Răzvan Raț
 Răzvan Raț with Shakhtar in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Răzvan Dincă Raț | ||
| Date of birth | 26 May 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Piatra-Olt,[1] Romania | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Left-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1988–1994 | Rapid Piatra-Olt | ||
| 1994 | Universitatea Craiova | ||
| 1995 | Constructorul Craiova | ||
| 1996 | Sporting Pitești | ||
| 1996 | Cetatea Târgu Neamț | ||
| 1996–1998 | Sporting Pitești | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–2003 | Rapid București | 82 | (4) |
| 2000–2001 | → FCM Bacău (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2003–2013 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 174 | (6) |
| 2013–2014 | West Ham United | 15 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1999–2002 | Romania U-21 | 16 | (0) |
| 2002–[2] | Romania | 94 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 February 2014. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Răzvan Dincă Raț (born 26 May 1981) is a Romanian footballer who plays as a defender and is currently a free agent. Raț is also a Romania international and is currently the first-choice left-back for his country. He also serves as the first-choice captain of the national team. He made his international debut in 2002 and has represented Romania at the Euro 2008. Raț first captained his country in 2005, in the friendly match against Nigeria in the absence of regular captain Cristian Chivu and on 2 September 2011, he was appointed captain. He is seventh most capped Romanian player.
His honours include eight league titles (two with Rapid and six with Shakhtar), one Romanian Cup, four Ukrainian Cups, one UEFA Cup, one Romanian Super Cup and three Ukrainian Super Cups. In 2009, Raț came second in voting for the Romanian Footballer of the Year.
Club career
Early career
Born in Piatra-Olt,[1] Raț started out his football career when he joined the local team Rapid Piatra-Olt aged seven in a team trained by his father.[3] In the summer of 1994, Raț went on a trial with Universitatea Craiova. He impressed coach Anghel Mităchescu and joined the club's youth system at the age of 13.[4] When Mităchescu found out that he was going to be released from his duties by club president Rodion Cămătaru, he transferred the entire junior squad at the Divizia B side Constructorul Craiova. However, Raț's career for Constructorul ended shortly, due to the financial problems, in 1995.[4] In the winter of that year, Raț was noticed by Tudorel Stoica, who attended at a futsall tournament from Balş. Stoica wanted for Raț to join Steaua Bucureşti's youth system. Despite both Stoica and youth coach Bujor Hălmăgean were impressed by the young player, Raț never joined Steaua, because according to his father, the military club refused to pay the youth, Raț being forced to live in Bucharest all by himself.[4] By the guidance of his former coach Mităchescu, Raț joined Sporting Pitești, team trained by former international player Nicolae Dobrin. In his first match, Raț was substituted in for the last 10–15 minutes of the game, and he scored five or six goals.[4] On 2 September 1996, after being noticed by Silviu Stănescu, Raț joined Divizia B side Cetatea Târgu Neamț. Despite being only 15 years old, Raț trained with the senior squad. On 19 November, the arrest of Cetatea's main sponsor led to the dissolution of Cetatea Târgu Neamț. Raț got to play only two matches for the juniors of Cetatea.[4] He later rejoined Sporting Pitești, and by the guidance of Mihai Georgescu he became once champion and once vice-champion with his team.[5] In May or June 1998, Mircea Lucescu noticed Raț, and therefore he signed his first professional contract with Rapid Bucureşti on 26 June.[4] Raț started his professional career with Romanian Premier League side Rapid București in 1998. In 2003, he was signed by Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk, where he became a key player. He played the whole game as Donetsk won the 2009 UEFA Cup Final.[6]
West Ham United
On 21 May 2013, Raț signed for English Premier League Club West Ham United on a free transfer signing an extendable one-year contract.[7] His West Ham debut came on 27 August 2013 in a League Cup game against Cheltenham Town in which West Ham won the game 2-1.[8]
On 31 January 2014, Raț was released from his contract with West Ham United by mutual consent.[9] He had played 20 games in all competitions without scoring.[10]
International career
On 8 February 2002, Raț was called up to the Romania national team for the first time.[11] Five days later, he was in the startup team against World and European champions France, counting his debut in the national squad.[12] Raț played his first official match on 12 October, in a Euro 2004 qualifier match against Norway, playing as a left midfielder.[13] Following Chivu's establishment in the central defense, Raț became the first-choice left back for Romania. On 28 April 2004, Raț scored his first goal for the national squad, in a 5–1 win against Germany national team, the worst away defeat for the Germans since the past 65 years.[14]
In 2008, he was on the main squad for the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament. He helped Romania to a 0–0 draw against previous FIFA World Cup finalists France and a 1–1 draw against world champions Italy in the so-called "group of death". However, Romania were eliminated after a 2–0 loss to the Netherlands.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 April 2004 | Giulești, București, Romania |  Germany | 2–0 | 5–1 | Friendly |
Career statistics
Club
- As of 26 May 2013
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Super Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rapid | 1998–99 | 3 | 0 | ? | ? | - | - | - | - | ? | ? |
| 1999–00 | 20 | 1 | ? | ? | - | - | - | - | ? | ? | |
| 2000–01 | 5 | 0 | ? | ? | 1 | 0 | - | - | ? | ? | |
| Bacău | 2000–01 | 14 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 14 | 2 |
| Rapid | 2001–02 | 27 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 35 | 2 |
| 2002–03 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
| Romania | 96 | 6 | ? | ? | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ? | ? | |
| Shakhtar | 2003–04 | 27 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 39 | 1 |
| 2004–05 | 20 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 2 | |
| 2005–06 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| 2006–07 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 1 | |
| 2009–10 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | - | - | 31 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 2 | |
| 2011–12 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 15 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| Ukraine | 174 | 6 | 29 | 2 | 90 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 300 | 10 | |
| Career total | 270 | 12 | ? | ? | 98 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ? | ? | |
International
- As of 15 August 2012
| National Team | Year | Friendlies | Qualifiers | Competition | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Romania | 2002 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 |
| 2003 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 9 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | – | 9 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 9 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 38 | 1 | 48 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 89 | 1 | |
Honours
Club
- Rapid Bucuresti
- Romanian League: 1998–99, 2002–03
- Romanian Cup: 2001–02
- Romanian Super Cup: 2002–03
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Ukrainian League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
- Ukrainian Cup: 2003–04, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
- Ukrainian Super Cup: 2005, 2008, 2010
- UEFA Cup: 2008–09
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Hammers seal Rat Signing". www.whufc.com. Retrieved 2013-05-31.
- ↑ "Razvan Rat - International Appearances". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
- ↑ "Drumul lui Răzvan Raț de la Piatra Olt la Donetk", Adevărul (22 May 2009)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 ""Ţăranul" a crescut mare" (in Romanian). ProSport. 22 May 2009.
- ↑ "Raț profile" (in Romanian). Sporting Pitești.
- ↑ "Shaktar 2-1 Bremen". UEFA.com. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ↑ "West Ham sign Rat on one-year deal". Reuters. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
- ↑ "West Ham United 2-1 Cheltenham Town". www.whufc.com. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- ↑ "Duo depart". West Ham United FC. 31 January 2014.
- ↑ "Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics - Razvan Rat". www.westhamstas.info. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
- ↑ "S-a stabilit lotul pentru Franta" (in Romanian). Apropo. 8 February 2002.
- ↑ "Experimentul Chivu" (in Romanian). Apropo. 14 February 2002.
- ↑ "Romania 0–1 Norvegia" (in Romanian). Apropo. 13 October 2002.
- ↑ "Romania hands Germany 5–1 thrashing". The Age. 30 April.
External links
- Răzvan Raț career stats at Soccerbase
- Official website
- Răzvan Raț – UEFA competition record
- Răzvan Raț profile at Romanian Soccer website
- Răzvan Raț at ESPN FC
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