Laurențiu Roșu

Laurențiu Dumitru Roșu (born 26 October 1975) is a Romanian retired footballer who played as either a forward or winger.

After four seasons at Steaua București, he played nine years as a professional in Spain – eight in the two major levels, where he amassed totals of 222 games and 44 goals – representing three clubs, mostly Recreativo.

Roșu gained nearly 40 caps for Romania, representing the nation at Euro 2000.

Club career

Born in Iaşi, Roșu started playing football with local FC Politehnica. Not yet 18, he moved to country giants FC Steaua București, where he would spend the following seven years, winning five Liga I championships.

In his first season, Roșu only featured in four league matches, but after his direct competitor was sold he blossomed into a top flight player, scoring six goals in 31 games in the 1994–95 campaign and netting a combined 27 in his last two as the team finished third on both occasions. Previously, in 1997–98, as Steaua again lifted the league trophy (with three goals from the player), it became the first club in the country after World War II to conquer the national title for six consecutive years.

With Roșu on board, Steaua became the first Romanian side to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage phase, in the 1994–95 season, as he left in 2000 with 159 games played in the first division, all with the same team. He also managed to win three Romanian Cups, adding 43 games and four goals in European competition.

Roșu moved to CD Numancia for 2000–01, joining compatriot Constantin Barbu who had arrived the previous season.^[1] In his first year in Spain he scored eight times – including a hat-trick against Real Madrid^[2]– but the Sorians were relegated from La Liga. After a further three years, all in the second level, he signed for Recreativo de Huelva, scoring 19 goals in his first two seasons combined including ten in 2005–06 as the Andalusians returned to the top flight after a three-year absence.

After managing to score only three times in 2006–07 and appear in four contests in the following season, Roșu moved to neighbour side Cádiz CF, freshly relegated to the third level. He was released after a sole campaign, having contributed poorly to the club's immediate promotion.

On 25 March 2008, Roșu was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian Băsescu, for having qualified to Euro 2008 with "Medalia Meritul Sportiv" — (the "Sportive Merit" medal) class III. In 2010 he started a managerial career, notably working as an assistant with FC Vaslui and FC Petrolul Ploiești.^[3][4]

International career

Roșu made his debut for the Romanian national team on 10 October 1998 against Portugal, in an UEFA Euro 2000 qualifier (1–0 away win), and represented his country at the tournament's final stages. He played in 38 international games and scored five goals, including an important one against Bulgaria on 2 September 2006, in a 2–2 home draw for the Euro 2008 qualifying stage.

Honours

Steaua

• Liga I: 1993-94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98
• Cupa României: 1995-96, 1996–97, 1998–99
• Supercupa României: 1993, 1994, 1997

Recreativo

• Segunda División: 2005–06

References

External links

• RomanianSoccer profile and stats
• Laurențiu Roșu profile at BDFutbol
• Laurențiu Roșu at National-Football-Teams.com
• Laurențiu Roșu – FIFA competition record

Romania squad – UEFA Euro 2000
1 Lobonț 2 Petrescu 3 Ciobotariu 4 Filipescu 5 Gâlcă 6 Popescu 7 Mutu 8 Munteanu 9 Moldovan 10 Hagi (c) 11 Ilie 12 Stelea 13 Chivu 14 Petre 15 Lupescu 16 Roșu 17 Belodedici 18 Ganea 19 Lincar 20 Hîldan 21 Prunea 22 Contra Coach: Jenei