Iulian Cristea

Iulian Cristea
Cristea with FCSB in 2022
Personal information
Full name Lucian Iulian Cristea
Date of birth (1994-07-17) 17 July 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Mediaș, Romania
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Universitatea Cluj
Number 6
Youth career
2007–2013 Gaz Metan Mediaș
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2019 Gaz Metan Mediaș 109 (6)
2014 → Metalurgistul Cugir (loan)
2019–2023 FCSB 120 (8)
2023–2024 Rapid București 14 (0)
2024– Universitatea Cluj 19 (1)
International career‡
2014–2016 Romania U21 6 (0)
2019– Romania 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 June 2022

Lucian Iulian Cristea (Romanian pronunciation: [lutʃiˈan juliˈan ˈkriste̯a]; born 17 July 1994) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or a defensive midfielder for Liga I club Universitatea Cluj.

Club career

After playing over 110 matches in all competitions for his hometown club Gaz Metan Mediaș, Cristea moved to fellow Liga I team FCSB on 26 February 2019.[1] He signed a five-year contract for a €150,000 transfer fee.[2]

On 13 June 2023, after being released by FCSB, Cristea moved to cross-town rivals Rapid București on a two-year deal.[3] He terminated his agreement with Rapid București on 31 May 2024,[4] and on 5 June Universitatea Cluj announced the signing of Cristea as a free agent.[5]

International career

On 10 June 2019, Cristea made his debut for the Romania national team in a 4–0 win against Malta counting for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers.[6]

Style of play

Cristea has been described as versatile, due to his ability to play equally well as either a centre-back or a defensive midfielder, and has been noted for his aerial prowess.[7]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 December 2024[8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Gaz Metan Mediaș 2014–15 Liga I 15 0 1 0 0 0 — — 16 0
2015–16 Liga II 22 1 0 0 — — — 22 1
2016–17 Liga I 28 1 1 0 0 0 — — 29 1
2017–18 Liga I 21 1 5 0 — — — 26 1
2018–19 Liga I 23 3 1 0 — — — 24 3
Total 109 6 8 0 — — — 117 6
FCSB 2018–19 Liga I 10 1 — — — — 10 1
2019–20 Liga I 28 1 3 0 — 7 1 — 38 2
2020–21 Liga I 35 4 0 0 — 1 0 0 0 36 4
2021–22 Liga I 33 2 1 0 — 1 0 — 35 2
2022–23 Liga I 14 0 0 0 — 0 0 — 14 0
Total 120 8 4 0 — 9 1 0 0 133 9
Rapid București 2023–24 Liga I 14 0 2 1 — — — 16 1
Universitatea Cluj 2024–25 Liga I 19 1 0 0 — — — 19 1
Career total 262 15 14 1 0 0 9 1 0 0 285 17

International

As of match played 4 June 2022[9]
National team Year Apps Goals
Romania
2019 1 0
2020 2 0
2022 1 0
Total 4 0

Honours

Gaz Metan Mediaș[8]

FCSB[8]

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Bine ai venit, Iulian Cristea!" [Welcome, Iulian Cristea!] (in Romanian). FCSB. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Iulian Cristea a semnat în această seară cu FCSB! » Gigi Becali, pentru GSP.ro: "Băiatul vine de mâine la antrenament"" [Iulian Cristea signed with FCSB this evening! » Gigi Becali, for GSP.ro: "The boy is coming to training tomorrow"]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 25 February 2019.
  3. ^ "IULIAN CRISTEA ESTE NOUL FUNDAȘ AL RAPIDULUI" [IULIAN CRISTEA IS RAPID'S NEW DEFENDER] (in Romanian). FC Rapid București. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Rapid s-a despărțit de Iulian Cristea" (in Romanian). FC Rapid București. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Bun venit, Iulian Cristea!" (in Romanian). FC Universitatea Cluj. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Misiune îndeplinită pentru tricolori în Malta: victorie cu 4-0!" [Mission accomplished for "the Tricolours" in Malta: a 4–0 victory!] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  7. ^ "EXCLUSIV Echipa din străinătate care l-a dorit pe Iulian Cristea, înainte să semneze cu Rapid" [EXCLUSIVE The foreign team that wanted Iulian Cristea, before he signed for Rapid] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Iulian Cristea at Soccerway. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Iulian Cristea". European Football. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  10. ^ "LPF a anunțat echipa ideală a sezonului de Liga 1 » FCSB și CFR Cluj, reprezentate de câte 3 jucători" [LPF has chosen the "ideal team" of the Liga 1 season! Which team offers the most players] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  11. ^ "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.