FC Dinamo București

Fotbal Club Dinamo Bucureşti (Romanian pronunciation: [diˈnamo bukuˈreʃtʲ], commonly known as Dinamo) is a Romanian professional football club based in Bucharest. Dinamo is one of the two most successful football teams in Romania, having won 18 Romanian Liga I titles, 12 Romanian Cups and 1 Romanian Supercup. They became the first Romanian team to reach the European Champions' Cup semifinals in 1983-84.

Founded in 1948, Dinamo has spent its entire history in Liga I, the top league of Romanian football.

The team's traditional home colours are all red. The current crest is a modified version of the one adopted in the 1998. Dinamo Bucharest's home ground is the 15,032-seater Dinamo Stadium in downtown Bucharest, where it has played since 1951.

The club's biggest rivals are Steaua Bucureşti, and matches between the two capital sides are commonly referred to as "The Eternal Derby".

History

Beginning

On 14 May 1948, "Unirea Tricolor MAI" — newly entered, in January 1948, under the umbrella of the Communist regime's Internal Affairs Ministry — merged with "Ciocanul Bucureşti" and formed "Dinamo Bucureşti", the sporting club representing the above-mentioned institution.

Until the end of the championship, Dinamo was going to be represented by two teams: "Ciocanul" ("Hammer"), named "Dinamo A" and "Unirea Tricolor MAI", known as "Dinamo B" (this last one relegating, at the end of the football season, into the Divizia B). Starting with 1950, Dinamo A was separated from Dinamo B, the latter being transferred first to Braşov, then to Cluj-Napoca, and eventually, in 1958, being dissolved.

Dinamo Bucureşti was going to follow its Communist destiny at the highest football level. The "Dinamo" name was used for the very first time on 1 May 1948. Nevertheless, the real debut of Dinamo was on the 1947-48 Divizia A edition (finishing 8th). Some of the team's players were Ambru, Angelo Niculescu, Teodorescu, Siclovan, Bartha, Sârbu. On July 14, 1948 Dinamo played its first international match against Zidnice (Czechoslovakia): 4 to 1 for the red-whites. August 22 will remain a reference date for Dinamo's football, representing the debut of Dinamo Bucharest in the first national Division. The pioneers were, among others, Titus Ozon, Lăzărescu, Naciu. The team's first coach was Coloman Braun-Bogdan. At the end of the '48-'49 edition, Angelo Niculescu retires, dedicating himself to the coaching career rewarded later with great victories with Dinamo and with the national team. In 1950, new football players arrived at Dinamo: Dumitru Nicolae, Băcuţ I.

The current Dinamo Stadium was inaugurated on 14 October 1951. The first match: Dinamo-Locomotiva Timişoara 1-0. Dinamo finished runner-up in the 1951-52 and 1952-53 seasons. Also in 1953, Dinamo played the Final of the Romanian Cup: 0-2 with Metalul Reşiţa.

The 1970s

The 6th title: in 1971. In CCE, Dinamo eliminates Spartak Trnava, the team of Dobias, Kuna and Adamec. A new player: Florea Dumitrache. What follows is a double win against Israel's and Van Hanegem's Feyenoord: 0-3 and 0-2. The 7th title comes two years later, in 1973. In CCE, they surpass Northern Ireland's Crusaders Belfast ( The 11-0 home game against Northern Ireland's team is still the biggest margin of victory in the history of the European Cup ), but fail against Atlético Madrid (0-2 and 2-2), the team of Capon, Irueta, Heredia and Ayala. The next year Dinamo plays in the UEFA Cup and after the eliminating Bolospur, fails in the confrontation with F.C. Koln: 1-1 and 2-3! The 8th big success was going to come in 1975, year when Dudu Georgescu receives "the golden boot" (with 32 goals). In '76 in the UEFA Cup Dinamo plays against another "sacred monster" - AC Milan - with Fabio Capello and Collovatti on its side: 0-0 and 1-2. The 1976-1977 first season brings the 9th title and a new golden boot for Dudu Georgescu (47 goals). In the autumn of '77 in the CCE, Dinamo wins a thrilling game against Atlético Madrid 2-1, but loses at Madrid, 2-0. In the second round of the UEFA Cup (after eliminating Alki Larnaca from Cyprus) Dinamo is eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt, team of Pezzey, Grabowsky and Holzenbein (2-0 and 0-3 in prolongation).

The 1980s

The 1981–82 UEFA Cup season brings some great wins for Dinamo. The red-whites meet Levski Sofia, team of Sirakov and Iskrenov (3-0 and 1-2). In the second round, a terrifing "double": Dinamo-Internazionale (with Bergoni, Bagni, Prohaska, Altobelli, Baresi, Oriali, Marini and Becallossi). At Milan, 1-1 (authors: Pasinato and Custov) and back home in Bucharest, 3-2 for the "dogs", in the extra time. Dinamo is eliminated by the Swedish team IFK Göteborg, which later ends up winning the trophy.

The 10th national title will be obtained in 1982, when Dinamo also conquers the Cup after a 3-2 victory against Baia Mare. After a 5 year absence, Dinamo reappears in the European Champions Cup, meeting (and eliminating) Vaaleregen Oslo. In the next stage, Dinamo had to confront a difficult opponent: the team of Vizek and Nehoda, Dukla Prague. They win at home, with 2-0, obtaining the qualification at Prague: 1-2. Dinamo is eliminated by Aston Villa, club of Bremmer, Cowans, Withe, Shaw and Morley. The 11th title come one year later, in 1983. The 1983-1984 season began with the retirement of Cornel Dinu, winner of 6 national titles and 6 national cups, with 454 caps in the first league and 75 in the national team. Still the same year Dinamo wins the 12th title.

The autumn of 1983-84 was going to represent a valuable step into the international arena. The "European Champions Cup campaign" started with the Finnish team, Kuusysi Lahti (1-0 and 3-0). The second round pushes Dinamo against the current champion, Hamburger SV - team of Stein, Kalz and Magath. At Bucharest, Augustin, Multescu and Orac score for 3-0. The thrilling second leg finishes 3-2 (goals Talnar and Multescu). In order to accede in the semifinals of CCE, Dinamo had to defeat another top team: Dinamo Minsk, with Aleinikov, Zigmanatovici and Gurinovici. The first leg was 1-1 (Rednic equalizing in the 87th minute), and it was followed by a 1-0 victory at Bucharest (with Augustin scoring). Dinamo was the first Romanian team to reach the European Champions Cup semifinals, where it met Liverpool FC (see Liverpool vs Dinamo Bucharest, 1984 European Cup Semi-Final). Dinamo lost 1-0 at Anfield and 2-1 in Bucharest, in front of the team which ultimately won the 1984 European Cup Final.

In the first round of the next European Champions Cup, in the autumn of `84, Dinamo meets Omonia Nicosia: 4-1 and 1-2. Next is the match against Girondins Bordeaux (club of Tigana, Giresse, Lacombe and Battiston), Dinamo being eliminated after 0-1 and 1-1.

In 1986 Dinamo wins the Cup against Steaua (1-0). After an 18 year break, Dinamo plays again in the Cup Winners Cup in the autumn of `86. The 1986-1987 season brings the 'golden boot' for Camataru (44 goals). They also lost against the Albanian team 17 Nentori Tirana.

The 1988 Romanian cup final was a special one. After Steaua players left the field at the score of 1-1 due to a claim of being robbed by the referee, Dinamo was given the trophy, but later the Romanian F.A. (bowing to pressure from the Communist Party) awarded the match 2-1 to Steaua. After the revolution of December 1989, Steaua propositioned to return the trophy to Dinamo, which refused to take it.

In the 88-89 Cup Winners Cup season, Dinamo again eliminated the Finnish team Lahti, managing to win 3-0. Next is the elimination of Scottish club Dundee United: 1-0 and 1-1 at Bucharest. However, they fail to qualify for the semifinals after losing on away goals, 1-1 and 0-0 against Sampdoria Genova.

The early 1990s

The Cup Winners Cup 1989-1990 season brings new success. Dinamo meets Albanian team, Dinamo Tirana 0-1 and 2-0. Next is the Greek champion, Panathinaikos 2-0 and 6-1. In the quarter finals they meet Partizan Belgrade (with Mijatovici on the field) eliminating them with 2-1 and 2-0. After six years of break, Dinamo plays a new continental semifinal this time against Anderlecht Bruxelles, losing twice with 1-0.

In the summer of 1990, Dinamo - with Mircea Lucescu as coach - conquers a new national title, the 13th. Also the team wins the Cup final, against Steaua: 6-4. The new CCE season begins with the elimination of Irish team St Patrick's Athletic Dublin (4-0 and 1-1). Dinamo is eliminated in the second round by FC Porto.

The 1991-1992 UEFA Cup Edition faces Dinamo against Figo's Sporting Clube de Portugal, qualyfing after a 0-1 loss and a 2-0 victory. The next round Dinamo is eliminated by Genoa 1893: 1-3 and 2-2.

In 1992, the 14th title was added to Dinamo's record. It was a triumphal march, with 34 matches and no defeat.

Downfall of the mid 1990s, 2000s ups and downs

The years to come saw Dinamo in the UEFA Cup. However, without any special results, the team leaves the competition in the first qualification round, in 1993-1994 losing to Cagliari, in 1994-95 losing to Trabzonspor, and in 1996 losing to Levski Sofia. Among the new players that play for Dinamo are: Catalin Hildan, Florentin Petre, Cosmin Contra. Alongside the famous goalkeeper Florin Prunea appear Mihalcea and Kirita. With this new team, in the 1998-1999 season Dinamo plays arguably the best football in Romania, though the team loses the title to Rapid Bucureşti. Dinamo ended the dark era of the mid 1990s this way once they started to fight for the title this year, only having to wait one more year to win it with no contender.

2000-2010

Dinamo played next season in the UEFA Cup beating Benfica 1-0 on Estádio da Luz, then losing a suspected game on Lia Manoliu 2-0.

Dinamo won the title in the 1999-2000 with Adrian Mutu playing for them but lost to Polonia Warszawa in the second qualification round of the UEFA Champions League 1999-00 mostly because they sold most of the players in the Summer Mercato. This affected their next season, when they lost the title to Steaua Bucharest.

In 2001-02 Dinamo won the title again after a tight championship run. Dinamo managed to win the title in the last game of the season just in front of FC National. In Europe, Dinamo played in the 2001-02 UEFA Cup eliminating Dinamo Tirana in the Qualifying round but lost in the 1st round to Grasshopper Club Zurich.

In the 2002-03 season Dinamo was affected again by the players who left the team, with it becoming a tradition for the leaders of the club to sell players after winning a title, losing the games in the UEFA Champions League and having a hard time in Divizia A. Dinamo changed a lot of managers and lost 7 consecutive games. After Ioan Andone came to the team, Dinamo played a spectacular semifinal with Astra Ploiesti. After losing 2-1 in Ploiesti in the middle of the crisis the team beat Astra in Bucharest 3-1 after extra time. They then went on to win the Romanian Cup, after beating FC National in the final 1-0 on a goal scored by Iulian Tames.

After building up a team again in 2003-04, they eliminated Shakhtar Donetsk in the first round of the UEFA Cup 2003-04 season. They went on to lose to Spartak Moscow in the second round. In the Romanian League Dinamo won the title by defeating Steaua Bucureşti in a close battle. They also won the Romanian Cup after an 2-0 win over Oţelul Galaţi at Cotroceni.

For the 2004-05 season Dinamo's ambitions grew, but still a lot of players left the club. Dinamo played a thrilling game vs. Manchester United in Bucharest in the third qualification round of the UEFA Champions League, but lost 1-2. This game was significant because it showed a lot of progress from the last attempts to qualify for the group phase of the Champions League. The 2nd leg was lost at Old Trafford 3-0. In the UEFA Cup 2004-05 season Dinamo was eliminated by Partizan Belgrade. This time Dinamo had a better evolution during the season after the title victory. However, Dinamo lost the title to Steaua Bucharest on a costly error by Lucian Goian in the last seconds of the game with Rapid Bucharest close to the end of the season.

A highlight in recent times came in the UEFA Cup 2005-06 season when Dinamo thrashed Premier league team Everton 5-1. Dinamo went on to win the tie 5-2. For the 2005-06 season Dinamo entered a crisis in the second part of the season. Ioan Andone was fired by the new Executive President of the club Ioan Becali. Esteban Vigo was brought in, but because of the scandals inside the club Ioan Becali was kicked out and Vigo left the club as well. Dinamo counted on Ion Marin for the first games of the spring that started with a 3-0 loss to Oţelul Galaţi. Florin Marin came and was kept manager for the rest of the season before Mircea Rednic took the job. Dinamo finished the season with a 0-0 draw against Poli Timişoara and finished 3rd to earn a very important UEFA Cup spot at the end of a horrible season.

Also in the 2005-06 season, they managed to beat CSKA Moscow (Cup Holders) 1-0 but they missed the European Spring due to a couple of close games lost in the last few seconds. Playing against Olympique de Marseille on Stade Vélodrome and trailing by 2-1 in the last moments of the game Octavian Chihaia launched a ball over Barthez and scored for 2-2 but the referee whistled the end of the game while the ball was in the air and before it entered the goal. Some claim that might have been a unique moment in the history of the European Cup Football.

In the 2006-07 season they did qualify for the European Spring where they were eliminated by Benfica after a 0-1 loss at Da Luz and a 1-2 loss at home. Domestically, the team crushed most of its opponents in the first 19 rounds, ending up autumn champions, 13 points ahead of second place and then they secured their 18th title with four rounds to spare.

Dinamo failed again to enter the Champions League group phase, being eliminated in the third qualifying round by Lazio Roma. After four manager changes, Dinamo finished the 2007-08 season on the 4th spot in Liga I. In the summer of 2008, Mircea Rednic returned as coach having the mission to win the title and qualify Dinamo to the Champions League, but after the team finished the first part of the season as leader, they failed at the finish line and ended only third.

In the 2009-10 season, Dinamo played in the playoff for Europa League against Czech football club FC Slovan Liberec. In the first leg the supporters invaded the pitch causing the match to be abandoned in the 88th minute when the score was 2-0 for Slovan. The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body awarded a default 0–3 defeat against Dinamo. One week later in Liberec Dinamo managed a memorable comeback and qualified in the Europa League 2009-10 group stage after winning 3-0 in Liberec after 90 and 120 minutes and winning 9-8 at penalties after 10 series. The domestic season was yet another unsuccessful one, finishing 6th in the championships.

Recent years & present

Dinamo finished 6th the 2010-11 season and qualified for the Cup finals against Steaua, but lost due to an own goal. For the 2011-12 season, Dinamo started with a new coach, ex-Dinamo player Liviu Ciobotariu.

After a disappointing defeat against Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League Play-Off, Dinamo is leading the Romanian Championship after 10 rounds with the best offense and defense in the championship despite selling Gabriel Torje to the Italian team Udinese with only Dorel Stoica and Srdjan Luchin completing the squad for the new season.

Supporters and rivalries

Being the second most famous club in the country, Dinamo has an estimated 15% support in Romania, making them the 2nd most supported Romanian club after Steaua and along with Universitatea Craiova. The largest concentration of fans is in Bucharest, mainly in the North-East areas of the city. The club also has important fan bases inside and outside the country.Even though Dinamo's fans aren't as great in numbers as Steaua's, they make up for it with passion and their hardcore attitude, while the majority of Steaua Bucharest's fans are considered to be more of a casual type of supporters for their team.This hardcore attitude of Dinamo's fans is transponded through their conduct inside and outside the stadium, always looking for brawls with other teams fan groups.

The roots of the Dinamo ultras movement can be found in 1995 when groups like Dracula or Rams Pantelimon appear in the North End. In 1996 a group called Nuova Guardia is born, composed of young but very devoted men it will become the leading group in the red-white stands and later on in the entire Romanian ultras movement. Following the death of Catalin Hîldan in 2000 the fans renamed the North End of Dinamo's stadium to Peluza Catalin Hildan (PCH) in his honor. Today the majority of supporters are located in the PCH but several factions have moved to the South End.

Dinamo's most important rivalry is with Steaua. The match between them, Eternul Derby (The Eternal Derby), has been the leading Romanian football encounter in the last 60 years, as Dinamo and Steaua are the two most successful football teams in the country. Clashes between different factions of supporters have often occurred and still occur inside and outside the stadium. The nadir was reached in 1997 when Dinamo's fans set a sector of Steaua's stadium (Stadionul Ghencea) on fire. The result of the encounter between the two rivals is currently the following: 123 matches, 44 wins for Dinamo, 34 wins for Steaua and 45 games ended in a tie.

Other rivalries are shared with Universitatea Craiova and Rapid Bucureşti, and a minor one with Petrolul, Farul, Argeş and Poli Timişoara fans also consider Dinamo to be their rival, although Dinamo fans don't seem to give any special importance to the games against these teams.

Honours

Domestic

• Romanian League Championship: (18)
  • Winners: 1955, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1970-71, 1972-73, 1974-75, 1976-77, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1989-90, 1991-92, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2003-04, 2006-07
  • Runners-up (20): 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05

• Romanian Cup: (12)
  • Winners: 1958-59, 1963–64, 1967–68, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1999-00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05
  • Runners-up (9): 1954, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1986–87, 1987–88,^[1] 1988–89, 2001–02, 2010-11
• Romanian Super Cup: (1)
  • Winners: 2004-05
  • Runners-up (4): 2000-01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2006–07

International

• European Cup:
  • Semi-Finalist (1): 1983–84
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup:
  • Semi-Finalist (1): 1989–90
  • Quarter-Finalist (1): 1988-89

Records in the league:

• Consecutive winning games: 17 games (12 June 1988 - 27 November 1988)
• Best unbeaten run: 47 games (26 May 1991 - 20 September 1992)
• Player with most appearances: Cornel Dinu (454)
• Top scorer: Dudu Georgescu (207)
• Top scorer in international games: Claudiu Niculescu (18)

Records in the European competition:

• Biggest home win: Dinamo 11-0 Crusaders F.C. (1973–74) (still the biggest margin of victory in the history of the European Cup)
• Biggest away win: Alki Larnaca F.C. 0-9 Dinamo (1979–80)
• Heaviest home defeat: Dinamo 0-3 Feyenoord (1971–72), Dinamo 0-3 Galatasaray S.K. (2009–10)
• Heaviest away defeat: PFC CSKA Sofia 8-1 Dinamo (1956–57)

European record

Players

Current squad

Last updated on 31 August 2011

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

For Dinamo's second team see FC Dinamo II Bucureşti.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Retired number(s)

11 – Cătălin Hîldan - Posthumous honor

Since "Unicul Căpitan (The Only Captain)" died, no player will wear the number 11 shirt at FC Dinamo, since the club decided to retire the shirt out of respect and posthumous honor for legend Cătălin Hîldan.

Notable players

Managers of Dinamo

For details see Dinamo Bucharest managers

The most notable managers of Dinamo are Angelo Niculescu with two championship titles in 1955 and 1965; Nicolae Nicusor Dumitru with six championship titles in 1962, 1964, 1971, 1975, 1983 and 1984, and who qualified Dinamo in the European Champions Cup 1983-1984 season reaching the semifinals; Ion Nunweiller who won the championship in 1973 and 1977. Mircea Lucescu who managed Dinamo for five years winning two cups, one title and qualifying Dinamo in the quarter finals of the Cup Winners Cup in the 1988-1989 season, and one year later in 1989-1990 in the same competition reaching the semifinals. Cornel Dinu marked the comeback of Dinamo on the Romanian football stage winning the title in 2000, and the cup in 2001.

References

External links

• (Romanian) (English) Official website

• (Romanian) DinamoMania
• (Romanian) FC Dinamo Bucuresti Ultras
• (Romanian) Dinamo-OnLine
• (Romanian) (English) FcDINAMO.net - Unofficial website
• (Romanian) FCDB.ro - Fan Club Dinamo Bucuresti
• (Romanian) Red |White Pride:: Mandri de a fi Caini
• (Romanian) Page dedicated to Catalin Hildan
• (Romanian) Page dedicated to Catalin Hildan
• (Romanian) Dinamo - Liga 1 ranking
• (Romanian) All time Dinamo results in Liga 1
• (Romanian) / Suporterii Dinamovisti

Fan pages

• Fan's site
• Dinamo's supporters Community
• Brigate Dinamo
• Tifosi Ultra'
• Guardia Oradea
• Ultras Tei
• Dinamo Bucuresti statistics
• Fan Club DINAMO
• The history of Dinamo Bucharest