Vlad Chiricheș
 Chiricheș lining up for Romania in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Vlad Iulian Chiricheș | ||
| Date of birth | 14 November 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Bacău, Romania | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Tottenham Hotspur | ||
| Number | 6 (12 UEFA Europa League) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| - | LPS Bacău | ||
| 2004–2007 | Ardealul Cluj | ||
| 2007–2008 | Benfica | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2008–2010 | Internațional | 41 | (1) |
| 2010–2012 | Pandurii Târgu Jiu | 39 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Steaua București | 42 | (1) |
| 2013– | Tottenham Hotspur | 13 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2009-2010 | Romania U21 | 3 | (0) |
| 2011– | Romania | 23 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21:11, 1 February 2014 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Vlad Iulian Chiricheș (Romanian pronunciation: [vlad ˈkirikeʃ]; born 14 November 1989)[1] is a Romanian footballer who plays as a centre back for Tottenham Hotspur and the Romania national team.
Club career
Early career
Chiricheș began his career at LPS Bacău as a midfielder, even as a striker a few years later when he moved to Ardealul Cluj playing alongside Mihai Răduț and Alexandru Maxim. He then moved to Portuguese side Benfica in 2007.[2]
Internațional and Pandurii
Upon his return to Romania after 12 months spent in Portugal, he joined lower league club Internațional Curtea de Argeș and helped them earn promotion to the top flight Liga I in 2009.[3] In 2010, shortly after Internațional was dissolved, he moved alongside many of his teammates to Pandurii Târgu Jiu.[4] Chiricheș was close to signing with Steaua București instead of Pandurii, but Victor Pițurcă, Steaua's coach at the time, did not agree with the transfer.[5]
Steaua Bucharest
After one season Chiricheș sealed another transfer, this time to Steaua București for a reported sum of €700,000 and 25% left to Pandurii in case of a future transfer.[6] On 6 August 2013, Steaua paid another €500,000 for the 25% left of the co-ownership, making the total transfer sum to €1.2 million.[7] On 25 October 2012, he scored an overhead volley from near the penalty spot in a 2–0 win against Molde in the Europa League, which put Steaua in control of Group E.[8] Chiricheș scored from long range against Ajax on 21 February 2013, canceling out a two-goal first-leg deficit as Steaua triumphed in the penalty shoot-out to set up a Round of 16 meeting with 2012 Champions League winners, Chelsea.[9][10] He scored again, an equalising goal to make it 1–1 with a fine close-range finish on the stroke of half-time in the 3–1 second leg loss against The Blues at Stamford Bridge after Steaua has managed to win the first leg 1–0.[11]
Tottenham Hotspur
Steaua agreed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur for the transfer of Chiricheș on 24 August 2013, for a club-record fee of €9.5 million.[12][13] The transfer was completed on 30 August. On 24 September, Vlad made his debut for Tottenham Hotspur in a 4–0 victory over Aston Villa in the Capital One Cup.[14] Chiriches' debut for Tottenham in Premier League was also an away game against Aston Villa on 20 October. He kept another clean sheet in a 2–0 win and was voted Man of the Match by Spurs fans.[15] His second appearance for Spurs was against Hull City in a 1–0 win. He also played against Fulham on 4 December and scored a goal from outside the box to make it 1-1. Spurs won the game 2-1.[16]
International career
He made his debut for the senior team in an UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match against Luxembourg on 2 September 2011.[17] On 14 August 2013, Chiricheș became the captain of Romania, in the friendly draw 1–1 over Slovakia. His debut as captain in an official match was on 6 September 2013, in the 3–0 victory against Hungary, in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification round group stage.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Internațional | 2008–09 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| 2009–10 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 41 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| Pandurii Târgu Jiu | 2010–11 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| 2011–12 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| Total | 39 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 | |
| Steaua București | 2011–12 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 4 | |
| 2013–14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 42 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 4 | |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2013–14 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Total | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 1 | |
| Career totals | 133 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 164 | 6 | |
Honours
Club
- Steaua Bucureşti
Individual awards
- Romanian Footballer of the Year (1): 2013
References
- ↑ "Player Profile – Vlad Chiricheş". Transfermarkt.com. 21 April 2011.
- ↑ "Sky Sports Scout – Vlad Chiriches". Sky Sports. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
- ↑ "Nou promovata lui Ştefan Stoica a pornit la drum în Liga 1: FC Internaţional a început pregătirile". Gazeta Sporturilor. 22 June 2009. (Romanian)
- ↑ "Ionuţ Badea a ales 15 jucători de la Inter pentru lotul Pandurilor". Gazeta Sporturilor. 21 July 2010. (Romanian)
- ↑ "Povestea celui mai scump transfer din liga 1". Gazeta Sporturilor. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
- ↑ "Chiricheş a semnat cu Steaua, dar vine la iarnă". Gazeta Sporturilor. 3 August 2011. (Romanian)
- ↑ "Steaua pays 1.2 million euros for Chiriches". Gazeta Sporturilor. 6 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
- ↑ "Chiricheş stunner helps Steaua sink Molde". UEFA. 25 October 2012.
- ↑ "Latovlevici shines as Steaua beat Ajax on penalties". UEFA. 21 February 2013.
- ↑ "Blues edge through, Ajax outed on penalties". FIFA. 21 February 2013.
- ↑ "Torres on target as Chelsea sneak past Steaua". UEFA. 14 March 2013.
- ↑ "Tottenham agree price for Chiriches". FIFA. 25 August 2013.
- ↑ "Spurs announce Vlad Chiriches signing". ESPN FC. 30 August 2013.
- ↑ "Chiriches transfer agreed". tottenhamhotspur.com. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
- ↑ "Chiriches voted Man of the Match". @spursofficial. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
- ↑ Cryer, Andy. "BBC Sport - Fulham 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
- ↑ "Torje double keeps Romania in touch". UEFA.com. 2 September 2011.
- ↑ "Profile of Vlad Chiricheș". Worldfootball.net. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ↑ "Vlad Chiricheș career stats". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vlad Chiricheș. |
- Vlad Chiriches at tottenhamhotspur.com
- SteauaFC profile (Romanian)
- Profile of Vlad Chiricheș at RomanianSoccer.ro
- Profile at UEFA.com
- Vlad Chiricheș career stats at Soccerbase
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Răzvan Raț |
Romania captain 2013– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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