Cristian Bălgrădean

Cristian Bălgrădean

Bălgrădean with CFR Cluj in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Cristian Emanuel Bălgrădean
Date of birth	(1988-03-21) 21 March 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth	Sânnicolau Mare, Romania
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	AFC Câmpulung Muscel
Number	34
Youth career
0000–2001	Unirea Sânnicolau Mare
2001–2003	Școala de Fotbal Helmut Duckadam
2003–2006	Atletico Arad
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2007	Minerul Lupeni	16	(0)
2007–2008	FC Brașov	3	(0)
2008	Liberty Salonta	17	(0)
2009–2010	Gloria Arad
2009–2010	→ UTA Arad (loan)	27	(0)
2010–2014	Dinamo București	90	(0)
2010	→ Unirea Urziceni (loan)	4	(0)
2014–2016	Universitatea Craiova	50	(0)
2016–2018	Concordia Chiajna	68	(0)
2018–2020	FCSB	64	(0)
2020–2024	CFR Cluj	44	(0)
2024–	AFC Câmpulung Muscel	5	(0)
International career^‡
2007–2008	Romania U19	5	(0)
2011–2021	Romania	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 June 2016

Cristian Emanuel Bălgrădean (Romanian pronunciation: [kristiˈan bəlgrəˈde̯an]; born 21 March 1988) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Liga II club AFC Câmpulung Muscel.

Since making his debut in the first division in 2010, Bălgrădean has amassed over 200 matches in the competition for Dinamo București, Universitatea Craiova, FCSB, and CFR Cluj, among others. With the former team, he won the Cupa României and the Supercupa României in 2012, and with the latter the Liga I and the Supercupa României in 2021.

Bălgrădean registered his full debut for the Romania national team in November 2011, in a 3–1 friendly victory over Greece.

Club career

Bălgrădean started his career as a youngster at Helmut Duckadam football school in Arad.^[1] After the school was disbanded, he joined the junior groups of Atletico Arad. In 2005, he signed his first professional contract with Minerul Lupeni. His evolution was impressive, and he was bought by FC Brașov.^[2] In 2008, he was transferred permanently by Liberty Salonta.^[3] From the Bihor team, Bălgrădean was called to the Romania U-21 team.^[4] In 2009, he returns home to Arad, being bought by Gloria Arad,^[5] and then loaned to UTA Arad.

In June 2010 he signed a contract for five seasons with Dinamo București.^[6] He failed to gain a position in the first squad and was loaned for a season at Unirea Urziceni.^[7] In the Winter break, Bălgrădean was called back to Dinamo by Ioan Andone who decided to give him a chance in the first 11 after an injury of Emilian Dolha. He kept his position after Andone was replaced with Liviu Ciobotariu in July 2011.

Following the arrival of Dario Bonetti as head-coach, Bălgrădean initially lost his place in the first team when the Italian manager chose Kristijan Naumovski as first goalkeeper. After a while, the two players were used alternately because they both became eligible for their national teams and for a possible future transfer.^[8]

In July 2014, Bălgrădean was released by Dinamo.^[9]

On 26 August, he signed a contract with the newly promoted in Liga I, Universitatea Craiova.^[10]

On 19 February 2018, he agreed to a two-and-a-half-year deal with FCSB.^[11]

On 1 July 2020, he left FCSB to join CFR Cluj.

International career

Bălgrădean became a senior Romania international on 15 November 2011, when he played the full 90 minutes in a 3–1 friendly win against Greece.

Career statistics

Club

As of 14 December 2024^[12]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Minerul Lupeni	2006–07	Liga II	16	0	0	0	–		–		–		16	0
FC Brașov	2007–08	Liga II	3	0	0	0	–		–		–		3	0
Liberty Salonta	2008–09	Liga II	17	0	0	0	–		–		–		17	0
UTA Arad (loan)	2009–10	Liga II	27	0	0	0	–		–		–		27	0
Unirea Urziceni	2010–11	Liga I	4	0	1	0	–		–		–		5	0
Dinamo București	2010–11	Liga I	10	0	3	0	–		–		–		13	0
	2011–12		30	0	3	0	–		4	0	–		37	0
	2012–13		24	0	3	0	–		2	0	1	0	30	0
	2013–14		26	0	4	0	–		–		–		30	0
	Total		90	0	13	0	–	–	6	0	1	0	110	0
Universitatea Craiova	2014–15	Liga I	27	0	2	0	–		–		–		29	0
	2015–16		23	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		23	0
	Total		50	0	2	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	52	0
Concordia Chiajna	2015–16	Liga I	15	0	–		3	0	–		–		18	0
	2016–17		35	0	1	0	2	0	–		–		38	0
	2017–18		18	0	0	0	–		–		–		18	0
	Total		68	0	1	0	5	0	–	–	–	–	74	0
FCSB	2017–18	Liga I	10	0	1	0	–		–		–		11	0
	2018–19		34	0	0	0	–		5	0	–		39	0
	2019–20		20	0	1	0	–		2	0	–		23	0
	Total		64	0	2	0	–	–	7	0	–	–	73	0
CFR Cluj	2020–21	Liga I	26	0	0	0	–		10	0	–		36	0
	2021–22		15	0	0	0	–		6	0	–		21	0
	2022–23		3	0	1	0	–		4	0	1	0	9	0
	2023–24		0	0	0	0	–		0	0	–		0	0
	Total		44	0	1	0	–	–	20	0	1	0	66	0
AFC Câmpulung Muscel	2024–25	Liga II	5	0	–		–		–		–		5	0
Career total			388	0	20	0	5	0	33	0	2	0	448	0

International

As of 18 November 2020^[13]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Romania	2011	1	0
Total		1	0

Honours

Dinamo București

• Cupa României: 2011–12
• Supercupa României: 2012

Concordia Chiajna

• Cupa Ligii runner-up: 2015–16

CFR Cluj

• Liga I: 2020–21, 2021–22
• Supercupa României: 2020^[14]

References

1. Bogdan Savin, Marius Pitaru (2011). "Voinţa i-a mărit salariul lui "Pufi"" (in Romanian). Adevărul. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
2. Loredana Juglea (2009). "Bălgrădean e viitorul portar al Naționalei" (in Romanian). liga2.ro. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
3. Teodor Biris (2008). "Bălgrădean s-a transferat la CF Liberty" (in Romanian). bihon.ro. Archived from the original on 2 August 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
4. Glasul Aradului (2009). "Cristian Balgradean, la tineret!" (in Romanian). roportal.ro. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
5. observator.info (2009). "Gloria Arad l-a readus pe Bălgrădean de la Liberty" (in Romanian). sportlocal.ro. Retrieved 19 June 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
6. D.S. (2010). "Bălgrădean a semnat cu Dinamo" (in Romanian). aradpn.ro. Retrieved 19 June 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
7. I.G. (2010). "Vezi ultimele mutari de la Dinamo" (in Romanian). ziare.com. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
8. Eduard Apostol, Cătălin Gheorghiu (2012). "Rotaţie pentru export » Naumovski şi Bălgrădean schimbă cu rîndul mănuşile pentru un transfer din iarnă" (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
9. Adrian Ţone (2014). "Anghelache: Am reziliat contractele cu Rus şi Bălgrădean" (in Romanian). Mediafax. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
10. CS Universitatea Craiova (2014). "Bălgrădean a semnat cu Universitatea" (in Romanian). csuc.ro. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
11. "OFICIAL Bălgrădean e jucătorul lui FCSB și a uitat complet trecutul dinamovist! Prima reacție a portarului: "Asta e Steaua!"" (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
12. Cristian Bălgrădean at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
13. "Cristian Bălgrădean". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
14. "FOTO&VIDEO | CFR Cluj a câștigat Supercupa României!" [PHOTO&VIDEO | CFR Cluj won the Romanian Supercup!] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.

External links

• Cristian Bălgrădean at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
• Cristian Bălgrădean at National-Football-Teams.com
• Cristian Bălgrădean – UEFA competition record (archive)