chiajna. Lăcătuș și Ganea, primii pe lista ilfovenilor" [Săndoi out at Chiajna; Lăcătuș and Ganea top the Ilfov club's list.] (in Romanian). Digisport.ro. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
    "Adrian Popescu: In joc era onoarea noastra" [Adrian Popescu: Our honor was at stake] (in Romanian). Romaniansoccer.ro. 18 May 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Cetățeni de onoare ai Craiovei" [Honorary citizens of Craiova] (in Romanian). Primariacraiova.ro. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
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