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Moldovan footballer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alexandru Epureanu (born 27 September 1986) is a Moldovan former professional footballer who played as a centre-back for the Moldova national team.
![]() Epureanu with Anzhi Makhachkala in 2014 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 27 September 1986 | ||
Place of birth | Chișinău, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union | ||
Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
Youth career | |||
1995–1998 | Hoverla Uzhhorod | ||
1998–2002 | Zimbru Chișinău | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2002–2004 | Zimbru Chișinău | 29 | (2) |
2004–2006 | Sheriff Tiraspol | 66 | (3) |
2007–2009 | Moscow | 72 | (3) |
2010–2014 | Dynamo Moscow | 44 | (3) |
2012 | → Krylia Sovetov (loan) | 17 | (1) |
2013 | → Anzhi Makhachkala (loan) | 7 | (0) |
2014 | Anzhi Makhachkala | 10 | (2) |
2014–2023 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 214 | (14) |
2023 | Ümraniyespor | 13 | (0) |
Total | 469 | (28) | |
International career‡ | |||
2002–2005 | Moldova U19 | ||
2005–2007 | Moldova U21 | 18 | (0) |
2006–2022 | Moldova | 100 | (7) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 June 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 March 2024 |
Born in Chișinau, Epureanu joined FC Sheriff Tiraspol in summer 2004.[2]
He has won Moldovan Footballer of the Year in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2018. Since playing for FC Sheriff Tiraspol, he has gone on to play for Dinamo Moscow.
On 2 July 2014, Epureanu signed for İstanbul Başakşehir.[3] He made his league debut for the club on 30 August 2014 in a 1–1 home draw with Kasımpaşa, playing all ninety minutes of the match.[4] He scored his first league goal for the club on 5 October 2014 in a 4–0 home victory over Akhisarspor. His goal, scored in the sixth minute, made the score 1–0 to İstanbul BB.[5]
In January 2023, Epureanu departed Başakşehir[6] and subsequently joined Ümraniyespor until the end of the season.[7] On 25 March 2024, he confirmed that he retired from football.[8]
Epureanu made his international debut in a 2–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying loss against Norway on 6 September 2006, and has since been a regular in the national team, wearing the captain's armband on several occasions.[9] In September 2019, Epureanu retired from the national team due to a knee injury.[10] However, he returned in August 2020.[11] He ranks first in terms of all-time appearances for Moldova.[12] On 31 March 2021, he made his 100th and last appearance for Moldova in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Israel.[13]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Zimbru Chișinău | 2002–03 | Moldovan National Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |||
2003–04 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 27 | 2 | |||||
Total | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | |||||
Sheriff Tiraspol | 2004–05 | Moldovan National Division | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | |||
2005–06 | 27 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | 31 | 4 | |||||
2006–07 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | |||||
Total | 66 | 3 | 8 | 2 | — | 74 | 5 | |||||
FC Moscow | 2007 | Russian Premier League | 23 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||||
2008 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 29 | 2 | |||
2009 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 2 | ||||
Total | 72 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 78 | 4 | |||
Dynamo Moscow | 2010 | Russian Premier League | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 2 | ||
2011–12 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||||
2012–13 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
Total | 44 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 49 | 3 | ||||
Krylia Sovetov (loan) | 2012–13 | Russian Premier League | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 19 | 2 | ||
Anzhi Makhachkala (loan) | 2013–14 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 12 | 1 | ||
Anzhi Makhachkala | 2013–14 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 14 | 2 | ||
İstanbul Başakşehir | 2014–15 | Süper Lig | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 4 | ||
2015–16 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | |||
2016–17 | 30 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 40 | 1 | |||
2017–18 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 42 | 6 | |||
2018–19 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 25 | 3 | |||
2019–20 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | |||
2020–21 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 38 | 0 | ||
2021-22 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | ||
2022-23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
Total | 211 | 14 | 21 | 1 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 262 | 15 | ||
Career total | 456 | 28 | 32 | 3 | 48 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 540 | 34 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Moldova | 2006 | 3 | 0 |
2007 | 9 | 1 | |
2008 | 10 | 0 | |
2009 | 8 | 1 | |
2010 | 7 | 1 | |
2011 | 8 | 0 | |
2012 | 6 | 1 | |
2013 | 7 | 0 | |
2014 | 8 | 3 | |
2015 | 3 | 0 | |
2016 | 7 | 0 | |
2017 | 7 | 0 | |
2018 | 8 | 0 | |
2019 | 0 | 0 | |
2020 | 6 | 0 | |
2021 | 3 | 0 | |
Total | 100 | 7 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 24 March 2007 | Zimbru Stadium, Chișinău | ![]() | 1–1 | 1–1 | Euro 2008 qualifier |
2 | 12 August 2009 | Republican Stadium, Yerevan | ![]() | 4–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
3 | 3 March 2010 | Antalya Atatürk Stadium, Antalya | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
4 | 16 October 2012 | Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle | ![]() | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2014 World Cup qualifier |
5 | 5 March 2014 | Estadi Comunal d'Andorra la Vella, Andorra la Vella | ![]() | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
6 | 3–0 | |||||
7 | 12 October 2014 | Otkrytie Arena, Moscow | ![]() | 1–1 | 1–1 | Euro 2016 qualifier |
Note: Some sources have credited Epureanu with scoring the second goal in a 4–0 victory over Saudi Arabia in 2014, however this was a penalty converted by Igor Picușceac.[16]
Zimbru Chișinău
Sheriff Tiraspol
Dynamo Moscow
İstanbul Başakşehir