Cristian Chivu

Personal information
Full name	Cristian Eugen Chivu
Date of birth	October 26, 1980 (1980-10-26) (age 29)
Place of birth	Reşiţa, Romania
Height	1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Centre back, Left back
Club information
Current club	Internazionale
Number	26
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps (Gls)†
1996–1998	CSM Reşiţa	024 0(2)
1998–1999	Universitatea Craiova	032 0(3)
1999–2003	Ajax	107 (13)
2003–2007	Roma	085 0(6)
2007–	Internazionale	058 0(0)
National team‡
1999–	Romania	069 0(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 18 2009. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of October 10 2009

Cristian Eugen Chivu (Romanian pronunciation: [krisˈtjan ˈkivu]) (born October 26, 1980 in Reşiţa) is a Romanian footballer. He is the captain of the Romanian national team and currently plays for Internazionale of the Italian Serie A.

[edit] Club career

[edit] Early career

Chivu's first professional club was FCM Reşiţa. After moving to Universitatea Craiova, his reputation began to rise and his performances sparked interest from some larger clubs outside of Romania. Dutch club Ajax was particularly impressed with Chivu and signed him in 1999.

At Ajax he developed a reputation as a reliable fullback. Then-manager Ronald Koeman appointed him as captain of the club. With Chivu as captain, Ajax dominated the Dutch Eredivisie with an exciting young squad. Playing alongside Chivu were future stars such as Rafael van der Vaart, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Maxwell. Chivu played a pivotal role for Ajax in their Champions League run in the 2002/03 season, when they came to within a minute of the semi-finals.

[edit] AS Roma

In 2003, Roma expressed their interest in signing Chivu. At the time, Roma had an enormous debt and there were questions raised over Roma's ability to pay any proposed fees. Seeking to silence the increasing doubt over their financial situation, Roma sought a bank guarantee, which was subsequently denied. However, after much speculation Roma finally completed the purchase of Chivu, ending the long and protracted saga. The fee was reported to be €18 million.

[edit] Internazionale

After a four-yeal spell which yielded a Coppa Italia, Chivu left Roma and signed a 5-year contract with Internazionale on July 27, 2007. The transfer fee was €16 million.^[1] As part of the deal, defender Marco Andreolli moved to Roma in a co-ownership deal.^[2]

Cristian Chivu has enjoyed a successful spell with Internazionale, winning two consecutive Serie A championships as of 2009.

[edit] International career

In 1999, Chivu was chosen to represent the Romanian Under-20 team and quickly made the step up to play for the full side, later that year. Chivu has played for Romania more than 50 times, and is currently the captain of the national team. He played for Romania in Euro 2000 and Euro 2008. During the tournament, he delivered a decent performance, keeping previous World Cup champions Italy and runners-up France at bay, despite being played out of position (as a holding midfielder).

[edit] International goals

Scores and results table. Romania's goal tally first:

International appearances and goals
#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Goal	Competition
1999–2000
1.	August 18, 1999	Limassol, Cyprus	Cyprus	2–2	0	Friendly
2.	April 26, 2000	Constanţa, Romania	Cyprus	2–0	0	Friendly
3.	May 27, 2000	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Netherlands	1–2	0	Friendly
4.	May 31, 2000	Bucureşti, Romania	Greece	2–1	0	Friendly
5.	June 12, 2000	Liége, Belgium	Germany	1–1	0	UEFA Euro 2000
6.	June 17, 2000	Arnhem, Belgium	Portugal	0–1	0	UEFA Euro 2000
7.	June 20, 2000	Charleroi, Belgium	England	3–2	1	UEFA Euro 2000
8.	June 24, 2000	Brussels, Belgium	Italy	0–2	0	UEFA Euro 2000
2000–2001
9.	August 16, 2000	Bucureşti, Romania	Poland	1–1	0	Friendly
10.	September 03, 2000	Bucureşti, Romania	Lithuania	1–0	0	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
11.	September 06, 2000	Milano, Italy	Italy	0–3	0	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
12.	February 28, 2001	Nicosia, Cyprus	Lithuania	3–0	0	Friendly
13.	March 28, 2001	Tbilisi, Georgia	Georgia	2–0	0	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
14.	June 02, 2001	Bucureşti, Romania	Hungary	2–0	0	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
15.	June 06, 2001	Kaunas, Lithuania	Lithuania	2–1	0	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
2001–2002
16.	August 15, 2001	Ljubljana, Slovenia	Slovenia	2–2	0	Friendly
17.	September 05, 2001	Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	2–0	0	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
18.	November 10, 2001	Ljubljana, Slovenia	Slovenia	1–2	0	2002 FIFA World Cup Play-offs
19.	November 14, 2001	Bucureşti, Romania	Slovenia	1–1	0	2002 FIFA World Cup Play-offs
20.	February 13, 2002	Paris, France	France	1–2	0	Friendly
21.	March 27, 2002	Constanţa, Romania	Ukraine	4–1	0	Friendly
2002–2003
22.	August 21, 2002	Constanţa, Romania	Greece	0–1	0	Friendly
23.	September 07, 2002	Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3–0	1	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
24.	October 12, 2002	Bucureşti, Romania	Norway	0–1	0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
25.	November 20, 2002	Timişoara, Romania	Croatia	0–1	0	Friendly
26.	February 12, 2003	Larnaca, Cyprus	Slovakia	2–1	0	Friendly
27.	March 29, 2003	Bucureşti, Romania	Denmark	2–5	0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
28.	April 30, 2003	Kaunas, Lithuania	Lithuania	1–0	0	Friendly
29.	June 07, 2003	Craiova, Romania	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2–0	0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
30.	June 11, 2003	Oslo, Norway	Norway	1–1	0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
2003–2004
31.	August 20, 2003	Donetsk, Ukraine	Ukraine	2–0	0	Friendly
32.	September 06, 2003	Ploieşti, Romania	Luxembourg	4–0	0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
33.	September 10, 2003	Copenhagen, Denmark	Denmark	2–2	0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
34.	October 11, 2003	Bucureşti, Romania	Japan	1–1	0	UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
35.	March 31, 2004	Glasgow, Scotland	Scotland	2–1	1	Friendly
36.	April 28, 2004	Bucureşti, Romania	Germany	5–1	0	Friendly
2004–2005
37.	March 26, 2005	Bucureşti, Romania	Netherlands	0–2	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
38.	March 30, 2005	Skopje, Macedonia	Macedonia	2–1	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
39.	June 04, 2005	Rotterdam, Netherlands	Netherlands	0–2	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
40.	June 08, 2005	Constanţa, Romania	Armenia	3–0	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2005–2006
41.	August 17, 2005	Constanţa, Romania	Andorra	2–0	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
42.	September 03, 2005	Constanţa, Romania	Czech Republic	2–0	0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
43.	March 01, 2006	Larnaca, Cyprus	Slovenia	2–0	0	Friendly
2006–2007
44.	August 16, 2006	Constanţa, Romania	Cyprus	2–0	0	Friendly
45.	September 02, 2006	Constanţa, Romania	Bulgaria	2–2	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
46.	September 06, 2006	Tiranë, Albania	Albania	2–0	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
47.	October 07, 2006	Bucureşti, Romania	Belarus	3–1	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
48.	November 15, 2006	Cádiz, Spain	Spain	1–0	0	Friendly
49.	June 02, 2007	Celje, Slovenia	Slovenia	2–1	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
50.	June 06, 2007	Timişoara, Romania	Slovenia	2–0	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
2007–2008
51.	August 22, 2007	Bucureşti, Romania	Turkey	2–0	0	Friendly
52.	September 08, 2007	Minsk, Belarus	Belarus	3–1	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
53.	September 12, 2007	Köln, Germany	Germany	1–3	0	Friendly
54.	October 13, 2007	Constanţa, Romania	Netherlands	1–0	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
55.	October 17, 2007	Luxembourg, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	2–0	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
56.	November 17, 2007	Sofia, Bulgaria	Bulgaria	0–1	0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
57.	February 06, 2008	Tel-Aviv, Israel	Israel	0–1	0	Friendly
58.	March 26, 2008	Bucureşti, Romania	Russia	3–0	0	Friendly
59.	May 31, 2008	Bucureşti, Romania	Montenegro	4–0	0	Friendly
60.	June 09, 2008	Zürich, Switzerland	France	0–0	0	UEFA Euro 2008
61.	June 13, 2008	Zürich, Switzerland	Italy	1–1	0	UEFA Euro 2008
62.	June 17, 2008	Bern , Switzerland	Netherlands	0–2	0	UEFA Euro 2008
2008–2009
63.	October 11, 2008	Constanţa, Romania	France	2–2	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
64.	June 06, 2009	Marijampole, Lithuania	Lithuania	1–0	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2009–2010
65.	August 12, 2009	Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	1–0	0	Friendly
66.	September 05, 2009	Paris, France	France	1–1	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
67.	September 09, 2009	Bucureşti, Romania	Austria	1–1	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
68.	October 10, 2009	Belgrad, Serbia	Serbia	0–5	0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
69.	November 14, 2009	Warsaw, Poland	Poland	1–0	0	Friendly

[edit] Personal life

Chivu can speak Italian, Dutch and English as well as his native Romanian. He is currently married to Adelina Elisei. According to Calcio Italia magazine, Chivu has been involved in opening football schools around Romania for the past few years, and he said "I hope that he is proud when he looks down on me" in reference to his late father who was a youth coach.^{[citation needed]}

On February 12, 2009, his wife Adelina gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Natalia.^[3]

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] Honours

[edit] Club

AFC Ajax

• Eredivisie: 2001-02
• KNVB Cup: 2002
• Johan Cruijff-schaal: 2002

AS Roma

• Coppa Italia: 2007

Internazionale

• Serie A: 2007-08, 2008-09

[edit] Individual

• Dutch Footballer of the Year: 2002
• Romanian Footballer of the Year: 2000, 2002
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2002
• Marco van Basten Trofee: 1999-2000

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Inter.it profile
• FootballDatabase provides Cristian Chivu's profile and stats

Romanian football portal

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v • d • e Romania squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Lobonţ • 2 Contra • 3 Raţ • 4 Tamaş • 5 Chivu • 6 Rădoi • 7 Petre • 8 Codrea • 9 Marica • 10 Mutu • 11 Cociş • 12 Popa • 13 Săpunaru • 14 Ghionea • 15 Goian • 16 Nicoliţă • 17 Moţi • 18 M. Niculae • 19 Cristea • 20 Dică • 21 D. Niculae • 22 Radu • 23 Stăncioiu • Coach: Piţurcă