Mirel Rădoi

Mirel Rădoi

Mirel Rădoi during a game at Al-Hilal
Personal information
Full name	Mirel Matei Rădoi
Date of birth	(1981-03-22) 22 March 1981 (age 36)
Place of birth	Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Defensive midfielder / Centre back
Youth career
1991–1999	Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999–2000	Extensiv Craiova	14	(0)
2000–2008	Steaua București	186	(12)
2009–2011	Al-Hilal	52	(10)
2011–2014	Al-Ain	53	(2)
2014–2015	Al-Ahli	7	(0)
2015	Al-Arabi	6	(0)
Total		318	(24)
National team‡
1998–2000	Romania U–21	3	(0)
2000–2010	Romania	67	(2)
Teams managed
2015	Steaua București (technical director)
2015–2016	SCM Pitești (technical director)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 May 2015. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 November 2011

Mirel Matei Rădoi (born 22 March 1981) is a Romanian former football midfielder who also played as a centre back.

Radoi is considered a symbolic player for Steaua București. He became also a symbolic player for Al-Hilal and in Saudi Arabia, in June 2010 being named Player of the Year in the Saudi Professional League. His main nickname at Steaua was "The Godson", being the Godson of Steaua's owner, Gigi Becali. Other nicknames include "Zorro", "The Captain" and "The Warrior". Rădoi is well known for his leadership and tackling and also has the ability to drive forward, where his technical skills come into use.

Rădoi started to play football at the age of eight, first as a goalkeeper and then as a defender. He started his youth career at Turnu Severin and there he was spotted by Sorin Cârțu, the coach of Extensiv Craiova, who purchased Rădoi in 1999. Cârțu financed the transfer with his own money because he was so impressed with his ability. He noted Rădoi's potential to play at a higher level during his time at Extensiv Craiova. He made his professional debut in 1999, in a defeat against Dinamo București on 4 March 2000. Just one year later, however, he left the club.

Mirel Rădoi joined Steaua București in the summer of 2000 for a fee of €110,000. Whilst describing his first day at Steaua, he said, "It was like a positive shock for me. Suddenly I was in the same place with players like Iulian Miu, Marius Baciu and Miodrag Belodedici, players I saw on TV. It was like a dream."

His coach at Steaua was Victor Pițurcă, the former Romania national team coach, who promoted him to the Steaua first team. He then became one of Steaua's most important players. In his first match for the club, Rădoi played very well, scoring at the Ghencea football stadium when the score was 4–3 (against FCM Bacău); Rădoi equalled the score in the ninth minute after Cătălin Cursaru opened the score less than a minute before.