Paul Anton

Paul Viorel Anton (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈpaul vi.oˈrel anˈton]; born 10 May 1991) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Nemzeti Bajnokság I club Győr.

Paul Anton

Anton with Anzhi Makhachkala in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Paul Viorel Anton[1]
Date of birth	(1991-05-10) 10 May 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth	Bistrița, Romania
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Győr
Number	5
Youth career
2001–2008	Gloria Bistrița
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2012	Gloria Bistrița	59	(3)
2008–2009	→ Delta Tulcea (loan)	27	(4)
2010	→ FCM Târgu Mureș (loan)	14	(0)
2013–2015	Pandurii Târgu Jiu	74	(6)
2015–2017	Dinamo București	43	(8)
2016–2017	→ Getafe (loan)	30	(2)
2018	Anzhi Makhachkala	11	(3)
2018–2020	Krylia Sovetov Samara	40	(4)
2020–2021	Dinamo București	31	(5)
2021–2022	Ponferradina	29	(0)
2022–2023	UTA Arad	27	(0)
2023–	Győr	43	(2)
International career
2011–2012	Romania U21	6	(0)
2014–2019	Romania	13	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 February 2025

Club career

Early years

In 2008, Anton began his career with his hometown club Gloria Bistrița, being promoted from the juniors. In the same year, he was loaned to Delta Tulcea, where he played a season and scored 4 goals in 27 Liga II matches. However, after the loan to Delta Tulcea, Anton was sent to the Gloria Bistrița's reserves, where he played a season, after being loaned to FCM Târgu Mureș, and in 2010 he returned to the first team. In his first Liga I campaign with Bistrița, he appeared in 18 matches and scored one goal. The club relegated in 2011 and promoted back in first division a year after.

Pandurii Târgu Jiu

On 7 January 2013, Anton signed a deal with Pandurii Târgu Jiu. In the 2012–13 season, he played 13 matches and scored three times in the Liga I for Pandurii, including two goals against CS Turnu Severin, helping his team in the 3–1 win. Coming as runner-ups in the league, the club earned a place in the UEFA Europa League and Anton was used as a starter in all the 10 matches played in that competition.

Dinamo București

On 7 September 2015, Anton signed a contract with Dinamo București.^[2] Three days later, he made his debut in a 2–0 Cupa Ligii victory over his former team Pandurii Târgu Jiu. Anton scored his first goal for "the Red Dogs" in a league match with FC Voluntari on 30 November.

Anton agreed to a season-long loan deal with Spanish club Getafe on 28 July 2016.^[3] He made 32 appearances and scored two goals all competitions comprised as El Geta achieved promotion to the La Liga.

Anzhi Makhachkala

On 29 December 2017, Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala signed Anton on a two-and-a-half-year contract.^[4] Two weeks before the official announcement, Romanian press reported the transfer fee at €500,000.^[5]

Anton made his debut for Anzhi on 2 March 2018, starting in a 1–1 league draw to Rubin Kazan.^[6] His first goals for the club came on 17 March, when he netted both in a 2–0 win over FC Tosno.^[7]

Krylia Sovetov Samara

On 21 August 2018, Anton signed a three-year contract with PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara.^[8] He left Krylia Sovetov on 10 August 2020, following club's relegation from the Russian Premier League.^[9]

Ponferradina

On 28 August 2021, after one year back at Dinamo București, Anton signed for SD Ponferradina in the Spanish Segunda División.^[10] On 4 September of the following year, he agreed to terminate his contract with the club.^[11]

UTA Arad

On 5 September 2022, he came back to Romania signing a contract with UTA Arad

International career

Anton made his full debut for Romania on 24 March 2018, replacing Mihai Pintilii in the 72nd minute in a 2–1 friendly win against Israel.^[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of 14 February 2025^[13]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other[a]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Delta Tulcea (loan)	2008–09	Liga II	27	4	0	0	–		–		27	4
Gloria Bistrița	2009–10	Liga I	1	0	0	0	–		–		1	0
	2010–11		20	0	2	0	–		–		22	0
	2011–12	Liga II	20	2	0	0	–		–		20	2
	2012–13	Liga I	18	1	0	0	–		–		18	1
	Total		59	3	2	0	0	0	0	0	61	3
FCM Târgu Mureș (loan)	2009–10	Liga II	14	0	–		–		–		14	0
Pandurii Târgu Jiu	2012–13	Liga I	13	3	–		–		–		13	3
	2013–14		29	2	1	0	10	0	–		40	2
	2014–15		28	1	2	0	–		5	0	35	1
	2015–16		4	0	–		–		–		4	0
	Total		74	6	3	0	10	0	5	0	92	6
Dinamo București	2015–16	Liga I	23	2	4	0	–		4	0	31	2
	2016–17		1	0	0	0	–		–		1	0
	2017–18		19	6	1	0	2	0	–		22	6
	2020–21		30	5	5	2	–		–		35	7
	2021–22		1	0	0	0	–		–		1	0
	Total		74	13	10	2	2	0	4	0	90	15
Getafe (loan)	2016–17	Segunda División	30	2	0	0	–		2	0	32	2
Anzhi Makhachkala	2017–18	Russian Premier League	9	2	–		–		2[b]	0	11	2
	2018–19		2	1	0	0	–		–		2	1
	Total		11	3	0	0	0	0	2	0	13	3
Krylia Sovetov Samara	2018–19	Russian Premier League	23	2	2	1	–		2[c]	0	27	3
	2019–20		17	2	1	0	–		–		18	2
	Total		40	4	3	1	0	0	2	0	45	5
Ponferradina	2021–22	Segunda División	28	0	3	0	–		–		31	0
	2022–23		1	0	–		–		–		1	0
	Total		29	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	32	0
UTA Arad	2022–23	Liga I	27	0	5	1	–		2[d]	0	34	1
Győr	2023–24	Nemzeti Bajnokság II	29	2	1	0	–		–		30	2
	2024–25	Nemzeti Bajnokság I	14	0	2	0	–		–		16	0
	Total		43	2	3	0	–		–		46	2
Career total			428	37	29	4	12	0	17	0	486	41

1. Includes the Cupa Ligii and Segunda División promotion play-offs
2. Two appearances in relegation play-offs
3. Two appearances in relegation play-offs
4. All appearances in Liga I promotion/relegation play-offs

International

As of 15 October 2019.^[14]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Romania
	2015	2	0
	2016	0	0
	2017	0	0
	2018	8	0
	2019	3	0
Total		13	0

Honours

FCM Târgu Mureș

• Liga II: 2009–10

Pandurii Târgu Jiu

• Cupa Ligii runner-up: 2014–15

Dinamo București

• Cupa României runner-up: 2015–16

References

1. "UEFA Nations League 2019: Booking List before League phase Matchday 5" (PDF). UEFA. 6 November 2018. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
2. "Paul Anton a semnat cu Dinamo! Rednic l-a convins. Ce salariu va avea" [Paul Anton signed for Dinamo! Rednic convinced him. How much he will earn] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 7 September 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
3. "Plecare neaşteptată de la Dinamo: Paul Anton a ajuns la Getafe! Reacţia căpitanului: "A fost o ofertă de ultim moment, sper să-i atrag atenţia lui Daum!"" [Unexpected exit at Dinamo: Paul Anton moved to Getafe! The captain's reaction: "It was a last minute offer, I hope to attract Daum's attention!"] (in Romanian). ProSport. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
4. ""Анжи" приобрел Антона" [Anzhi acquired Anton] (in Russian). FC Anzhi Makhachkala. 29 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
5. "Paul Anton pleacă de la Dinamo. Căpitanul "câinilor" va evolua în Rusia" [Paul Anton leaves Dinamo. The captain of "the Dogs" will play in Russia] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
6. Анжи - Рубин 1 : 1 (in Russian). Soccer.ru. 2 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
7. ""Dublă" pentru Paul Anton, în Rusia. Fostul dinamovist a fost omul meciului" ["Double" for Paul Anton, in Russia. The former Dinamo player was the man of the match] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 17 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
8. Паул-Виорел Антон – игрок "Крыльев Советов". kc-camapa.ru (in Russian). FC Krylia Sovetov Samara. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
9. "Паул-Виорел Антон покидает "Крылья Советов"" (in Russian). PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara. 10 August 2020.
10. "El centrocampista Paul Anton, nuevo jugador de la SD Ponferradina" [Central midfielder Paul Anton, new player of SD Ponferradina] (in Spanish). SD Ponferradina. 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
11. "Acuerdo para la rescisión del contrato de Paul Anton" [Agreement for the rescision of Paul Anton's contract] (in Spanish). SD Ponferradina. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
12. "Israel - România 1–2. Tricolorii au revenit spectaculos și câștigă primul amical al anului" [Israel - Romania 1–2. The Tricolours win the first friendly of the year] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
13. Paul Anton at Soccerway. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
14. "Paul Anton". National-Football-Teams. Retrieved 24 March 2020.

External links

• Paul Anton at BDFutbol
• Paul Anton at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
• Paul Anton at National-Football-Teams.com
• Paul Anton – UEFA competition record (archive)