Mircea Irimescu

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Mircea Irimescu
Personal information
Date of birth (1959-05-13) 13 May 1959 (age 66)
Place of birth Craiova, Romania
Position Midfielder
Youth career
Universitatea Craiova
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1976–1990 Universitatea Craiova 318 (62)
1990–1991 Electroputere Craiova
1991–1992 Sportfreunde Siegen
International career
1983–1985 Romania 9 (2)
Managerial career
1995–1996 FC Universitatea Craiova (assistant)
1996 FC Universitatea Craiova (caretaker)
1997 Electroputere Craiova (assistant)
1999–2002 Extensiv Craiova (assistant)
2002–2003 FC Universitatea Craiova (assistant)
2004 Oțelul Galați (assistant)
2005–2006 Argeș Pitești (assistant)
2006 Politehnica Timișoara (assistant)
2006–2007 Național București (assistant)
2007–2008 Dacia Mioveni (assistant)
2008–2009 Pandurii Târgu Jiu (assistant)
2010 Pandurii Târgu Jiu (assistant)
2010 CFR Cluj (assistant)
2011 Steaua București (assistant)
2012 ALRO Slatina
2012 FC Brașov (assistant)
2013 CSMS Iași (assistant)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mircea Irimescu (born 13 May 1959) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played for Universitatea Craiova. He earned nine caps for Romania and participated in UEFA Euro 1984. [1]

Contents

Irimescu spent most of his playing career with Universitatea, but also played for Electroputere Craiova and German side Sportfreunde Siegen before becoming a coach in his home country. [2] [3]

Club career

Irimescu was born on 13 May 1959 in Craiova, Romania. [4] [5] [6] He began playing junior-level football at local club Universitatea, winning a national junior championship in 1974. [6] He made his Divizia A debut on 11 September 1976 when coach Constantin Teașcă sent him in the 67th minute to replace Sorin Cârțu in a 1–0 home win over Politehnica Iași. [5] [7] In the next round he scored in a 1–1 draw against Sportul Studențesc București. [5] [6] [8] Subsequently, on 2 April 1977 he scored a brace in a 2–1 away victory against Politehnica Iași. [5] [6]

Irimescu went on to play 14 seasons for "U" Craiova, being part of the "Craiova Maxima" generation, helping them win two consecutive league titles in 1980 and 1981. [3] [4] [9] [10] At the first one he contributed with seven goals scored in the 26 appearances given to him by coach Valentin Stănescu and in the second he netted four goals in the 21 matches coach Ion Oblemenco used him. [4] [9] He also won the Cupa României four times, but played only in the 1981 and 1983 finals which were victories against Politehnica Timișoara. [4] [11]

Irimescu played 35 games and scored five goals for "U" Craiova in European competitions. [12] In the second round of the 1979–80 UEFA Cup he netted a goal in the 4–0 aggregate win over Leeds United, thus Universitatea became the first Romanian club that eliminated a team from England in European competitions. [13] [14] Subsequently, in the following round he scored a goal in the 2–1 aggregate loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach. [13] Afterwards, they reached the quarter-finals in the 1981–82 European Cup by eliminating Olympiacos and Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, with Irimescu scoring once against the first, being eliminated with 3–1 on aggregate by Bayern Munich. [15] He made nine appearances in the 1982–83 UEFA Cup campaign when they reached the semi-finals, scoring once against Shamrock Rovers, being eliminated by Benfica on the away goal rule after 1–1 on aggregate. [16] He made his last Divizia A appearance under coach Sorin Cârțu in a 2–0 away loss to Corvinul Hunedoara, totaling 318 matches with 62 goals in the competition. [4] [5] [17]

In 1990, Irimescu joined for one season Divizia B side Electroputere Craiova, helping them earn promotion to the first league. [2] [4] Then he went to play in the fourth league of Germany at Sportfreunde Siegen where he ended his career in 1992. [2] [4]

International career

Irimescu played nine matches and scored two goals for Romania, making his debut on 7 September 1983 under coach Mircea Lucescu in a 2–2 friendly draw against Poland in which he scored once. [18] [19] [20] He played two games in the Euro 1980 qualifiers, then scored one goal in the 4–1 victory against Yugoslavia in the second leg of the 1977–80 Balkan Cup final. [18] He was used by coach Lucescu as a starter in the 1–0 loss to Portugal in the Euro 1984 final tournament, as his side failed to progress from their group. [18] [21] Subsequently, he scored his second goal in a 2–1 friendly loss to East Germany. [18] Irimescu's last two appearances for the national team were during the 1986 World Cup qualifiers in a loss to Northern Ireland and a win over Turkey. [18]

International goals

Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Irimescu goal.
List of international goals scored by Mircea Irimescu [18]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
17 September 1983 Stadion Miejski, Kraków, PolandFlag of Poland.svg  Poland 2–22–2 Friendly
229 August 1984 Stadion der Freundschaft, Gera, East GermanyFlag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 1–01–2Friendly

Coaching career

After he ended his playing career, Irimescu worked for over 15 years as Sorin Cârțu's assistant coach. [22] He also had some short spells as head coach at Universitatea Craiova during the 1996–97 Divizia A season, and in 2012 at second league side ALRO Slatina. [5] [23]

Personal life

He married former long-distance runner athlete Maria Radu. [2] [24] Together, they had a boy named Paul, who played football in the Romanian lower leagues. [2] [3] [24] In 2003, Irimescu received the Honorary Citizen of Craiova title. [25]

Honours

Universitatea Craiova

Electroputere Craiova

Romania

References

  1. ↑ "European Championship 1984 - Final Tournament - Full Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mircea Irimescu a jucat la Siegen!" [Mircea Irimescu played for Siegen!] (in Romanian). Gds.ro. 23 January 2009. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Mircea Irimescu a jucat la Siegen!" [Mircea Irimescu played for Siegen!] (in Romanian). Gds.ro. 12 June 2010. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Mircea Irimescu at National-Football-Teams.com
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mircea Irimescu profile". Labtof. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "13 mai, ziua tunarilor olteni" [13 May, Oltenia Gunners' Day] (in Romanian). Welovesport.ro. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  7. ↑ "Universitatea Craiova vs Politehnica Iasi 1-0". Labtof. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Sportul Studențesc vs Universitatea Craiova 1-1". Labtof. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  9. 1 2 "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "Mircea Irimescu" (in Romanian). Ucv1948.ro. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Romanian Cup – Season 1976–1977". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "Romanian Cup – Season 1977–1978". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "Romanian Cup – Season 1980–1981". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "Romanian Cup – Season 1982–1983". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  12. ↑ Mircea Irimescu at WorldFootball.net
  13. 1 2 "Mircea Irimescu. UEFA Cup 1979/1980". WorldFootball. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "38 de ani de la o performanță senzațională! Universitatea Craiova, prima echipă din România care elimina o grupare din Anglia" [38 years since a sensational performance! Universitatea Craiova, the first team in Romania to eliminate a group from England] (in Romanian). Orangesport.ro. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "Au trecut 43 de ani de la Leeds United – Universitatea Craiova 0-2. Amintirile lui Aurel Beldeanu: "M-au aplaudat și englezii". Exclusiv" [43 years have passed since Leeds United – Universitatea Craiova 0-2. Aurel Beldeanu's memories: "The English applauded me too." Exclusive] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "Mircea Irimescu. Champions League 1981/1982". WorldFootball. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  16. ↑ "EXCLUSIV. Dezvăluiri explozive despre cum "i-a luat" naționala calificarea Craiovei Maxima în finala Cupei UEFA : "S-au făcut multe greșeli după România-Italia"" [EXCLUSIVE. Explosive revelations about how the national team "took away" Craiova Maxima's qualification for the UEFA Cup final: "Many mistakes were made after Romania-Italy"] (in Romanian). Playsport.ro. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
    "Mircea Irimescu. UEFA Cup 1982/1983". WorldFootball. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  17. ↑ "Mircea Irimescu 1989/90 season". Labtof. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "Corvinul Hunedoara vs Universitatea Craiova 2-0". Labtof. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "European Football". Mircea Irimescu. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  19. 1 2 "Balkan Cup 1977–80". European Football. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  20. ↑ "European Football". Poland 2-2 Romania. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  21. ↑ "Generația EURO 84, chemată la raport după turneul final. "Ne-a spus că am jucat sub orice critică! Credeam că vine șeful și ne curăță"" [EURO 84 generation, called to report after the final tournament. "He told us we played under any criticism! I thought the boss was coming and cleaning us up."] (in Romanian). Playsport.ro. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "Povestea României la primul Euro, din 1984: am lăsat Italia acasă! Fără niciun stelist, cu cel mai tânăr selecţioner pe bancă şi debutul lui Hagi la un turneu final la doar 19 ani" [Romania's story at the first Euro, from 1984: we left Italy at home! Without any Steaua player, with the youngest coach on the bench and Hagi's debut at a final tournament at only 19 years old] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "EURO 1984: România intră "pe marile bulevarde ale fotbalului". 33 de ani de la golul lui Boloni cu Italia, surprizele lui Lucescu pentru EURO" [EURO 1984: Romania enters "the great boulevards of football". 33 years since Boloni's goal against Italy, Lucescu's surprises for the EURO] (in Romanian). Adevarul.ro. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "Irimescu: "Dacă mă sună, am zburat spre Ghencea"" [Irimescu: "If they call me, I'll fly to Ghencea"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "A venit si Mircea Irimescu" [Mircea Irimescu also came] (in Romanian). Gds.ro. 30 October 2002. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "Rocada s-a infaptuit!" [The castling has taken place!] (in Romanian). Ziaruldeiasi.ro. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  23. ↑ "Mircea Irimescu, la un pas de tragedie" [Mircea Irimescu, one step away from tragedy] (in Romanian). Cvlpress.ro. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "EXCLUSIV. Dezvăluiri explozive despre cum "i-a luat" naționala calificarea Craiovei Maxima în finala Cupei UEFA : "S-au făcut multe greșeli după România-Italia"" [EXCLUSIVE. Explosive revelations about how the national team "took away" Craiova Maxima's qualification for the UEFA Cup final: "Many mistakes were made after Romania-Italy"] (in Romanian). Playsport.ro. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
    "EXCLUSIV! Sorin Cartu s-a inteles cu o echipa din Romania! Unde merge fostul antrenor de la CFR Cluj, Steaua si Craiova:" [EXCLUSIVE! Sorin Cartu has reached an agreement with a team from Romania! Where is the former coach from CFR Cluj, Steaua and Craiova going:] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "DRAMA in fotbalul romanesc! Un antrenor a facut INFARCT in vestiar inainte de meci! Momentul in care tot stadionul a inghetat" [DRAMA in Romanian football! A coach had a HEART ATTACK in the locker room before the match! The moment when the whole stadium froze] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
    "Mircea Irimescu: "Dacă Alro promovează, putem rămâne în aceeaşi formulă"" [Mircea Irimescu: "If Alro promotes, we can stay in the same formula"] (in Romanian). Gazetanoua.ro. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  24. 1 2 ""Atletismul a fost viata mea, dar acum este fotbalul"" ["Athletics was my life, but now it's football"] (in Romanian). Gds.ro. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  25. ↑ "Cetățeni de onoare ai Craiovei" [Honorary citizens of Craiova] (in Romanian). Primariacraiova.ro. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
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