View source for Gabi Balint

{{short description|Romanian footballer and manager}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Gavril Balint
| image = Gavril Balint.jpg
| image_size = 220px
| caption = Balint during the 1980s
| fullname = Gavril Pele Balint
| height = 1.80 m
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1963|1|3}}
| birth_place = [[Sângeorz-Băi]], Romania
| currentclub = 
| position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| youthyears1 = 1974–1978
| youthclubs1 = Hebe Sângeorz-Băi
| youthyears2 = 1978
| youthclubs2 = → Luceafărul București (loan)
| youthyears3 = 1979–1980
| youthclubs3 = [[ACF Gloria Bistrița|Gloria Bistrița]]
| years1 = 1980
| clubs1 = [[ACF Gloria Bistrița|Gloria Bistrița]]
| caps1 = 
| goals1 = 
| years2 = 1981–1990
| clubs2 = [[FCSB|Steaua București]]
| caps2 = 264
| goals2 = 69
| years3 = 1990–1993
| clubs3 = [[Real Burgos CF|Real Burgos]]
| caps3 = 83
| goals3 = 28
| totalcaps = 347
| totalgoals = 97
| nationalyears1 = 1981
| nationalteam1 = [[Romania national under-20 football team|Romania U20]]
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1982–1992
| nationalteam2 = [[Romania national football team|Romania]]
| nationalcaps2 = 34
| nationalgoals2 = 14
| manageryears1 = 1994–1998
| managerclubs1 = [[Romania national football team|Romania]] (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 1998–1999
| managerclubs2 = [[FC Bihor Oradea (1958)|Bihor Oradea]]
| manageryears3 = 1999
| managerclubs3 = [[FC Sportul Studențesc București|Sportul Studențesc]]
| manageryears4 = 2000
| managerclubs4 = [[Romania national football team|Romania]] (assistant)
| manageryears5 = 2000–2001
| managerclubs5 = [[Galatasaray S.K. (football team)|Galatasaray]] (assistant)
| manageryears6 = 2001
| managerclubs6 = [[Romania national football team|Romania]] (assistant)
| manageryears7 = 2002–2003
| managerclubs7 = [[FC Sheriff Tiraspol|Sheriff Tiraspol]]
| manageryears8 = 2003–2004
| managerclubs8 = [[FC Sportul Studențesc București|Sportul Studențesc]]
| manageryears9 = 2004–2005
| managerclubs9 = [[Galatasaray S.K. (football team)|Galatasaray]] (assistant)
| manageryears10 = 2005–2006
| managerclubs10 = [[FC Politehnica Timișoara|Politehnica Timișoara]] (assistant)
| manageryears11 = 2008–2009
| managerclubs11 = [[FC Politehnica Timișoara|FC Timișoara]]
| manageryears12 = 2010–2011
| managerclubs12 = [[Moldova national football team|Moldova]]
| manageryears13 = 2013
| managerclubs13 = [[FC Vaslui|Vaslui]]
| manageryears14 = 2014
| managerclubs14 = [[CS Universitatea Craiova|Universitatea Craiova]]
| medaltemplates = 
{{medalCountry|{{Fb|ROU|1965}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIFA U-20 World Cup|FIFA World Youth Championship]]}}
{{medalBronze|[[FIFA U-20 World Cup]]|[[1981 FIFA World Youth Championship|1981 Australia]]}}
}}

'''Gavril Pele''' "'''Gabi'''" '''Balint''' (born 3 January 1963) is a former Romanian professional [[Association football|football]] [[Manager (association football)|manager]] and former player, who is currently a television sport pundit for [[Digi Sport (Romania)|Digi Sport]].

==Club career==
Born in [[Sângeorz-Băi]], [[Bistrița]], Balint made his [[Divizia A]] debut with [[FCSB|Steaua București]] in 1981 where he played until 1990 winning the league titles in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989, the [[Romanian Cup]] in 1985, 1987 and 1989, the [[1985–86 European Cup]] and the [[European Super Cup]] in 1987. At the end of the 1989–90 season, Balint became the top goalscorer of the [[Divizia A]] with 19 goals. He scored the second and last goal at the penalties shoot-out during the 1986 European Cup final, helping his team, Steaua to win the trophy.

In 1990, he was bought by [[Real Burgos CF|Real Burgos]] for $1,000,000. He played for the Spanish side until his retirement in 1993.

==International career==
Balint was capped 34 times by [[Romania national football team|Romania]], and scored 14 goals. He played at the [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990 World Cup]] where he scored twice, against [[Cameroon national football team|Cameroon]] and [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]].

==Career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name=EU>{{cite web |url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=1147 |title=Gavril Balint |publisher=European Football |access-date=25 June 2025}}</ref>
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="11"|[[Romania national football team|Romania]]
|1982||3||0
|-
|1983||4||0
|-
|1984||4||2
|-
|1985||1||0
|-
|1986||3||0
|-
|1987||3||0
|-
|1988||0||0
|-
|1989||1||2
|-
|1990||10||5
|-
|1991||2||1
|-
|1992||3||4
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!34!!14
|}

:''Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Balint goal''.<ref name=EU/>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%"
|-
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1 || 29 July 1984 || [[Stadionul Emil Alexandrescu|Stadionul 23 August]], [[Iași]], Romania || {{fb|China}} || '''4'''–0 || 4–2 || [[Friendly match|Friendly]]
|-
| 2 || 31 July 1984 || [[Stadionul Municipal (Buzău)|Stadionul Municipal]], [[Buzău]], Romania || {{fb|China}} || '''1'''–0 || 1–0 || Friendly
|-
| 3 || rowspan=2| 15 November 1989 || rowspan=2| [[Stadionul Steaua (1974)|Stadionul Steaua]], [[Bucharest]], Romania || rowspan=2| {{fb|Denmark}} || '''1'''–1 || rowspan=2| 3–1 || rowspan=2| [[1990 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 4 || '''3'''–1 
|-
| 5 || rowspan=2| 28 March 1990 || rowspan=2| [[Cairo International Stadium]], [[Cairo]], Egypt || rowspan=2| {{fb|Egypt}} || '''2'''–0 || rowspan=2| 3–1 || rowspan=2| Friendly
|-
| 6 || '''3'''–1 
|-
| 7 || 25 April 1990 || [[Kiryat Eliezer Stadium]], [[Haifa]], Israel || {{fb|Israel}} || '''4'''–1 || 4–1 || Friendly
|-
| 8 || 14 June 1990  || [[Stadio San Nicola]], [[Bari]], Italy || {{fb|Cameroon}} || '''1'''–2 || 1–2 || [[1990 FIFA World Cup#Group B|1990 FIFA World Cup]]
|-
| 9 || 18 June 1990  || [[Stadio San Paolo]], [[Napoli]], Italy || {{fb|Argentina}} || '''1'''–1 || 1–1 || 1990 FIFA World Cup
|-
| 10 || 17 April 1991 || [[Estadio Príncipe Felipe]], [[Cáceres, Spain|Cáceres]], Spain || {{fb|Spain}} || '''2'''–0 || 2–0 || Friendly
|-
| 11 || rowspan=3| 6 May 1992 || rowspan=3| Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania || rowspan=3| {{Fb|Faroe Islands}} || '''1'''–0 || rowspan=3| 7–0 || rowspan=3| [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 12 || '''4'''–0 
|-
| 13 || '''7'''–0
|-
| 14 || 20 May 1992 || Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania || {{Fb|Wales}} || '''4'''–0 || 5–1 || 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
|}

==Managerial career==
Balint started his coaching career in 1994, aged 31, when he was appointed as assistant coach of [[Romania national football team|Romania]] under [[Anghel Iordănescu]]'s regime. Four years later comes his first chance as head coach after taking charge at [[Sportul Studențesc]], but in May 2000 he is called again to join the coaching staff of [[Romania national football team|Romania]] as the squad prepared for the [[UEFA Euro 2000]].

In the summer of 2000, Balint was requested by [[Mircea Lucescu]] as his assistant for [[Galatasaray S.K. (football team)|Galatasaray]], however he left the job after only one season, to join again [[Romania national football team|Romania]] as assistant coach, this time under [[Gheorghe Hagi]].

After Hagi resigned, Balint went to [[Sheriff Tiraspol]] for his second job as head coach, taking the team in 2002.

In 2003, he returned to Romania and signed for [[Sportul Studențesc]], now in [[Divizia B]] and helped the team win promotion back to [[Divizia A]].

Balint returned as assistant coach for Galatasaray in 2004 to work again with Gheorghe Hagi.

In 2005, he was appointed assistant coach of [[FCU Politehnica Timișoara]], working again with Hagi. When Hagi left, a few months later, Balint resigned also. Two years later, Balint returned to FC Timișoara, this time as a head coach.

In 2010, he became the head coach of the [[Moldova national football team|Moldova national team]], but after the campaign for the [[UEFA Euro 2012]], his contract ended and was not renewed. He then became a television pundit, signing a contract with [[Digi Sport (Romania)|Digi Sport]].

In April 2013, Balint returned to coaching, signing a contract for one and a half years with [[FC Vaslui]]. In 2014 he was named head coach of [[Liga II]] side [[CS Universitatea Craiova]] and helped the club win [[Promotion and relegation|promotion]] for the top-flight [[Liga I]].

==Managerial statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Managerial record by club and tenure
!rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|Country
!rowspan=2|From
!rowspan=2|To
!colspan=5|Record
|-
!{{abbr|M|Matches coached}}!!{{abbr|W|Matches won}}!!{{abbr|D|Matches drawn}}!!{{abbr|L|Matches lost}}!!{{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}}
|-
|align=left|[[FC Bihor Oradea (1958)|Bihor Oradea]]
|{{flagicon|ROU}}
|align=left|1 August 1998
|align=left|30 June 1999
{{WDL|34|15|6|13}}
|-
|align=left|[[FC Sportul Studențesc București|Sportul Studențesc]]
|{{flagicon|ROU}}
|align=left|1 September 1999
|align=left|31 December 1999
{{WDL|14|8|3|3}}
|-
|align=left|[[FC Sheriff Tiraspol|Sheriff Tiraspol]]
|{{flagicon|MDA}}
|align=left|1 July 2002
|align=left|30 June 2003
{{WDL|30|23|3|4}}
|-
|align=left|[[FC Sportul Studențesc București|Sportul Studențesc]]
|{{flagicon|ROU}}
|align=left|23 December 2003
|align=left|1 June 2004
{{WDL|15|11|2|2}}
|-
|align=left|[[FC Politehnica Timișoara|FC Timișoara]]
|{{flagicon|ROU}}
|align=left|29 December 2008
|align=left|1 June 2009
{{WDL|18|12|2|4}}
|-
|align=left|[[Moldova national football team|Moldova]]
|{{flagicon|MDA}}
|align=left|20 January 2010
|align=left|19 December 2011
{{WDL|18|5|2|11}}
|-
|align=left|[[FC Vaslui|Vaslui]]
|{{flagicon|ROU}}
|align=left|9 April 2013
|align=left|16 June 2013
{{WDL|9|5|3|1}}
|-
|align=left|[[CS Universitatea Craiova|Universitatea Craiova]]
|{{flagicon|ITA}}
|align=left|17 March 2014
|align=left|10 June 2014
{{WDL|15|11|2|2}}
|-
!colspan="4"|Total
{{WDLtot|153|90|23|40}}
|}

==Trivia==
* Balint has a passion for music and [[Harley Davidson]]. He even produced his own CD.
* He is named Pele because his father was a fan of the three time [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] winner [[Pelé]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gsp.ro/fotbal/liga-1/in-numele-tatalui-gabi-balint-si-tatal-sau-au-retrait-momentele-epocale-si-sentimentele-de-la-sevilla-86-477246.html|title=În numele tatălui Gabi Balint și tatăl său au retrăit momentele epocale şi sentimentele de la Sevilla '86|publisher=gsp.ro|language=Romanian |trans-title=In the name of the father Gabi Balint and his father relive the epic moments and feelings of Sevilla '86|access-date= 24 October 2017}}</ref>

==Honours==

===Player===
'''Steaua București'''
*[[Liga I|Divizia A]]: [[1984–85 Divizia A|1984–85]], [[1985–86 Divizia A|1985–86]], [[1986–87 Divizia A|1986–87]], [[1987–88 Divizia A|1987–88]], [[1988–89 Divizia A|1988–89]]
*[[Cupa României]]: [[1984–85 Cupa României|1984–85]], [[1986–87 Cupa României|1986–87]], [[1987–88 Cupa României|1987–88]], [[1988–89 Cupa României|1988–89]]
*[[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]]: [[1985–86 European Cup|1985–86]]
*[[UEFA Super Cup|European Super Cup]]: [[1986 European Super Cup|1986]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pt.uefa.com/uefasupercup/history/season=1986/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515011020/http://pt.uefa.com/uefasupercup/history/season=1986/|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 May 2018|title=1986: Hagi catapulta o Steaua|trans-title=1986: Hagi catapults Steaua|publisher=UEFA|language=pt|access-date=2 July 2017}}</ref>
*[[Intercontinental Cup (1960–2004)|Intercontinental Cup]] runner-up: [[1986 Intercontinental Cup|1986]]

'''Romania U20'''
*[[FIFA U-20 World Cup]] third-place: [[1981 FIFA World Youth Championship|1981]]

'''Individual'''
*[[Liga I|Divizia A]] top scorer: [[1989–90 Divizia A|1989–90]]

===Coach===
'''Sheriff Tiraspol'''
*[[Moldovan National Division|Divizia Națională]]: [[2002–03 Moldovan National Division|2002–03]]
*[[Commonwealth of Independent States Cup|CIS Cup]]: [[2003 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup|2003]]
'''Sportul Studențesc'''
*[[Liga II|Divizia B]]: [[2003–04 Divizia B|2003–04]]
'''Universitatea Craiova'''
* [[Liga II]]: [[2013–14 Liga II|2013–14]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.gabibalint.ro}}
* {{NFT player|15066/Gavril_Balint|Gavril Balint}}
* {{RomanianSoccer|151/gavril-pele-balint|Gavril Pelé Balint}}
* {{BDFutbol|932|Gavril Pele Balint}}

{{Liga I top scorers}}
{{Romania Squad 1990 World Cup}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Gabi Balint managerial positions
|list1=
{{Moldova national football team managers}}
{{CSU Craiova managers}}
{{FC Bihor Oradea managers}}
{{FC Politehnica Timişoara managers}}
{{FC Sheriff Tiraspol managers}}
{{FC Sportul Studențesc București managers}}
{{FC Vaslui managers}}
}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balint, Gavril}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Sângeorz-Băi]]
[[Category:Footballers from Bistrița-Năsăud County]]
[[Category:Romanian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Romania men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Romania men's youth international footballers]]
[[Category:FCSB players]]
[[Category:UEFA Champions League–winning players]]
[[Category:Real Burgos CF footballers]]
[[Category:1990 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Liga I players]]
[[Category:Liga II players]]
[[Category:La Liga players]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Romanian football managers]]
[[Category:Liga I managers]]
[[Category:Liga II managers]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:FC Sheriff Tiraspol managers]]
[[Category:Moldova national football team managers]]
[[Category:FC Politehnica Timișoara managers]]
[[Category:FC Bihor Oradea (1958) managers]]
[[Category:FC Vaslui managers]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Spain]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Moldova]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Turkey]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey]]
[[Category:Galatasaray S.K. (football) non-playing staff]]
[[Category:FC Sportul Studențesc București managers]]
[[Category:CS Universitatea Craiova managers]]
[[Category:Moldovan Super Liga managers]]
[[Category:20th-century Romanian sportsmen]]