Florin Răducioiu

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Florin Valeriu Răducioiu (born March 17, 1970 in Bucharest) is a former Romanian football striker, who played for Dinamo Bucureşti, A.C. Milan, Brescia Calcio, West Ham United, RCD Espanyol, VfB Stuttgart and A.S. Monaco. He is the only footballer that played in the top 5 European Leagues: England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. He played for Romania at the 1990 World Cup hosted by Italy, the 1994 World Cup hosted by the United States, and Euro 96, hosted by England.

[edit] Career

Răducioiu was a product of Dinamo Bucureşti. Mircea Lucescu, former Dinamo coach and a very appreciated coach in Europe, saw Raducioiu's skills and, as a feature of his philosophy towards football to promote young players, gave Răducioiu the chance to play at the highest level at the age of 17 years.

It is important to keep in mind that, in the 1980s, the Romanian football clubs were in the elite of European football: Steaua Bucharest won the European Cup in 1986 and was the vice-champion in 1989. Răducioiu was the Dinamo's only substitute in his first year of play with the club, but his talent propelled him in the first twelve, and in 1988 he already was the first substitute.

By the beginning of the 1988-1989 Răducioiu was the first choice in Lucescu's team. In the season 1988-1989 Răducioiu made an impressive debut in European football by reaching the quarter finals of the Cup Winners Cup and finishing second in the Romanian division with Dinamo. In the CWC Dinamo was eliminated by Sampdoria after two draws: 1-1 and 0-0, with Sampdoria progressing through the away goal rule. By the beginning of the 1989-1990 season Răducioiu was one of Romania's finest players, and that year was to be the most significant of his early career. He won the Romanian championship and the Romanian Cup, reached the semifinals of the CWC where Dinamo was defeated by RSC Anderlecht.

He joined A.C. Milan in 1993, making only 7 appearances and scoring 2 goals, but winning the UEFA Champions League. In 1994 he went to Spain to play for RCD Espanyol. West Ham United signed him in 1996. Most famously, he scored a goal against Manchester United after being criticized by Harry Redknapp for going shopping with his girlfriend on a previous match day. Despite showing promise, he never adapted to the pace and competitive nature of the English game; making no real impact at Upton Park, and after his short, and some would say disastrous spell at the East London club, he was transferred back to Espanyol. He scored just twice for West Ham in the Premier League.

[edit] World Cup career

Răducioiu made his World Cup debut in 1990 in Italy. Appearing in three games for Romania, he finished without scoring any goals, and Romania fell to the Republic of Ireland in the second round.

The next World Cup was held in 1994 in the United States. Răducioiu fared better there, scoring four goals in the tournament as Romania advanced to the quarterfinals. Răducioiu scored two goals against Colombia during the qualifying round, and later plugged two more in a quarterfinal loss to Sweden. Due to rule changes, had the match against Sweden been played two years later, Romania would have advanced to the semifinals; Răducioiu's second goal was the first scored during the extra period, and under later rules, this tally would have been considered a golden goal. (Instead, Kennet Andersson of Sweden also scored in the extra frame, tying the game, and Sweden eventually won 5-4 on penalties, with Răducioiu scored on the first penalty attempt for Romania.)

[edit] Personal life

• Florin Răducioiu has always kept a low profile in Romania, in contrast to many other key figures in Romanian football.

• He is the only footballer that has played in what are widely recognised as the top five European Leagues of England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. He is also one of only five players to have played for the top four of those leagues (excluding France), along with Gheorghe Popescu, Pierre Wome, Abel Xavier and Jon Dahl Tomasson.

[edit] External links

• Florin Răducioiu official website
• RomanianSoccer.ro - Players - Florin Valeriu Răducioiu

v • d • e Romania squad - 1990 FIFA World Cup 1 Lung • 2 Rednic • 3 Klein • 4 Andone • 5 Rotariu • 6 G. Popescu • 7 Lăcătuş • 8 Sabău • 9 Cămătaru • 10 Hagi • 11 Lupu • 12 Stelea • 13 A. Popescu • 14 Răducioiu • 15 Mateuţ • 16 Timofte • 17 Dumitrescu • 18 Balint • 19 Săndoi • 20 Muzsnay • 21 Lupescu • 22 Liliac • Coach: Jenei

v • d • e Romania squad - 1994 FIFA World Cup 1 Prunea • 2 Petrescu • 3 Prodan • 4 Belodedici • 5 Lupescu • 6 Popescu • 7 Munteanu • 8 Chiriţă • 9 Răducioiu • 10 Hagi • 11 Dumitrescu • 12 Stelea • 13 Selymes • 14 Mihali • 15 Panduru • 16 Vlădoiu • 17 Moldovan • 18 Gâlcă • 19 Papură • 20 Stîngă • 21 Ivan • 22 Preda • Coach: Iordănescu

v • d • e Romania squad - UEFA Euro 1996 1 Stelea • 2 Petrescu • 3 Prodan • 4 Belodedici • 5 Lupescu • 6 Popescu • 7 Lăcătuş • 8 Sabău • 9 Răducioiu • 10 Hagi • 11 Munteanu • 12 Prunea • 13 Selymes • 14 Gâlcă • 15 Doboş • 16 Mihali • 17 Filipescu • 18 Stîngă • 19 Ilie • 20 Moldovan • 21 Vlădoiu • 22 Tene • Coach: Iordănescu