Biography
Who is Vlad Chiricheș?
Early life and youth career
Vlad Iulian Chiricheș was born in Bacău, Romania, on November 14, 1989. He began his youth football career in his hometown at LPS Bacău, where he initially played as a midfielder. Later, during his time with Ardealul Cluj, he transitioned into the striker position.
In 2007, he moved to Portugal to join Benfica for a one-year stint. Upon returning to Romania, he signed with the lower league club Internațional Curtea de Argeș. He helped the team secure promotion to the top flight in 2009. After the club dissolved in 2010, he transferred to Pandurii Târgu Jiu alongside many of his former teammates.
Professional club career
After one season at Pandurii Târgu Jiu, he transferred to Steaua București, later known as FCSB. During this initial tenure, he helped the club win a Liga I title and a Supercupa României. He gained international attention for scoring well-known goals in European competitions, including strikes against Molde in the Europa League and Ajax in 2013.
In August 2013, he moved to the English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur for a transfer fee of 9.5 million euros. He debuted in a League Cup victory over Aston Villa and scored his first Premier League goal against Fulham later that year. After two seasons in England, he moved to Italy to represent Napoli, where he played for several years despite suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2018. He subsequently played for Serie A clubs Sassuolo and Cremonese before returning to FCSB in 2023.
International play and achievements
Vlad Chiricheș made his senior international debut for the Romania national team on September 2, 2011, in a match against Luxembourg. He served as the team captain for the first time in a friendly draw against Slovakia in August 2013. His competitive debut as captain occurred shortly after during a World Cup qualifier against Hungary.
Throughout his career, he earned over 70 caps for his country and represented Romania at the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament. He reached the milestone of 50 international caps in October 2017 during a victory against Kazakhstan. His individual honors include being named the Gazeta Sporturilor Romanian Footballer of the Year in 2013.
Physical stats and playing positions
Standing at 184 centimeters tall, Vlad Chiricheș primarily operated as a centre-back throughout his professional career. While defense was his main responsibility, managers occasionally deployed him as a right-back or a defensive midfielder. He remained active in top-flight football for over a decade across Romania, England, and Italy.
Birthday and age
Vlad Chiricheș was born on November 14, 1989, which makes Vlad 37 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Vlad shares the date with 65 other famous people.
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