Constantin Gâlcă

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Constantin "Costel" Gâlcă (born 8 March 1972) is a Romanian professional football manager and former player, who is currently in charge of Liga I club Rapid București.

Equally at ease as a defensive or central midfielder and possessing an accurate long-range shot, he first made a name for himself at Steaua București. He then spent a full decade in Spain, playing in 318 matches in both major levels combined and representing five clubs, most notably Espanyol.

Additionally, Gâlcă appeared for Romania in two World Cups and as many European Championships, winning 68 caps.[1] As a manager, he led teams including both Steaua and Espanyol.

Club career

Born in Bucharest, Gâlcă's senior career began at age 16 in the third division, with FC Progresul București. Only one year after he switched to the Divizia A with FC Argeș Pitești, for whom he played four times towards the end of the season, soon breaking into the Romanian national under-21 team.

After one more season with solid displays (31 games, two goals), Gâlcă signed with country giants Steaua București, immediately beginning to produce: in his debut campaign, he scored five times in 26 matches.

Gâlcă stayed at Steaua two more years, netting 13 goals combined. After winning the domestic cup and having appeared in nearly 200 official matches, he left for Spain where he would remain the next 11 years. First stop was RCD Mallorca in the Balearic Islands,[2] for which he scored 13 times to help to a promotion to La Liga (that total was tied for squad best). He then experienced a steady period with Barcelona-based RCD Espanyol, scoring five goals in his third season, which also ended with conquest of the Copa del Rey.

In July 2001, Gâlcă signed for Villarreal CF on a three-year deal with the option of one more.[3] Midway through his his second year he was loaned to Segunda División club Real Zaragoza; the team had an option to sign him if they won promotion, but did not transfer him despite the achievement.[4]

Gâlcă still had three more solid seasons in the country with second-tier club UD Almería, playing 40 matches in his last season, one year before the Andalusians first reached the top division. He eventually returned to the national team with this team in 2005 – after a three-year absence – and retired in June 2006 at the age of 34.

International career

Galca made his full debut for Romania on 22 September 1993, against Israel in a friendly. Called up for the 1994 FIFA World Cup he played three times during the tournament, against the United States in the group stage, in the famous 3–2 round-of-16 success against Argentina and in the penalty shootout defeat to Sweden in the last-eight.[1]

From 1996 to 2000, Gâlcă featured in over forty more international games for Romania, often pairing with Dorinel Munteanu in central midfield. During the qualifying phase for the 1998 World Cup the national side were undefeated in their ten group fixtures, drawing only once and netting 37 goals, with him scoring two. In those finals and UEFA Euro 2000 the country was beaten, respectively, in the last-16 and last-eight, as he started in every match.

International statistics

Appearances and goals by national team and year[5]
National team Year Apps Goals
Romania 1993 1 0
1994 9 0
1995 3 0
1996 9 2
1997 7 2
1998 14 0
1999 10 0
2000 8 0
2001 4 0
2002 1 0
2003 0 0
2004 0 0
2005 2 0
Total 68 4

International goals

Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gâlcă goal.
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 24 April 1996 Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania {{ Template:Yesno alias = Georgia (country) shortname alias = Georgia flag alias = Flag of Georgia.svg flag alias-1008 = Sakartvelo_-_drosha.svg flag alias-1762 = Flag_of_Kingdom_of_Kartli-Kakheti.svg flag alias-1918 = Flag of Georgia (1918–1921).svg flag alias-1921 = Flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (1921–1922).svg flag alias-1922 = Flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (1922–1937).svg flag alias-1937 = Flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic (1937–1951).svg flag alias-1951 = Flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic.svg flag alias-1990 = Flag of Georgia (1990–2004).svg flag alias-naval-1997 = Naval ensign of Georgia (1997–2004).svg link alias-naval-1997 = Georgian Navy flag alias-army = Army Flag of Georgia.svg link alias-army = Georgian Land Forces flag alias-coast guard=Battle ensign of the Coast Guard of Georgia.svg link alias-coast guard=Coast Guard of Georgia flag alias-military = Flag of the Georgian Armed Forces.svg link alias-military = Georgian Armed Forces flag alias-navy=Flag of the Georgian Border Police.svg link alias-navy=Border Police of Georgia flag alias-air force=Flag of the Aviation and Air Defense Command of the Defense Forces of Georgia.png link alias-air force=Georgian Air Force flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Georgia.svg link alias-naval = Georgian Navy empty = Georgia XV national rugby union team size = name = altlink = national football team altvar = football variant = 1990

}} ||align="center"|5–0 || align="center"| 5–0 || Friendly

2. 31 August 1996 Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania {{ Template:Yesno alias = Lithuania flag alias = Flag of Lithuania.svg flag alias-1918 = Flag of Lithuania 1918-1940.svg flag alias-1988 = Flag of Lithuania (1988-2004).svg flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Lithuania.svg link alias-naval = Lithuanian Naval Force flag alias-military=Flag of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.png link alias-military=Lithuanian Armed Forces flag alias-army = Flag of the Lithuanian Army.svg link alias-army = Lithuanian Land Force flag alias-navy=Flag of Lithuania (state).svg link alias-navy = Lithuanian Naval Force flag alias-air force=Air Force Ensign of Lithuania.svg link alias-air force=Lithuanian Air Force size = name = altlink = national football team altvar = football variant =

}} ||align="center"|3–0 || align="center"| 3–0 || 1998 World Cup qualification

3. 20 August 1997 Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania {{ Template:Yesno alias = North Macedonia shortname alias = Macedonia flag alias = Flag of North Macedonia.svg flag alias-1992 = Flag of Macedonia (1992–1995).svg link alias-football = North Macedonia national football team size = name = altlink = national football team altvar = football variant =

}} ||align="center"|2–0 || align="center"| 4–2 || 1998 World Cup qualification

4. 10 September 1997 Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania {{ Template:Yesno alias = Iceland flag alias = Flag of Iceland.svg flag alias-old = Hvítbláinn.svg flag alias-coast guard = Flag of Iceland (state).svg flag alias-naval = Flag of Iceland (state).svg border-naval = flag alias-1918 = Flag of Iceland (1918-1944).svg flag alias-state = Flag of Iceland (state).svg border-state = flag alias-navy = Flag of Iceland (state).svg link alias-naval = Icelandic Coast Guard border-navy = link alias-navy = Icelandic Coast Guard border-coast guard = link alias-coast guard = Icelandic Coast Guard size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"|3–0 || align="center"| 4–0 || 1998 World Cup qualification

Coaching career

Established in Almería after his playing days, Gâlcă took up coaching in 2009–10, starting with Almería's B-team in the fourth tier. He was sacked on 19 January 2010, after a string of poor results.[6]

On 20 August 2013, Gâlcă was named head coach of Romania under-17s. He ended his contract in June 2014 and, also in that month, was appointed at league champions Steaua București on a two-year deal, replacing outgoing Laurențiu Reghecampf[7] and leading the team to the double in his first and only season.[8]

On 14 December 2015, Gâlcă replaced former club teammate Sergio at the helm of Espanyol.[9] His first game in charge took place the following day, a 2–1 home win against Levante UD for the Copa del Rey (3–2 on aggregate).[10] The following 27 May, having led the Periquitos to 13th, his contract was not renewed.[11]

Gâlcă was hired by Saudi Professional League club Al-Taawoun on 19 October 2016.[12] For the following season, he moved to Al-Fayha in the same league.[13] Having won once in nine games and with the club in the relegation zone, he was dismissed on 7 November 2017.[14]

On 6 March 2019, Gâlcă returned to European football with Vejle Boldklub, last-placed in the Danish Superliga.[15] His team won the second tier in the 2019–20 season, and survived on return to the top flight; he resigned in May 2021 due to disagreements with the board.[16]

Gâlcă returned to the Saudi top league on 10 December 2021, joining Al-Hazem after the dismissal of Hélder.[17] He left the club by mutual consent on 21 February 2022.[18]

On 16 April 2023, Gâlcă was appointed manager of Polish Ekstraklasa side Radomiak Radom, replacing Mariusz Lewandowski.[19] His stint started off well, with three wins and one draw in five league games. However, as the 2023–24 season started and progressed, he became vocal about his disappointment in the board's decisions regarding transfer activity and lack of youth players to fulfill their mandatory playing time quota.[20] On 27 November 2023, 86 minutes before Radomiak's home game against Śląsk Wrocław, it was announced Gâlcă left the club by mutual consent.[21]

On 17 April 2024, he was revealed as the new manager of Romanian top tier side Universitatea Craiova, signing on until the end of the 2024–25 season, with an extension option.[22] He was sacked by the club on 27 January 2025 after a 1–0 away loss to Rapid București.[23]

On 3 June 2025, Gâlcă was appointed manager of Romanian Liga I club Rapid București, signing a two-year contract.[24]

Managerial statistics

As of 25 January 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[25]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Template:Flagicon Romania U17 20 August 2013 1 June 2014

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Steaua București 1 June 2014 1 June 2015

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Espanyol 14 December 2015 1 June 2016

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Al-Taawoun 16 October 2016 20 March 2017

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Al-Fayha 20 May 2017 7 November 2017

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Vejle Boldklub 6 March 2019 30 June 2021

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Al-Hazem 6 December 2021 21 February 2022

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Radomiak Radom 16 April 2023 27 November 2023

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Universitatea Craiova 17 April 2024 28 January 2025

Template:WDL

Template:Flagicon Rapid București 3 June 2025 present

Template:WDL

Total

Template:WDLtot

Honours

Player

Progresul București

Steaua București

Espanyol

Coach

Steaua București

Vejle

References

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  25. ↑ Template:Soccerway coach

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External links

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