Dorel Zamfir

Dorel Zamfir (30 September 1961 – 6 October 2023) was a Romanian footballer who played as a right midfielder.^[1][3][4]

Dorel Zamfir

Personal information
Date of birth	(1961-09-30)30 September 1961[1]
Place of birth	Vișeu de Sus, Romania[1]
Date of death	6 October 2023(2023-10-06) (aged 62)
Place of death	Bucharest, Romania
Position(s)	Right midfielder[2]
Youth career
1968–1977	FC Constanța
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1977–1979	FC Constanța	43	(3)
1980–1982	Dinamo București	27	(2)
1982	Steaua București	8	(2)
1983–1989	Argeș Pitești	196	(17)
	Gloria Bistrița
	Flacăra Moreni
Total		274	(24)
International career
1981	Romania U20[2]	5	(1)
Managerial career
	Flacăra Moreni (player-coach)
Medal record Representing  Romania FIFA World Youth Championship FIFA U-20 World Cup 1981
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Zamfir was born on 30 September 1961 in Vișeu de Sus, Maramureș County, but when he was two months old, his parents settled in his father's city, Constanța.^{[1][5][6][7][8]} He started playing football at age 7, at FC Constanța's youth center where he worked with coach Iosif Bükössy, making his debut for the senior team when he played a full match at the age of 15 years, five months and 16 days on 16 March 1977 under coach Gheorghe Ola in a Divizia A home game which ended with a 1–0 loss against Steaua București.^[1][5][6] In the beginning of 1980, he went to play for Dinamo București, a team with which he won The Double in the 1981–82 season, being used by coach Valentin Stănescu in 9 league matches, also playing his only game in a European competition, a 3–0 victory against Levski Sofia in the 1981–82 UEFA Cup.^{[1][5][6][7][9][10][11][12]} In 1982 he played for Dinamo București's rival, Steaua București, after which he went to play for six seasons at Argeș Pitești.^[1][5][6][7] In the following years of his career, Zamfir went to play for Gloria Bistrița, also heaving some experiences playing abroad in Turkey and Israel, ending his career as a player-coach at Flacăra Moreni.^[1][7]

International career

Zamfir represented Romania U20 at the 1981 World Youth Championship in Australia, playing five games in which he scored one goal in a 1–1 against Brazil in the group stage, helping the team finish the tournament on the 3rd position, winning the bronze medal.^{[1][2][5][7][8][13]} After the tournament, Zamfir decided to remain in Australia, at that time defection from the Socialist Republic of Romania being illegal, but he willingly returned to the country.^[14]

Death

Zamfir died on 6 October 2023, at the age of 62.^{[5][6][7][15][16][17]}

Honours

Dinamo București

• Divizia A: 1981–82^[10]
• Cupa României: 1981–82^[11]

References

1. "Meciul din 1977. Înainte de Enes Sali, a fost Dorel Zamfir! Povestea unui alt copil teribil al Farului, care a debutat la 15 ani, contra Stelei (galerie foto)" [The 1977 match. Before Enes Sali, it was Dorel Zamfir! The story of another terrible child of Farul, who debuted at the age of 15, against the Steaua] (in Romanian). Ziuaconstanta.ro. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
2. Dorel Zamfir at WorldFootball.net
3. "A încetat din viață Dorel Zamfir" [Dorel Zamfir passed away] (in Romanian). Frf.ro. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
4. "Doliu în fotbalul românesc. A murit Dorel Zamfir, fostul mijlocaş de la Dinamo, Steaua şi FC Argeș" [Mourning in Romanian football. Dorel Zamfir, former midfielder from Dinamo, Steaua and FC Argeș, died] (in Romanian). Orangesport.ro. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
5. "S-a mai stins un "cangur". A murit Dorel Zamfir, fostul mijlocaș de la Dinamo, Steaua și FC Argeș" [Another "kangaroo" went out. Dorel Zamfir, former midfielder from Dinamo, Steaua and FC Argeș, died] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
6. "Doliu în fotbalul românesc. A murit Dorel Zamfir. A debutat la 15 ani contra Stelei" [Mourning in Romanian football. Dorel Zamfir died. He debuted at the age of 15 against Steaua] (in Romanian). Playsport.ro. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
7. "Fotbalul românesc, în doliu! A murit fostul atacant de la Dinamo, Steaua și FC Argeș, care a luat bronzul cu naționala României la Cupa Mondială U20" [Romanian football, in mourning! The former striker from Dinamo, Steaua and FC Argeș, who won bronze with the Romanian national team at the U20 World Cup, has died] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
8. "Dorel Zamfir, "copilul mării" și "Cangurul" precoce" [Dorel Zamfir, "the child of the sea" and the "cangaroo"] (in Romanian). Welovesport.ro. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
9. "Dinamo Bucuresti in 1979-80". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
10. "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
11. "Dinamo Bucuresti in 1981-82". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
12. "Dinamo București vs. Levski Sofia 3 – 0". WorldFootball. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
13. "Romania U20 vs. Brazil U20 1 – 1". WorldFootball. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
14. "VIDEO Acum 34 de ani România a fost mai aproape ca oricând de titlul mondial la fotbal. Povestea echipei care a obţinut cea mai mare performanţă pentru FRF" [VIDEO 34 years ago, Romania was closer than ever to the world football title. The story of the team that achieved the highest performance for FRF] (in Romanian). Adevarul.ro. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
15. "A murit Dorel Zamfir, fostul atacant de la Dinamo, Steaua și FC Argeș! Cu echipa națională s-a clasat pe locul 3 la Campionatul Mondial Under 20 din 1981" [Dorel Zamfir, the former striker from Dinamo, Steaua and FC Argeș, has died! With the national team, he ranked 3rd at the Under 20 World Championship in 1981] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
16. "Doliu în lumea sportului. Dorel Zamfir a murit la 63 de ani. A jucat la Dinamo, Steaua și FC Argeș" [Mourning in the world of sports. Dorel Zamfir died at the age of 63. He played for Dinamo, Steaua and FC Argeș] (in Romanian). Cancan.ro. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
17. "Dorel Zamfir a murit la 62 de ani" [Dorel Zamfir died at the age of 62] (in Romanian). As.ro. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.