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Dan Petrescu

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

Former Chelsea football player Dan Petrescu with teammates after a friendly match at Stamford Bridge.

Dan Vasile Petrescu, born on December 22, 1967, is a well-known Romanian football manager and a former player. During his time as a player, he played as a full-back or winger. He started his career at Steaua București and even played in the 1989 European Cup final. Later, he played for clubs in Italy, England, and more, including Sheffield Wednesday, Chelsea, and Southampton. With Chelsea, he won the 1998 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

Petrescu also played for the Romania national team, earning 95 caps and being part of the teams in two World Cups and two European Championships.

After his playing career, Petrescu became a coach. He worked in many countries such as Poland, Russia, and China. He has won many awards as a manager, including being named Romania Coach of the Year five times. He is one of the most successful managers in Romania, having won the league six times.

Playing career

After starting with the youth teams of Steaua București, Dan Petrescu joined the main team in 1986, just one month after they won the European Cup. He later played for clubs in Italy, England, and Romania.

Petrescu played for Romania in many big tournaments. He was part of the team in the 1994 World Cup, UEFA Euro 1996, the 1998 World Cup, and Euro 2000. He scored important goals, including one against England that helped Romania win their group in the 1998 World Cup.

Managerial career

Petrescu in 2008

After retiring from playing in 2003, Petrescu became a coach. He started managing in July 2003 with a lower league team, helping them get promoted, and later took charge of another Romanian club. He then managed teams in Poland, Russia, and several other countries.

Petrescu led clubs to win important leagues and cups in Romania, Russia, and China. He helped some teams reach European competitions, where they faced strong opponents. Over the years, he managed many teams, often moving between clubs in different leagues, achieving several titles and reaching European tournament stages with his teams.

Personal life

Dan Petrescu was married to Daniela Carmen from 1992 to 2003. They had two daughters named Rebecca, born in 1994, and Beatrice Chelsea, born in 1998. He chose the name "Chelsea" for one of his daughters to honor a football club he played for. In May 2007, he married Adriana Stan, who used to be an athlete. They have a daughter named Jennifer, born in 2008.

In January 2026, there were reports that Petrescu had been diagnosed with a serious illness. Later reports said these reports were not true.

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Petrescu goal.

Managerial record

As of match updated 21 August 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Steaua București1985–86Divizia A2000–00–20
1987–88Divizia A11110–10–131
1988–89Divizia A28520–81–386
1989–90Divizia A23931–41–3011
1990–91Divizia A311332–32–3717
Total952893–164–12035
Olt Scornicești (loan)1986–87Divizia A24010–––250
Foggia1991–92Serie A25420–––274
1992–93Serie A30340–––343
Total55760–––617
Genoa1993–94Serie A24110–––251
Sheffield Wednesday1994–95Premier League2932020––333
1995–96Premier League800000––80
Total3732020––413
Chelsea1995–96Premier League2427100––313
1996–97Premier League3435021––414
1997–98Premier League31510317210438
1998–99Premier League324403060–454
1999–2000Premier League2943000151–475
Total15018201822831020724
Bradford City2000–01Premier League1711020––201
Southampton2000–01Premier League920000––92
2001–02Premier League200000––20
Total1120000––112
National București2002–03Divizia A20050–60–310
Career total433604541225071054173
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Romania198950
199081
199150
199261
199340
1994153
199560
199683
199782
1998132
199980
200090
Total9512
List of international goals scored by Dan Petrescu
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
15 December 1990Stadionul Naţional, Bucharest, Romania San Marino6–06–0UEFA Euro 1992 Qualifying
24 August 1992Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania Latvia2–02–0Friendly
325 May 1994Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania Nigeria2–02–0Friendly
426 June 1994Rose Bowl, Pasadena, United States United States1–01–0World Cup 1994 Group A
57 September 1994Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania Azerbaijan2–03–0Euro 1996 Qualifying
61 June 1996Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania Moldova1–03–1Friendly
731 August 1996Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania Lithuania2–03–0World Cup 1998 Qualifying
89 October 1996Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland Iceland4–04–0World Cup 1998 Qualifying
929 March 1997Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania Liechtenstein5–08–0World Cup 1998 Qualifying
1010 September 1997Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania Iceland2–04–0World Cup 1998 Qualifying
116 June 1998Stadionul Ilie Oană, Ploiești, Romania Moldova2–05–1Friendly
1222 June 1998Stadium Municipal, Toulouse, France England2–12–1World Cup 1998 Group G
TeamNatFromToRecord
MWDLWin %
Sportul StudențescRomania20 July 20033 December 2003221633072.73
Rapid BucureștiRomania8 December 200314 April 20047322042.86
Sportul StudențescRomania17 June 20045 December 200550211316042.00
Wisła KrakówPoland7 December 200518 September 2006231463060.87
Unirea UrziceniRomania25 September 200626 December 2009130643630049.23
Kuban KrasnodarRussia28 December 200914 August 201288412423046.59
Dynamo MoscowRussia17 August 20128 April 201455281413050.91
Al-ArabiQatar5 June 20141 December 201411353027.27
ASA Târgu MureșRomania10 June 20159 July 20151100100.00
Jiangsu SuningChina12 July 20153 June 20163615129041.67
Kuban KrasnodarRussia14 June 20164 October 201616376018.75
Al NasrUnited Arab Emirates29 October 201626 May 2017261358050.00
CFR ClujRomania10 June 20174 June 20183723104062.16
Guizhou HengfengChina7 June 201821 March 2019237412030.43
CFR ClujRomania22 March 201930 November 202090472320052.22
KayserisporTurkey11 January 202123 February 20218233025.00
CFR ClujRomania31 August 20218 June 2023103552226053.40
Jeonbuk Hyundai MotorsSouth Korea9 June 20235 April 202438151112039.47
CFR ClujRomania30 April 202422 August 202569332313047.83
Total833407221205048.86

Honours

Player
Steaua București
Chelsea
Național București
Cupa României runner-up: 2002–03
Individual
Overseas Team of the Decade – Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1993 to 2003)
Manager
Unirea Urziceni
Kuban Krasnodar
ASA Târgu Mureș
Jiangsu Suning
CFR Cluj
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Korean FA Cup runner-up: 2023
Individual
Romania Coach of the Year: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2022

Images

A soccer coach giving instructions to his team during a match.
Portrait of Dan Petrescu, a public figure.

Related articles

Romania Coach of the Year
1989 European Cup final
Romania
Liga I
CFR Cluj
Russia

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