Nicolae Stanciu (footballer, born 1993)

Nicolae Stanciu, born on May 7, 1993, is a prominent Romanian professional footballer who excels as an attacking midfielder or winger. Currently, he captains the Romania national team and plays for Dalian Yingbo in the Chinese Super League. Stanciu's football journey began in 2008 at Unirea Alba Iulia, where he laid the foundation for a successful career.

Stanciu's talent quickly caught the attention of larger clubs, leading him to represent Vaslui and Steaua București. During his time with Steaua, he achieved significant success, securing six domestic honors and establishing himself as a key player. In 2016, he made headlines with a transfer to Anderlecht for a fee of nine point eight million euros, marking him as the most expensive signing in the history of the Belgian First Division A and the biggest sale from Liga I at that time.

After winning a Belgian national title and a Super Cup, Stanciu transferred to Sparta Prague for an internal record fee of approximately four point five million euros. His career took him to Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli before returning to the Czech Republic to join Slavia Prague, where he played a pivotal role in securing back-to-back league titles and a Czech Cup in his first two seasons.

Between 2022 and 2025, Stanciu showcased his skills in China and Saudi Arabia before signing with Italian club Genoa. On the international stage, he made his senior debut for Romania in March 2016, contributing to a victory over Lithuania. Stanciu has represented his country in two European Championships, in 2016 and 2024, further solidifying his status as a key figure in Romanian football.