Romario Benzar

Romario Benzar

Benzar in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Romario Sandu Benzar[1]
Date of birth	(1992-03-26) 26 March 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth	Timișoara, Romania
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Right back
Team information
Current team	Botoșani
Number	20
Youth career
2001–2008	Srbianka Giuchici Timișoara
2008–2009	LPS Banatul Timișoara
2009–2010	Gheorghe Hagi Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2017	Viitorul Constanța	200	(10)
2017–2019	FCSB	50	(1)
2019–2022	Lecce	3	(0)
2020	→ Perugia (loan)	4	(0)
2020–2021	→ Viitorul Constanța (loan)	23	(0)
2022–2023	Farul Constanța	6	(0)
2023	UTA Arad	9	(0)
2023–	Botoșani	28	(0)
International career
2008–2009	Romania U17	6	(2)
2011	Romania U19	3	(0)
2012–2014	Romania U21	10	(1)
2016–2019	Romania	19	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 July 2024

Romario Sandu Benzar (born 26 March 1992) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a right back for Liga I club Botoșani.

Club career

Viitorul Constanța

Benzar started playing football in the Gheorghe Hagi Academy and made his debut for fellow team Viitorul Constanța in 2010. He won the Liga I in 2016–17.

FCSB

On 10 August 2017, FCSB announced the signings of Benzar and his Viitorul Constanța teammate Dragoș Nedelcu for a combined €2.7 million.^[2][3] Benzar penned a five-year deal with a €10 million buyout clause.^[4]

He scored his first competitive goal with a free kick in a 2–1 league victory over Juventus București.^[5]

Lecce

On 30 June 2019, it was announced that Benzar had signed with newly promoted Serie A side Lecce for a reported fee of €2,000,000.^[6]

Loan to Perugia

On 20 January 2020, he joined Serie B club Perugia on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season, with an option to purchase.^[7]

Loan to Viitorul

On 24 September 2020 he was loaned to Viitorul.

International career

Benzar made his debut for Romania U17 on 21 September 2008, in a game against Denmark.

He was part of the team which played at the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in Romania.^[8]

In September 2016, Benzar was selected in Romania's senior squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Montenegro.^[9]

Personal life

Benzar is named after former Brazilian international Romário.^[10] His younger brother, Daniel, is also a footballer.^[11][12]

Career statistics

Club

As of 19 July 2024^[13]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Viitorul Constanța	2009–10	8	0	0	0	–		–		–		8	0
	2010–11	23	0	1	1	–		–		–		24	1
	2011–12	19	1	1	0	–		–		–		20	1
	2012–13	24	3	1	0	–		–		–		25	3
	2013–14	29	1	3	0	–		–		–		32	1
	2014–15	29	2	1	0	2	0	–		–		32	2
	2015–16	31	2	3	0	2	0	–		–		36	2
	2016–17	34	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	–		37	1
	2017–18	3	0	–		–		2	0	1[a]	0	6	0
	Total	200	10	11	1	5	0	3	0	1	0	220	11
FCSB	2017–18	19	1	0	0	–		5	0	–		24	1
	2018–19	31	0	0	0	–		5	0	–		36	0
	Total	50	1	0	0	0	0	10	0	0	0	60	1
Lecce	2019–20	3	0	1	0	–		–		–		4	0
Perugia (loan)	2019–20	4	0	0	0	–		–		–		4	0
Viitorul Constanța (loan)	2020–21	23	0	0	0	–		–		–		23	0
Farul Constanța	2022–23	6	0	1	0	–		–		–		7	0
UTA Arad	2022–23	9	0	0	0	–		–		–		9	0
Botoșani	2023–24	27	0	2	0	–		–		2[b]	0	31	0
	2024–25	1	0	0	0	–		–		–		1	0
	Total	28	0	2	0	–		–		2	0	32	0
Career total		323	11	15	1	5	0	13	0	3	0	359	12

1. Appearance in Supercupa României
2. All appearances in Liga I promotion/relegation play-offs

International

As of 18 November 2019^[14]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Romania	2016	4	0
	2017	6	0
	2018	4	0
	2019	5	0
Total		19	0

Honours

Viitorul Constanța

• Liga I: 2016–17
• Supercupa României runner-up: 2017
• Liga III: 2009–10

Farul Constanța

• Liga I: 2022–23

Individual

• Liga I Team of the Season: 2016–17, 2018–19^[15]

• Liga I Team of the Regular Season: 2018–19^[16]

• Liga I Team of the Championship play-offs: 2018–19^[17]

References

1. "European Championship 2020: Booking List before Qualifying Round Matchday 10" (PDF). UEFA. 17 November 2019. p. 6. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
2. "Bine ati venit, Dragos Nedelcu si Romario Benzar!" [Welcome, Dragoș Nedelcu and Romario Benzar!] (in Romanian). FC Steaua București. 10 August 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
3. "Becali a dezvăluit suma de transfer pentru Nedelcu și Benzar" [Becali revealed the transfer fee for Nedelcu and Benzar] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
4. "Clauze impresionante puse lui Nedelcu și Benzar" [Impressive clauses for Nedelcu and Benzar]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
5. "Juventus - FCSB 1–2" (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 19 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
6. "OFICIAL! Romario Benzar a semnat cu Lecce și a făcut prima poză în tricoul noii echipe" [OFFICIAL! Romario Benzar has signed with Lecce and has taken the first photo in the shirt of his new team] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
7. "BENVENUTO ROMARIO BENZAR!" (Press release) (in Italian). Perugia. 20 January 2020.
8. "Under-19 – Romania". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
9. "Daum names first squad as Romania coach". Reuters. 13 August 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
10. "VIDEO Caz unic în fotbalul românesc: un timişorean care simpatizează şi cu Dinamo, şi cu UTA! Benzar: "Ţin cu roş-albii, e un semn că le-am dat gol"" [VIDEO Unique case in Romanian football: a Timişoara man who likes Dinamo, and with UTA! Benzar:" I like the red-whites, it's a sign that I've gave them a goal"]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 24 October 2017.
11. "Fraţii Stelei de la Francisc şi Vasile Zavoda, la Adrian şi Sabin Ilie. Cele 8 perechi de fraţi din istoria echipei. A venit rândul lui Romario şi Daniel Benzar" [Brothers of Steaua from Francisc and Vasile Zavoda, Adrian and Sabin Ilie. The 8 pairs of brothers in the team's history. It's Romario and Daniel Benzar's turn] (in Romanian). prosport.ro. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
12. "Frații Benzar sunt a noua pereche de frați din istoria "roș-albaștrilor". Unii n-au jucat niciodată împreună. Alții au evoluat doar în câte un singur joc!" [The Benzar Brothers are the ninth pair of "red-blue" brothers. Some have never played together. Others have evolved in just one game!] (in Romanian). libertatea.ro. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
13. "R. Benzar". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
14. "Romario Benzar". European Football. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
15. "Echipa sezonului 2018/2019" [Team of the season 2018/2019] (in Romanian). LPF.ro. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
16. "Liga 1 Betano: Echipa sezonului regulat" [Liga I Betano: Team of the regular season] (in Romanian). LPF.ro. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
17. "Liga 1 Betano: echipa ideală a play-off-ului" [Liga 1 Betano: team of the championship play-offs] (in Romanian). LPF.ro. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.

External links

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