Octavian Popescu (footballer, born 2002)

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For other people with the same name, see Octavian Popescu.
Octavian Popescu
Octavian Popescu - FCSB vs. CFR Cluj, 23 Jan 2022.jpg
Popescu with FCSB in 2022
Personal information
Full name Octavian George Popescu
Date of birth (2002-12-27) 27 December 2002 (age 19)
Place of birth Târgoviște, Romania
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Winger, attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
 FCSB
Number 9
Youth career
2011–2014 Grup Școlar Agricol Nucet
2014–2020 Regal Sport București
2019 → Rapid București (loan)
2019–2020 → Universitatea Craiova (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– FCSB 59 (12)
2020 → Turris Turnu Măgurele (loan) 0 (0)
National team‡
2021– Romania U21 4 (0)
2021 Romania Olympic 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 March 2022
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 November 2021

Octavian George Popescu (Romanian pronunciation: [oktaviˈan ˈdʒe̯ordʒe poˈpesku]; born 27 December 2002) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a winger or an attacking midfielder for Liga I club FCSB.

Club career[]

Early career[]

Popescu started practising football at age eight with the team of his local high school from Nucet, Dâmbovița County.[1] In 2014, he moved to Regal Sport București, where he was teammates with Radu Drăgușin and Luca Florică among others. The capital-based club loaned him out to Rapid București and Universitatea Craiova, respectively, before Popescu joined FCSB in 2020.[2][3]

FCSB[]

Popescu was loaned out by FCSB to second tier side Turris Turnu Măgurele on 20 August 2020, but was immediately recalled to his parent club after general manager Mihai Stoica and owner Gigi Becali found out the deal was agreed over their heads.[4] One month later, aged 17, he made his professional debut for FCSB by coming on for Robert Ion in the 50th minute of a Liga I 3–0 win over FC Argeș.[3]

Popescu scored his first career goal and also assisted one on 30 January 2021, in a 3–1 defeat of Politehnica Iași at the Arena Națională.[5] On 15 April 2021, he started in a 1–4 penalty shoot-out loss to CFR Cluj in the Supercupa României.[6] FCSB also lost the national title to the latter opponent, and he ended his first season as a senior with four goals from 34 appearances in all competitions.

On 12 September 2021, Popescu netted a goal in a 6–0 derby thrashing of Dinamo București.[7] In the first Liga I fixture of the following year, on 23 January 2022, Popescu opened the scoring with a long-range shot in a 3–3 draw with CFR Cluj.[8] One week later, he scored again against Dinamo București in an eventual 3–0 league win.[9]

International career[]

Popescu did not represent Romania at any level prior to 2021, in spite of being considered a talented prospect.[10][11] He made his debut for the under-21 side in March 2021, aged 18, after entering as a substitute in the UEFA European Championship group stage matches against Hungary and Germany.[12]

In June 2021, Popescu featured for the under-23 team in friendlies against Mexico and Australia, but was later not allowed by FCSB to participate in the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics.[13]

Player profile[]

Style of play[]

Popescu's best attributes are his pace and acceleration, while at the same time possesses appreciable dribbling skills and creativity. He is able to strike the ball with both feet, and has been deployed in the centre as an attacking midfielder or wide as a winger.[14][2]

Reception[]

The breakthrough of Popescu in FCSB's senior team was highly regarded by Romanian pundits; Cornel Dinu described him as a "very talented kid of extraordinary quality" who "has similarities to Florea Dumitrache",[15] while his former coach Daniel Pancu regarded him a "fantastic talent".[2] Dinu continued his praises and compared him to Adrian Mutu, considering Popescu can have a much more successful career.

Basarab Panduru characterised Popescu as a versatile player.[16] Dorinel Munteanu stated that he is a "youngster who looks different from what we have in Romania". Munteanu also said "from my generation, from [Gheorghe] Hagi—not even Adrian Mutu, but from Hagi—I have never seen such a lightness to play in depth or to provide the final pass".[17] In February 2021, former international Gabi Balint said Popescu is a quick-thinking genius "just like Hagi was", but noted he should become more consistent during the full 90 minutes and build muscle mass.[14]

Career statistics[]

Club[]

As of match played 14 March 2022[18]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FCSB 2020–21 Liga I 32 4 0 0 1[a] 0 1[b] 0 34 4
2021–22 Liga I 27 8 0 0 2[c] 0 – 29 8
Career total 59 12 0 0 3 0 1 0 63 12
  1. ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearance in Supercupa României
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League


Honours[]

FCSB

References[]

  1. ^ "Micuța școală din Dâmbovița, care i-a descoperit pe Tavi Popescu și alți fotbaliști din Liga 1" [The small school in Dâmbovița, which discovered Tavi Popescu and other footballers from Liga 1] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c ""E din categoria lui Dobrin! Iti sare in ochi de la 100 de metri!" Ce club ar fi putut sa-l transfere pe Octavian Popescu inainte de FCSB si Craiova" ["He's from Dobrin's category! It strikes you from 100 meters away!" Which club could have transferred Octavian Popescu before FCSB and Craiova] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 31 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Octavian Popescu, jucătorul "furat" Craiovei, a debutat la FCSB!" [Octavian Popescu, the player "stolen" from Craiova, made his debut for FCSB!] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 20 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Mihai Stoica, dezvăluiri despre modul în care l-a "furat" pe Octavian Popescu de la Turris Turnu Măgurele: "I-am explicat lui Gigi că nu e normal!"" [Mihai Stoica, revealings about the way he "stole" Octavian Popescu from Turris Turnu Măgurele: "I explained Gigi that it's not normal!"] (in Romanian). ProSport. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Octavian Popescu, omul serii în FCSB - Poli Iași! Ilie Dumitrescu și Gabi Balint, impresionați de puștiul de 18 ani" [Octavian Popescu, the man of the evening in FCSB - Poli Iași! Ilie Dumitrescu and Gabi Balint, impressed by the 18-year-old kid] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 30 January 2021.
  6. ^ a b "FOTO&VIDEO | CFR Cluj a câștigat Supercupa României!" [PHOTO&VIDEO | CFR Cluj won the Romanian Supercup!] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  7. ^ "VIDEO FCSB - Dinamo 6-0! Rezultat istoric obţinut de echipa lui Iordănescu! 'Câinii' nu au avut nicio şansă după eliminarea lui Filip" [VIDEO FCSB - Dinamo 6–0! Historic result obtained by Iordănescu's team! The "dogs" had no chance after Filip's sending off] (in Romanian). Telekom Sport. 12 September 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  8. ^ "FCSB - CFR CLUJ. I-a ieșit bijuteria! » Cum a reușit Octavian Popescu unul dintre golurile sezonului în derby: 3 vinovați" [FCSB - CFR CLUJ. The rocket hit its target! » How Octavian Popescu managed to score one of the season's best goals in the derby: 3 guilties]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 23 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  9. ^ "EXCLUSIV Tavi Popescu era convins că va înscrie în derby-ul cu Dinamo: "M-am întâlnit cu el și mi-a spus asta"" [EXCLUSIVE Tavi Popescu was certain he would score in the derby against Dinamo: "I met with him and he said this"]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  10. ^ "FCSB. FRF l-a ignorat pe noul Dobrin! În trecut a mai existat un caz asemănător" [FCSB. FRF ignored the new Dobrin! There has been a similar case in the past]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 1 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Mihai Stoichiță, dezvăluiri incredibile despre Octavian Popescu: "Craiova nu l-a lăsat la lot!"" [Mihai Stoichiță, incredible disclosures about Octavian Popescu: "Craiova did not allow him to join the team!"] (in Romanian). ProSport. 3 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Adrian Mutu a anunțat lotul României pentru Euro 2021! Ce jucători vor merge în Ungaria și Slovenia" [Adrian Mutu announced Romania's squad for Euro 2021! What players will go to Hungary and Slovenia] (in Romanian). Eurosport România. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  13. ^ ""I-am spus lui Mirel că-i dau!" Anunţul făcut de Gigi Becali în privinţa jucătorilor de la FCSB" ["I told Mirel I would allow them to go!" The announcement made by Gigi Becali regarding the FCSB players] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022. They also took Tavi, but we will need him, because Tavi is an important player now, even if he is 18 years old.
  14. ^ a b "Balint, discurs FANTASTIC despre Octavian Popescu: "E ca Hagi, are geniu!" Fazele care l-au impresionat pe idolul Stelei: "E deja peste Man, asa il vad!" The dribbles that impressed the Steaua legend: "He's already better than Man, that's how I see it!"" [Balint, FANTASTIC speech about Octavian Popescu: "He's like Hagi, he has genius!"] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 2 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Cornel Dinu, cuvinte mari despre un fotbalist de la FCSB! L-a asemănat cu marele Florea Dumitrache: "Seamănă izbitor cu el. Uitaţi-vă cum ţine mingea la picior!"" [Cornel Dinu, big words about a footballer of FCSB! He likened him to the great Florea Dumitrache: "He looks strikingly like him. Just notice how he keeps the ball at his feet!"] (in Romanian). Telekom Sport. 23 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Octavian Popescu, comparat cu Adrian Mutu. Cornel Dinu: "Asta ne șochează"" [Octavian Popescu, compared to Adrian Mutu. Cornel Dinu: "That shocks us"] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 2 February 2021.
  17. ^ ""De la Hagi n-am mai văzut așa ceva". Octavian Popescu, lăudat de două legende: "Sunt puțini în lume care pot asta"" ["I've never seen anything like this since Hagi". Octavian Popescu, praised by two legends: "There are few in the world who can do this"] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 4 February 2021.
  18. ^ Octavian Popescu at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 January 2021.

External links[]

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