View source for Gheorghe Constantin

{{Short description|Romanian footballer (1932–2010)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}} <!-- inferred from "Honours" -->
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Gheorghe Constantin
| image          = Gheorghe-constantin vintage.jpg
| upright        = 1.1
| caption        = Constantin in the 1960s
| full_name      = 
| birth_date     = {{birth date|1932|12|14|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Bucharest]], Romania
| death_date     = {{death date and age|2010|3|9|1932|12|14|df=y}}
| death_place    = Bucharest, Romania
| height         = 1.82 m<ref name="olympics">{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/gheorghe-constantin-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418101557/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/gheorghe-constantin-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|title=Profile of Gheorghe Constantin|work=Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=24 June 2014}}</ref>
| position       = [[Striker (association football)|Striker]]
| youthyears1    = 1946–1949 | youthclubs1 = [[Unirea Tricolor București]]
| years1         = 1949–1950 | clubs1 = [[Venus București]] | caps1 =   | goals1 =
| years2         = 1950–1951 | clubs2 = [[Avântul Reghin]] | caps2 =   | goals2 =
| years3         = 1951–1954 | clubs3 = [[FC Politehnica Iași (1945)|CFR Iaşi]]  | caps3 =   | goals3 =
| years4         = 1954–1955 | clubs4 = [[CIL Sighetu Marmației|CFR Sighetu Marmației]]  | caps4 =   | goals4 =
| years5         = 1955–1969 | clubs5 = [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]] | caps5 = 264  | goals5 = 148
| years6         = 1969–1970 | clubs6 = [[Kayserispor]] | caps6 = 26 | goals6 = 5
| years7         = 1970–1971 | clubs7 = [[FC Farul Constanța|Farul Constanța]] | caps7 = 3 | goals7 = 0
| totalcaps      = 293
| totalgoals     = 153
| nationalyears1 = 1956–1967 | nationalteam1 = [[Romania national football team|Romania]]{{efn|name="ROM"|Including 19 appearances and 6 goals for Romania's Olympic team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=3807|title=Gheorghe Constantin|publisher=European Football|access-date=24 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{NFT|17918}}</ref>}}
| nationalcaps1  = 39        | nationalgoals1 = 12
| manageryears1  = 1971–1972 | managerclubs1 = [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]] (assistant)
| manageryears2  = 1972–1973 | managerclubs2 = [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]]
| manageryears3  = 1973–1975 | managerclubs3 = [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]] (assistant)
| manageryears4  = 1975–1976 | managerclubs4 = [[FCM Bacău|SC Bacău]]
| manageryears5  = 1976 | managerclubs5 = [[Fenerbahçe S.K. (football)|Fenerbahçe]] (assistant)
| manageryears6  = 1976–1977 | managerclubs6 = [[Romania national football team|Romania]] (assistant)
| manageryears7  = 1977–1978 | managerclubs7 = [[FCM Galaţi]]
| manageryears8  = 1978–1981 | managerclubs8 = [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]]
| manageryears9  = 1981–1982 | managerclubs9 = [[FC Politehnica Iași (1945)|Politehnica Iaşi]]
| manageryears10  = 1982–1984 | managerclubs10 = Steaua Mecanică Fină
| manageryears11  = 1984–1986 | managerclubs11 = [[FC Gloria Buzău|Gloria Buzău]]
| manageryears12 = 1986–1987 | managerclubs12 = [[FC Olt Scornicești|Olt Scornicești]]
| manageryears13 = 1987–1988 | managerclubs13 = [[CS Universitatea Craiova|Universitatea Craiova]]
| manageryears14 = 1989–1990 | managerclubs14 = [[FC Farul Constanța|Farul Constanța]]
| manageryears15 = 1990      | managerclubs15 = [[Romania national football team|Romania]]
| manageryears16 = 1990–1991 | managerclubs16 = [[Zeytinburnuspor]]
| manageryears17 = 1991–1992 | managerclubs17 = [[FC Rapid București|Rapid București]]
| manageryears18 = 1993–1994 | managerclubs18 = [[FC Farul Constanța|Farul Constanța]] (assistant)
| manageryears19 = 1994      | managerclubs19 = [[FC Farul Constanța|Farul Constanța]]
}}

'''Gheorghe Constantin''' (14 December 1932 – 9 March 2010) was a Romanian [[association football|footballer]] and coach, nicknamed 'The Professor' and a symbol of [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]].

==Playing career==
Constantin began his career with Unirea Tricolor's youth team, and shortly after their dissolution, he signed with Venus București. He played for only one year at his new club before moving to Avântul Reghin, then [[FC Politehnica Iași (1945)|CFR Iaşi]], before finally signing a contract with [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]]. He played for Steaua for 15 years and helped the club win 8 domestic titles. In 1969, the Romanian [[Communist Romania|Communist authorities]] allowed him to play abroad for [[Kayserispor]] in Turkey at age 37.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Cotidianul.ro|author=Gheorghiu, Lucian|title=Pe timpul lui Ceauşescu fotbaliştii români au invadat Turcia|url=http://www.cotidianul.ro/pe-timpul-lui-ceausescu-fotbalistii-romani-au-invadat-turcia-157478/|language=ro|date=11 September 2011}}</ref>

Constantin made his debut for the [[Romania national football team|Romania national team]] on 22 April 1956 in a 1–0 win against [[Yugoslavia national football team|Yugoslavia]] in Belgrade, a game notable for the fact that the entire Romanian team  consisted of players from Steaua București. He was also a member of Romania's team at the [[Football at the 1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Summer Olympics]] in Japan.<ref name="olympics" />
<gallery class= heights="150px" mode="packed">
CCA 1961.jpg|{{center|<small>Constantin (front row, second from left) with CCA Steaua in 1961</small>}}
Echipa României (fotbal) 1963.jpg|{{center|<small>Constantin (back row, fourth from left) with Romania's Olympic team in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1963</small>}}
Gheorghe Constantin 1963.jpg|{{center|<small>Constantin with Steaua in 1963</small>}}
</gallery>

==International goals==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%" align=center
! Goal !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
|1.  || 14 September 1958|| [[Red Bull Arena (Leipzig)|Zentral Stadium]], [[Leipzig]], [[East Germany]] || {{Fb|GDR}} ||align="center"|1–'''1''' || align="center"|3–2 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
|2.  || 2 November 1958|| [[Stadionul Naţional (1953)|23 August Stadium]], [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]]  || {{Fb|TUR}} ||align="center"|'''2'''–0 || align="center"|3–0 || [[1960 European Nations' Cup|1960 European Nations' Cup Qual.]]
|-
|3. || 8 November 1959 || [[Stadionul Naţional (1953)|23 August Stadium]], [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]]  || {{Fb|BUL|1946}} ||align="center"|'''1'''–0 || align="center"|1–0 || [[1960 European Nations' Cup|1960 European Nations' Cup Qual.]]
|-
|4.  || 8 October 1961 || [[Stadionul Naţional (1953)|23 August Stadium]], [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]] || {{Fb|TUR}} ||align="center"|'''3'''–0 || align="center"|4–0 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
|5.  || 8 October 1961 || [[Stadionul Naţional (1953)|23 August Stadium]], [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]] || {{Fb|TUR}} ||align="center"|'''4'''–0 || align="center"|4–0 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
|6.  || 25 November 1962 ||  [[Stadionul Naţional (1953)|23 August Stadium]], [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]] || {{Fb|ESP|1945}} ||align="center"|'''3'''–1 || align="center"|3–1 || [[1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying|1964 European Nations' Cup Qual.]]
|-
|7.  || 23 December 1962 || [[Stade Mohamed V|Stade D'honneur]], [[Casablanca]], [[Morocco]] || {{Fb|MAR}} ||align="center"|0–'''1''' || align="center"|3–1 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-style="background-color:#ccffcc"
|8.  || 23 June 1963 || [[Idrætsparken|Idrætsparken Stadium]], [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]] || {{Fb|DEN}} ||align="center"|0–'''1''' || align="center"|2–3 || [[Olympic Games|1964 Summer Olympics Qual.]]
|-
|9.  || 27 April 1964 || [[Stadionul Naţional (1953)|23 August Stadium]], [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]] || {{Fb|TCH}} ||align="center"|'''1'''–0 || align="center"|4–1 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
|10.  || 3 May 1964 || [[Stadionul Naţional (1953)|23 August Stadium]], [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]] || {{Fb|AUT}} ||align="center"|'''1'''–0 || align="center"|2–1 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
|11.  || 3 May 1964 || [[Stadionul Naţional (1953)|23 August Stadium]], [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]]|| {{Fb|AUT}} ||align="center"|'''2'''–0 || align="center"|2–1 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-style="background-color:#ccffcc"
|12.  || 22 October 1964 || [[Nagai Stadium]], [[Osaka]], [[Japan]] || {{Fb|YUG}} ||align="center"|'''3'''–0 || align="center"|3–0 || [[Football at the 1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Summer Olympics]] (5th place match)
|}
==Managerial career==
After his return from Turkey, he was appointed by [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]] as assistant manager. Constantin was the manager of the club in 1972, but after only a short period, he moved to [[FCM Bacău|Bacău]]. After Bacău, he managed [[Oţelul Galaţi|FCM Galaţi]], but returned to Steaua in 1978. He won the [[Romanian Cup]] in his second spell there, then left the club to manage [[FC Politehnica Iași (1945)|Politehnica Iaşi]]. In 1983, he was appointed the manager of Steaua București's second team, Steaua Mecanică Fină București. He managed a number of clubs in his native country and also coached in Turkey.

==Death==
He died in Bucharest on 9 March 2010, at the age of 77.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gsp.ro/fotbal/liga-1/am-pierdut-inca-un-campion-profesorul-gheorghe-constantin-a-incetat-din-viata-180420.html| title=Am pierdut încă un campion » "Profesorul" Gheorghe Constantin a încetat din viaţa | work=Gazeta Sporturilor |language=Romanian | date= 10 March 2010 | accessdate=13 March 2010 }}</ref>

==Honours==
===Player===
'''Steaua Bucharest'''
* [[Liga I|Romanian League]]:   [[1956 Divizia A|1956]], [[1959–60 Divizia A|1960]], [[1960–61 Divizia A|1961]], [[1967–68 Divizia A|1968]]
* [[Cupa României|Romanian Cup]]: [[1955 Cupa României|1955]], [[1961–62 Cupa României|1962]], [[1965–66 Cupa României|1966]], [[1966–67 Cupa României|1967]]

'''Individual'''
*[[Liga I|Romanian League]] top scorer: [[1959–60 Divizia A|1960]], [[1960–61 Divizia A|1961]], [[1961–62 Divizia A|1962]]

===Manager===
'''Steaua Bucharest'''
* [[Romanian Cup]]: [[1978–79 Cupa României|1978–79]]
* [[Liga I|Romanian League]] runner-up: [[1979–80 Divizia A|1979–80]]

'''Politehnica Iaşi'''
* [[Liga II|Romanian Second League]]: 1981–82

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|last1=Popescu|first1=Marius|title=I se spune Profesorul...|year=1969|publisher=[[Editura Militară]]|language=ro|oclc=895412185}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
* {{RomanianSoccer|3903/gheorghe-constantin}}
* {{WorldFootball|gheorghe-constantin}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116001049/http://www.steauafc.com/ro/jucator/184/ |date=16 November 2018 |title=Gheorghe Constantin at SteauaFC}} {{in lang|ro}}
* {{Mackolik player|old_id=242556}}
* [http://www.labtof.ro/profil/gheorghe-constantin-6846/ Gheorghe Constantin's coaching career in Liga I] at labtof.ro {{in lang|ro}}
* {{FIFA player}}

{{Liga I top scorers}}
{{Steaua Gold Team}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Gheorghe Constantin international tournaments
|list1=
{{Romania Squad 1964 Summer Olympics}}
}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Gheorghe Constantin managerial positions
|list1=
{{Romania national football team managers}}
{{ASC Oțelul Galați managers}}
{{CSA Steaua București managers}}
{{FC Farul Constanța managers}}
{{FC Rapid București managers}}
{{FC Steaua București managers}}
{{FCM Bacău managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Constantin, Gheorghe}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Bucharest]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Romanian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Romania men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Romania]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey]]
[[Category:Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Turkey]]
[[Category:Liga I players]]
[[Category:Liga II players]]
[[Category:Unirea Tricolor București players]]
[[Category:FC Venus București players]]
[[Category:CSM Avântul Reghin players]]
[[Category:FC Politehnica Iași (1945) players]]
[[Category:CIL Sighetu Marmației players]]
[[Category:FCSB players]]
[[Category:Kayserispor footballers]]
[[Category:FCV Farul Constanța players]]
[[Category:Romanian football managers]]
[[Category:FCSB managers]]
[[Category:FCSB non-playing staff]]
[[Category:FC Rapid București managers]]
[[Category:FCM Bacău managers]]
[[Category:FCV Farul Constanța managers]]
[[Category:FC Gloria Buzău managers]]
[[Category:Fenerbahçe S.K. (football) non-playing staff]]
[[Category:CS Universitatea Craiova managers]]
[[Category:ASC Oțelul Galați managers]]
[[Category:Zeytinburnuspor managers]]
[[Category:Romania national football team managers]]
[[Category:20th-century Romanian sportsmen]]