View source for Daniel Prodan

{{Short description|Romanian footballer (1972–2016)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{infobox football biography
| name = Daniel Prodan
| image = Daniel Prodan 1994.jpg
| upright = 1.3
| caption = Prodan with [[Romania national football team|Romania]] at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994 World Cup]]
| fullname = Daniel Claudiu Prodan
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1972|3|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Satu Mare]], Romania
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|11|16|1972|3|23|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Voluntari]], Romania
| height = 1.88 m
| position = [[Centre-back]]
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–1991
| youthclubs1 = [[FC Olimpia Satu Mare|Olimpia Satu Mare]]
| years1 = 1991–1992
| years2 = 1992–1996
| years3 = 1997–1998
| years4 = 1998–2001
| years5 = 2000
| years6 = 2000
| years7 = 2001–2003
| years8 = 2002
| clubs1 = [[FC Olimpia Satu Mare|Olimpia Satu Mare]]
| clubs2 = [[FCSB|Steaua București]]
| clubs3 = [[Atlético Madrid]]
| clubs4 = [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
| clubs5 = → [[FCSB|Steaua București]] (loan)
| clubs6 = → [[AFC Rocar București|Rocar București]] (loan)
| clubs7 = [[FC Progresul București|Naţional București]]
| clubs8 = → [[A.C.R. Messina|Messina]] (loan)
| caps1 = 43
| caps2 = 121
| caps3 = 34
| caps4 = 0
| caps5 = 1
| caps6 = 15
| caps7 = 12
| caps8 = 5
| totalcaps = 231
| goals1 = 3
| goals2 = 10
| goals3 = 4
| goals4 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| goals6 = 3
| goals7 = 0
| goals8 = 1
| totalgoals = 21
| nationalyears1 = 1992–1993
| nationalyears2 = 1993–2002
| nationalteam1 = [[Romania national under-21 football team|Romania U21]]
| nationalteam2 = [[Romania national football team|Romania]]
| nationalcaps1 = 10
| nationalcaps2 = 54
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| manageryears1 = 2006
| managerclubs1 = [[Romania national under-21 football team|Romania U21]]
}}

'''Daniel''' "'''Didi'''" '''Claudiu''' '''Prodan''' (23 March 1972 – 16 November 2016) was a Romanian professional [[association football|footballer]] who played mainly as a [[centre-back]].

In a career marred by injuries, he played mainly for [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]] and represented the [[Romania national football team|Romania national team]] in one [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] and one [[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]].

==Club career==
Born in [[Satu Mare]], Prodan came to prominence with national giants [[FC Steaua București]], having signed in late 1992 from his hometown side [[FC Olimpia Satu Mare]]. With the [[Bucharest|capital]] club, he won five consecutive [[Liga I]] titles, almost always featuring as a starter; his debut in the league came on 8 November in a 3–1 win at [[SSC Farul Constanța|FC Farul Constanța]], aged 20.<ref name=ADEVARUL>[http://adevarul.ro/locale/satu-mare/daniel-prodan-golulde-aur-palmares-cinci-titluri-cupa-romaniei-steaua-1_51b562f4c7b855ff5676e984/index.html Daniel Prodan şi "golul de aur". Are în palmares cinci titluri şi o Cupă a României cu Steaua (Daniel Prodan and the "golden goal". He also won five titles and one Romanian Cup with Steaua)]; [[Adevărul]], 10 June 2013 (in Romanian)</ref>

In January 1997, Prodan moved to Spain with [[Atlético Madrid]].<ref>[http://elpais.com/diario/1996/12/23/deportes/851295601_850215.html El rumano Prodan confirma su fichaje (Romanian Prodan confirms his signing)]; [[El País]], 23 December 1996 (in Spanish)</ref> He scored four [[La Liga]] goals in only half a season in [[1996–97 La Liga|1996–97]] (17 matches), and appeared in the same number of games in [[1997–98 La Liga|the next]].<ref name=ADEVARUL/> However, it was noted that his disciplinary record was poor, including two red cards.<ref name="Herald 26Sep1998">{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12336698.I_made_a_mistake___Hillis/ |title=I made a mistake – Hillis |work=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] |date=26 September 1998|access-date=6 November 2019}}</ref>

In the summer of 1998, Prodan joined [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] (a club against which he had scored a memorable goal for Steaua in the [[UEFA Champions League]] in 1995)<ref name=tragic>[https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/rangers/in-full/stephen-halliday-the-tragic-death-of-daniel-prodan-1-4292780 Stephen Halliday: The tragic death of Daniel Prodan], the Scotsman, 18 November 2016</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klueXDO9mjI Gol Prodan, in Steaua-Glasgow Rangers 1-0 (1995)]</ref> for [[Pound sterling|£]]2.2 million, but made no first-team appearances in two-and-a-half years in Scotland due to a serious [[knee]] injury, which he sustained whilst with the ''Colchoneros''.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/1068805.stm Prodan pleads for Ibrox debut]; [[BBC Sport]], 13 December 2000</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/1149030.stm Rangers release Prodan]; BBC Sport, 1 February 2001</ref> Rangers' doctor, [[Stewart Hillis]], later revealed that no medical had been conducted, and the transfer was rushed to completion on the strength of falsified documents;<ref>[http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/more-scottish-football/scotland-doctor-professor-stewart-hillis-has-spent-40-years-in-the-game-but-knows-he-will-always-be-remembered-for-daniel-prodan-s-transfer-1.1043322 Scotland doctor Professor Stewart Hillis has spent 40 years in the game, but knows he will always be remembered for Daniel Prodan's transfer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005062007/http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/more-scottish-football/scotland-doctor-professor-stewart-hillis-has-spent-40-years-in-the-game-but-knows-he-will-always-be-remembered-for-daniel-prodan-s-transfer-1.1043322 |date=5 October 2012 }}; [[The Herald (Glasgow)|Herald Scotland]], 23 July 2010</ref> the [[Glasgow]] club threatened to sue Atlético Madrid, but backed down and released the player in January 2001.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/aug/17/theknowledge.sport The longest wait for a new signing's debut]; [[The Guardian]], 17 August 2005</ref>

During the last five years of his career – Rangers included – Prodan only appeared in 33 matches combined while representing four teams, retiring at the age of 31 with [[FC Progresul București|Naţional București]].

==International career==
Prodan won 54 [[Cap (sport)|caps]] for [[Romania national football team|Romania]] between 1993 and 2001,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/prodan-intl.html|title=Daniel Claudiu Prodan – International Appearances|publisher=[[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|RSSSF]]|access-date=5 January 2013}}</ref> and was in the squads for the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]] (playing every minute at the tournament as the team reached the quarter-finals)<ref>{{FIFA player|77468}}</ref> and [[UEFA Euro 1996]]. His only international goal arrived on 12 November 1994, as he contributed with the winner in a 3–2 victory against [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]] for the [[UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying|latter competition's qualifiers]] in [[Bucharest]],<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/50567--romania-vs-slovakia/ Romania 3–2 Slovakia]; UEFA, 12 November 1994</ref> with the points helping Romania qualify for the finals.<ref name=ADEVARUL/>

==Career statistics==
===International===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name="eu-football">{{Cite web |url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=17063 |title="Daniel Prodan – eu-football.info" |access-date=1 November 2024}}</ref>
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="10"|[[Romania national football team|Romania]]
|1993||5||0
|-
|1994||17||1
|-
|1995||6||0
|-
|1996||9||0
|-
|1997||7||0
|-
|1998||2||0
|-
|1999||0||0
|-
|2000||3||0
|-
|2001||5||0
|-
|2002||0||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!54!!1
|}

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Prodan goal''.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Dorinel Munteanu
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || 12 November 1994 || [[Stadionul Steaua (1974)|Stadionul Steaua]], [[Bucharest]], Romania || {{Fb|SVK}} || align="center"|3–2 || align="center"|3–2|| [[UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying#Group 1|UEFA Euro 1996 Qualifying]]
|}

==Personal life==
Prodan's younger brother, [[Ciprian Prodan|Ciprian]], was also a footballer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.informatia-zilei.ro/sm/fratii-prodan-isi-comemoreaza-tatal-cu-un-turneu-de-fotbal/|title=Fraţii Prodan îşi comemorează tatăl cu un turneu de fotbal|trans-title=The Prodan brothers commemorate their father with a football tournament|publisher=[[Informația Zilei]]|language=Romanian|date=26 October 2012|access-date=13 June 2016}}</ref> On 16 November 2016, Daniel died of a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] at the age of 44.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digisport.ro/Sport/SPECIAL/Veste-tragica-pentru-fotbalul-romanesc-Didi-Prodan-a-decedat|title=Veste tragică pentru fotbalul românesc. Didi Prodan a decedat la numai 44 de ani, după un infarct|trans-title=Tragic news for Romanian football. Didi Prodan died at only 44 years after a heart attack|publisher=[[Digi Sport (Romania)|Digi Sport]]|language=Romanian|date=16 November 2016|access-date=16 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38010896|title=Rangers signing who never played for first team dies, aged 44|publisher=BBC Sport|date=17 November 2016|access-date=17 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=tragic/> The stadium from [[Satu Mare]] known as ''Stadionul Olimpia'' was renamed in February 2017 as [[Stadionul Daniel Prodan]] in his honor.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://liga2.prosport.ro/seria-1/diverse/stadionul-din-satu-mare-se-va-numi-daniel-prodan-decizia-a-fost-luata-cu-unanimitate-de-voturi-16172949 | title=Stadionul din Satu Mare se va numi Daniel Prodan. Decizia a fost luată cu unanimitate de voturi| publisher=Liga2.prosport.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=The stadium in Satu Mare will be called Daniel Prodan. The decision was taken by unanimous vote| date=24 February 2017 | access-date=13 February 2020}}</ref>

==Honours==
===Club===

'''Steaua București'''
*[[Liga I|Divizia A]]: [[1992–93 Divizia A|1992–93]], [[1993–94 Divizia A|1993–94]], [[1994–95 Divizia A|1994–95]], [[1995–96 Divizia A|1995–96]]
*[[Cupa României]]: [[1991–92 Cupa României|1991–92]], [[1995–96 Cupa României|1995–96]]
*[[Supercupa României]]: [[1994 Supercupa României|1994]], [[1995 Supercupa României|1995]]

'''Rangers'''
*[[Scottish Premier League]]: [[1998–99 Scottish Premier League|1998–99]]
*[[Scottish Cup]]: [[1998–99 Scottish Cup|1998–99]]
*[[Scottish League Cup]]: [[1998–99 Scottish League Cup|1998–99]]

'''Rocar București'''
*[[Cupa României]] runner-up: [[2000–01 Cupa României|2000–01]]

'''Național București'''
* [[Cupa României]] runner-up : [[2002–03 Cupa României|2002–03]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{RomanianSoccer|1647/daniel-claudiu-prodan}}
*{{BDFutbol|499}}
*{{Soccerbase}}
*{{NFT player|15232}}
*{{Eu-Football.info|17063}}

{{Navboxes
|title = Romania squads
|bg = #FFE60D
|fg = #0045E6
|bordercolor = #CE1126
|list1 =
{{Romania squad 1994 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Romania squad UEFA Euro 1996}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prodan, Daniel}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Satu Mare]]
[[Category:Romanian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Liga I players]]
[[Category:Liga II players]]
[[Category:FC Olimpia Satu Mare players]]
[[Category:FCSB players]]
[[Category:AFC Rocar București players]]
[[Category:FC Progresul București players]]
[[Category:La Liga players]]
[[Category:Atlético Madrid footballers]]
[[Category:Scottish Premier League players]]
[[Category:Rangers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Serie B players]]
[[Category:ACR Messina players]]
[[Category:Romania men's under-21 international footballers]]
[[Category:Romania men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1996 players]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Spain]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Italy]]
[[Category:20th-century Romanian sportsmen]]