Biography
Who is Cosmin Contra?
Early life and career beginnings
Cosmin Contra was born in Timișoara, Romania, on December 15, 1975. He started his professional football career at his local club, Politehnica Timișoara, making his league debut under coach Costică Ștefănescu in February 1994. Although the team suffered relegation at the end of that season, he stayed with the squad and helped them earn promotion back after one year.
Midway through the 1995 to 1996 season, Cosmin signed for Dinamo București at the request of coach Cornel Dinu. During his first period with the club, he made his debut in European competitions, appearing in the UEFA Intertoto Cup and the UEFA Cup before eventually making a major move to Spanish football.
Club career highlights
Cosmin moved to Spanish La Liga side Deportivo Alavés for a transfer fee of 800,000 dollars. He played a key role in the club's run to the UEFA Cup final, earning a place in the prestigious UEFA Team of the Year. During his spell with Alavés, he scored eight goals across all competitions and was later voted the club's best-ever right-back by the newspaper Noticias de Álava.
After his time with Alavés, Cosmin played for Italian club AC Milan for one season, where he scored in a well-known victory against Inter Milan. He returned to Spain to play for Atlético Madrid and later joined West Bromwich Albion on loan in the English Premier League. He also had a productive spell with Getafe, where he scored important goals in the UEFA Cup against clubs like Bayern Munich and AEK Athens, before concluding his playing career.
International career
Cosmin earned 73 caps for the Romania national team and scored seven goals over a span of nearly 15 years. He made his international debut in April 1996 under coach Anghel Iordănescu, coming on as a substitute for Gheorghe Hagi in a friendly match against Georgia.
He represented his country in two European Championships, including playing as a starter during the group stage of Euro 2000 to help Romania advance. He also featured extensively in qualifying campaigns for the FIFA World Cup and the European Championships, eventually announcing his retirement from international play in 2009 before making a brief return in 2010.
Coaching career
Following his retirement as a player, Cosmin transitioned into football management. He began his coaching career at Politehnica Timișoara before moving to Spain to manage Fuenlabrada in the Segunda División B.
Cosmin later took charge of Petrolul Ploiești, leading the club to victory in the Cupa României by defeating CFR Cluj in the final. He also managed Getafe in the Spanish top flight, securing the team's survival in La Liga. His managerial career further included stints with Guangzhou R&F, Alcorcón, Dinamo București, where he won the Cupa Ligii, and taking over the helm of the Romania national team in September 2017.
Birthday and age
Cosmin Contra was born on December 15, 1975, which makes Cosmin 50 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Cosmin shares the date with 56 other famous people.
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