Iulian Cristea

Iulian Cristea
Cristea with FCSB in 2022
Personal information
Full name Lucian Iulian Cristea
Date of birth (1994-07-17) 17 July 1994
Place of birth Mediaș, Romania
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Positions
Team information
Current team
 Universitatea Cluj
Number 6
Youth career
2007–2013 Gaz Metan Mediaș
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2019 Gaz Metan Mediaș 109 (6)
2014 → Metalurgistul Cugir (loan)
2019–2023 FCSB 120 (8)
2023–2024 Rapid București 14 (0)
2024– Universitatea Cluj 71 (3)
International career‡
2014–2016 Romania U21 6 (0)
2019–2022 Romania 4 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 August 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 4 June 2022

Lucian Iulian Cristea (Romanian pronunciation: [lutʃiˈan juliˈan ˈkriste̯a]; born 17 July 1994) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or a defensive midfielder for Liga I club Universitatea Cluj.

Club career

After playing over 110 matches in all competitions for his hometown club Gaz Metan Mediaș, Cristea moved to fellow Liga I team FCSB on 26 February 2019.[1] He signed a five-year contract for a €150,000 transfer fee.[2]

On 13 June 2023, after being released by FCSB, Cristea moved to cross-town rivals Rapid București on a two-year deal.[3] He terminated his agreement with Rapid București on 31 May 2024,[4] and on 5 June Universitatea Cluj announced the signing of Cristea as a free agent.[5]

International career

On 10 June 2019, Cristea made his debut for the Romania national team in a 4–0 win against Malta counting for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers.[6]

Style of play

Cristea has been described as versatile, due to his ability to play equally well as either a centre-back or a defensive midfielder, and has been noted for his aerial prowess.[7]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 22 August 2026[8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cupa României Cupa Ligii Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gaz Metan Mediaș 2014–15 Liga I 1501000——160
2015–16 Liga II 22100———221
2016–17 Liga I 2811000——291
2017–18 Liga I 21150———261
2018–19 Liga I 23310———243
Total 109680———1176
FCSB 2018–19 Liga I 101————101
2019–20 Liga I 28130—7[a]1—382
2020–21 Liga I 35400—1[a]000364
2021–22 Liga I 33210—1[b]0—352
2022–23 Liga I 14000—00—140
Total 120840—91001339
Rapid București 2023–24 Liga I 14021———161
Universitatea Cluj 2024–25 Liga I 32200———322
2025–26 Liga I 34130—2[b]0—391
2026–27 Liga I 5000—4[c]01[d]0100
Total 71330—6010813
Career total 31417171001511034719
  1. 1 2 Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  2. 1 2 Appearance(s) in UEFA Conference League
  3. ↑ Two appearances in UEFA Europa League, two appearances in UEFA Conference League
  4. ↑ Appearance in Supercupa României

International

As of match played 4 June 2022[9]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Romania
201910
2020 2 0
202210
Total40

Honours

Gaz Metan Mediaș[8]

FCSB[8]

Universitatea Cluj[8]

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Bine ai venit, Iulian Cristea!" [Welcome, Iulian Cristea!] (in Romanian). FCSB. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  2. ↑ "Iulian Cristea a semnat în această seară cu FCSB! » Gigi Becali, pentru GSP.ro: "Băiatul vine de mâine la antrenament"" [Iulian Cristea signed with FCSB this evening! » Gigi Becali, for GSP.ro: "The boy is coming to training tomorrow"]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 25 February 2019.
  3. ↑ "IULIAN CRISTEA ESTE NOUL FUNDAȘ AL RAPIDULUI" [IULIAN CRISTEA IS RAPID'S NEW DEFENDER] (in Romanian). FC Rapid București. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "Rapid s-a despărțit de Iulian Cristea" (in Romanian). FC Rapid București. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  5. ↑ "Bun venit, Iulian Cristea!" (in Romanian). FC Universitatea Cluj. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  6. ↑ "Misiune îndeplinită pentru tricolori în Malta: victorie cu 4-0!" [Mission accomplished for "the Tricolours" in Malta: a 4–0 victory!] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  7. ↑ "EXCLUSIV Echipa din străinătate care l-a dorit pe Iulian Cristea, înainte să semneze cu Rapid" [EXCLUSIVE The foreign team that wanted Iulian Cristea, before he signed for Rapid] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Iulian Cristea at Soccerway. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  9. ↑ "Iulian Cristea". European Football. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "LPF a anunțat echipa ideală a sezonului de Liga 1 » FCSB și CFR Cluj, reprezentate de câte 3 jucători" [LPF has chosen the "ideal team" of the Liga 1 season! Which team offers the most players] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  11. ↑ "Liga 1 Betano: echipa ideală a play-off-ului" [Liga 1 Betano: team of the championship play-offs] (in Romanian). LPF.ro. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
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