Florentin Matei

Florentin Matei
Matei playing for Volyn Lutsk in 2015
Personal information
Full name Florentin Matei
Date of birth (1993-04-15) 15 April 1993
Place of birth Bolintin-Vale, Romania
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Ittihad Kalba
Number --
Youth career
0000–2008 Steaua București
2011–2012 Cesena
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Steaua II București 5 (0)
2010–2011 Steaua București 2 (0)
2010 → Unirea Urziceni (loan) 5 (0)
2011–2012 Cesena 0 (0)
2013–2016 Volyn Lutsk 54 (10)
2016–2018 Rijeka 39 (4)
2018 → Astra Giurgiu (loan) 13 (4)
2018– Ittihad Kalba 0 (0)
National team‡
2010 Romania U17 2 (0)
2011 Romania U19 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 May 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 January 2018

Florentin Matei (Romanian pronunciation: [florenˈtin maˈtej]; born 15 April 1993) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays mainly as an attacking midfielder for Ittihad Kalba.

He began his football career with Steaua București, and also played for Cesena and Volyn Lutsk before being transferred to Rijeka in 2016.

Matei represented Romania at under-17 and under-19 level.

Club career

Steaua București

Born in Bolintin-Vale, Giurgiu County, Matei came through FC Steaua București's youth ranks, and in 2009 he was named the best player of the "Iulian Manzarov – International Football Tournament for Juniors" in Bulgaria.[1] On 16 May 2010 he made his Liga I debut for the senior team, in a 2–0 victory against FC Universitatea Craiova where he came on as a substitute for Romeo Surdu in the 82nd minute;[2] in September, he was sent on loan at fellow league side Unirea Urziceni along with several other teammates from Steaua's reserves.[3]

The following year, Matei terminated his contract with the capital-based club. He was subsequently criticised by its owner George Becali, who believed that the youngster would never become an above average player.[4]

Cesena / Volyn Lutsk

After eight months as a free agent, Matei signed with A.C. Cesena from Italy on 11 September 2011.[5] He was released only a year later.

In the autumn of 2013, Matei agreed to a three-year deal with Ukrainian side Volyn Lutsk,[6] having been previously close to joining Dinamo București, the historic rival of his former club Steaua.[7][8] During his spell with "the Crusaders" he made 61 appearances all competitions comprised, and scored 12 goals.

Rijeka

On 2 February 2016, HNK Rijeka announced they had signed Matei on a ​3 1⁄2-year contract.[9] He was given the number 10 jersey and made his debut a week later, as a 85th-minute substitute in a 2–0 home win over NK Lokomotiva.[10] He scored his first goal for his new team in the first leg of the Croatian Cup semi-final, helping to a 2–1 defeat of Slaven Belupo.[11]

On 9 January 2018, Rijeka loaned Matei to Astra Giurgiu in Romania until the end of the campaign.[12][13] On 25 May, he moved to Emirati club Ittihad Kalba for a fee of €500,000.[14]

International career

Matei earned caps for Romania's under-17 and under-19 teams.[15] In early 2016, Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu regarded him as a player who would deserve to be selected for the full side.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of 20 May 2018[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Division League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Volyn Lutsk 2013–14 Ukrainian Premier League 18210–192
2014–15 21230–242
2015–16 15632–188
Volyn total 541072006112
Rijeka 2015–16 Croatian First League 13121–152
2016–17 1823020232
2017–18 811052143
Rijeka total 3946172527
Astra Giurgiu 2017–18 Liga I 13410–144
Career total 106181437212723

Honours

Club

Rijeka[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Junior stelist premiat" [Steaua junior receives medal] (in Romanian). Steaua București. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "Steaua trimite Universitatea Craiova spre Liga 2" [Steaua sends Universitatea Craiova to Liga 2] (in Romanian). Ziare. 16 May 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "EXCLUSIV – Florentin "Messi" Matei va juca la Urziceni! Vezi aici cine a refuzat "exilul" la Unirea!" [EXCLUSIVE – Florentin "Messi" Matei will play for Urziceni! See here who refused the Unirea "exile"] (in Romanian). ProSport. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "Fl. Matei: "Am dat mulţi bani ca să plec de la Steaua. Becali s-a simţit jignit"" [Fl. Matei: "I paid a lot of money to leave Steaua. Becali felt offended"] (in Romanian). DigiSport. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  5. ↑ "Mijlocaşul Florentin Matei a semnat un contract pe cinci ani cu Cesena" [Midfielder Florentin Matei signed a five-year contract with Cesena] (in Romanian). Mediafax. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  6. ↑ ""Micul Messi" şi-a găsit în sfîrşit echipă » Florentin Matei: "O iau de jos, vreau să ajung unde îmi doresc dintotdeauna"" ["Little Messi" finally found a team » Florentin Matei: "I'm starting from the bottom, I want to be where I always wanted"] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "Prima promisiune făcută de Florentin Matei dinamoviştilor: "Vă aduc victoria cu Steaua"" [Florentin Matei's first promise to Dinamo fans: "I'll bring you the victory against Steaua"] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  8. ↑ "EXCLUSIV – Dinamo a renunţat la Florentin Matei" [EXCLUSIVE – Dinamo dropped Florentin Matei] (in Romanian). DigiSport. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "Florentin Matei potpisao za Rijeku i zaradio pljesak publike" [Florentin Matei signed for Rijeka and earned applause] (in Croatian). HNK Rijeka. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "Rijeka – Lokomotiva 2:0" (in Croatian). Croatian First Football League. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "Rijeka – Slaven Belupo 2:1" (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  12. ↑ "S-a făcut! Astra a reuşit două transferuri excelente pentru a rămâne pe loc de play-off" [Done deals! Astra made two excellent tranfers to mentain its position in the championship play-off] (in Romanian). DigiSport. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  13. ↑ "Şi Florentin Matei a semnat cu Astra Giurgiu" [Florentin Matei also signed for Astra Giurgiu] (in Romanian). News.ro. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  14. ↑ "Florentin Matei a semnat cu Al-Ittihad Kalba! Gigi Becali a ratat doi jucători într-o zi" [Florentin Matei signed with Al-Ittihad Kalba! Gigi Becali missed two players one day] (in Romanian). Libertatea. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  15. ↑ "România U17, învinsă la Mogoşoaia de Germania, scor 1–3" [Romania U17, beaten by Germany at Mogoșoaia, 1–3] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "Mircea Lucescu crede că și Florentin Matei merită o șansă la națională: "Înseamnă foarte mult"" [Mircea Lucescu believes that Floretin Matei deserves a chance too at the national team: "It means a lot"] (in Romanian). DigiSport. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  17. 1 2 Florentin Matei at Soccerway. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
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