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Constantin Barbu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jean Barbu
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-05-16) 16 May 1971 (age 55)
Place of birth Galați, Romania
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Argeș Pitești (sporting counselor)
Youth career
CSȘ Galați
1989–1991 CS Aripi Pitești
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1992 Dacia Pitești
1992–1997 Argeș Pitești 152 (61)
1997–1998 Samsung Bluewings 5 (2)
1998 → Argeș Pitești (loan) 29 (28)
1999 Rapid București 14 (9)
2000–2002 Numancia 53 (8)
2001 → Rapid București (loan) 9 (5)
2002–2003 Argeș Pitești 1 (0)
2003–2004 Dacia Mioveni 17 (8)
Total 280 (121)
International career
1997–1998 Romania 3 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Constantin "Jean" Barbu (born 16 May 1971) is a Romanian retired professional footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder.

Club career

[edit]

Early career and Argeș Pitești

[edit]

Barbu, nicknamed "Cobra", was born on 16 May 1971 in Galați, Romania and began playing football at CSȘ Galați.[1][2][3][4][5] In 1989, he went to Piteşti to participate in a football trial, where he was one of the six children chosen from a total of 1,600.[4][6] He began playing senior-level football at Dacia Pitești, moving to Divizia B club Argeș Pitești in 1992.[2][5] He helped them earn promotion to the first league at the end of the 1993–94 season.[1][2] Barbu made his Divizia A debut under coach Marian Bondrea on 20 August 1994, scoring with a header past goalkeeper Dumitru Stângaciu to help Argeș earn a 3–1 victory against Steaua București.[1][2][4][7] From 1997 onwards, he formed an offensive partnership with Adrian Mutu.[4][8]

Samsung Bluewings and Argeș Pitești

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In September 1997, after scoring a hat-trick in a 4–2 away win over Chindia Târgoviște, Barbu was transferred from Argeș to Samsung Bluewings for a $1.3 million fee.[1][2][5] There, he was teammates with fellow Romanians Pavel Badea and Cosmin Olăroiu.[5] However, Barbu spent less than six months at the club, scoring two goals in five K League 1 matches, before being loaned back to Argeș for one year.[1][2] He scored 21 goals for Argeș during the 1997–98 season, which made him the season's top-scorer alongside Gloria Bistrița's Vasile Oană, despite missing several games because of his time in Asia.[1][3][5][9] During the 1998–99 UEFA Cup, Barbu played six games and scored four goals—including two each against Dinamo Baku and İstanbulspor to help Argeș advance through the qualifying rounds—before the team was defeated by Celta Vigo in the first round.[1][10]

Rapid București

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Midway through the 1998–99 season, Barbu was transferred from Samsung Bluewings to Rapid București for $500,000.[4] He helped the capital club win the Divizia A title with eight goals in 11 matches.[1][3][5][11] The team also reached the 1999 Cupa României final, where he played as a starter under coach Mircea Lucescu, scoring a brace in the loss to rivals Steaua.[12] Subsequently, he played in both legs and scored once in the 5–4 aggregate loss to Skonto Riga in the 1999–2000 Champions League second qualifying round.[1][13]

Numancia and Rapid București

[edit]

For the 1999–2000 season, Barbu moved to Spain and joined Numancia, which paid a $1.2 million fee to Rapid for his transfer.[4] There, he became teammates with Romanian Gabriel Popescu.[14] He made his La Liga debut on 22 August 1999, when coach Andoni Goikoetxea used him as a starter in a 1–0 win over Real Valladolid.[15][16] Barbu netted his first goal in the competition on 12 December in a 3–3 draw against Real Zaragoza, and one week later he scored once again in a 2–1 victory against Racing Santander.[15] He also scored in victories over Real Betis, Atlético Madrid, and Espanyol, as well as in a draw against Deportivo Alavés.[15][17] Those six goals in his 34 appearances helped the Soria side avoid relegation.[1][2][18] During his second year —which he finished on loan at Rapid— he made eight goalless appearances and was joined by compatriot Laurențiu Roșu, but Numancia was ultimately relegated.[1][18][19] Barbu played only 11 matches and scored two goals during the 2001–02 Segunda División; his season was cut short by a serious injury when Gerhard Poschner broke Barbu's leg during a victory against Polideportivo Ejido, a match in which Barbu had netted a double.[4][18]

Argeș Pitești and Dacia Mioveni

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Barbu returned to Argeș, where he had a conflict with coach Ion Moldovan.[2][4] Because of that, he made a single Divizia A appearance —which was also his last— on 8 March 2003 in a 2–0 loss to FC Brașov, totaling 144 matches with 84 goals in the competition.[1][2][3][4][20] He ended his career after playing 17 matches and scoring eight goals for Dacia Mioveni during the 2003–04 Divizia B season.[1][5]

International career

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Barbu won three caps and scored twice for Romania.[21] He made his debut on 6 September 1997, when coach Anghel Iordănescu introduced him at halftime to replace Gheorghe Craioveanu, and he went on to score once in the 8–1 win over Liechtenstein in the 1998 World Cup qualifiers.[4][21][22] His following appearance was in a 4–0 victory against Iceland during the same qualifiers, where he won a penalty that Gheorghe Hagi converted to become Romania's all-time top scorer.[4][21] In his last appearance for the national team, Barbu scored a goal in a 2–1 friendly victory against Greece.[4][21] He was close to being part of the 1998 World Cup final tournament squad, but eventually Radu Niculescu was preferred in his place.[2]

Personal life

[edit]

His son, Cătălin, is also a footballer who started his career at Argeș Pitești.[23]

Career statistics

[edit]

International

[edit]
Appearances and goals by national team and year[21]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Romania 199721
199811
Total32
Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Barbu goal.
List of international goals scored by Constantin Barbu[21]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
16 September 1997Sportpark, Eschen, Liechtenstein Liechtenstein7–08–11998 World Cup qualification
28 April 1998Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania Greece2–02–1Friendly

Honours

[edit]

Dacia Pitești

Argeș Pitești

Rapid București

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Constantin Barbu at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "EXCLUSIV: Interviu Constantin Barbu" [EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Constantin Barbu] (in Romanian). Sportm.ro. 21 October 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Momentul cu Lucescu l-a marcat. "Cobra" Jean Barbu dezvăluie: "M-a lăsat pe bancă fără să-mi zică nimic. Știți ce a urmat?"" [The incident involving Lucescu left a mark on him. "Cobra" Jean Barbu reveals: "He left me on the bench without saying a word. Do you know what happened next?"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 8 April 2026. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Jean Barbu a ajuns la "borna" 37" [Jean Barbu has reached the 37-year mark.] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ""Cobra" printre vaci" ["Cobra" among the cows] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 19 February 2005. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  6. ↑ "Exclusiv! "Cobra din Trivale": "FC Argeș trebuie să redevină echipa care juca de la egal la egal cu Steaua și Dinamo!"" [Exclusive! "The Cobra from Trivale": "FC Argeș must once again become the team that played on equal terms with Steaua and Dinamo!"] (in Romanian). Jurnaluldearges.ro. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Argeș Pitești vs Steaua Bucuresti 3-1". Labtof. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Fotbalistul care îl altoia pe Mutu în vestiar: "Îi dădea ghete în cap după meciuri"" [The footballer who used to bully Mutu in the locker room: "He would kick him in the head after matches"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 11 October 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Topscorers of Liga 1". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Constantin Barbu. UEFA Cup Qual. 1998/99". WorldFootball. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
    "Constantin Barbu. UEFA Cup 1998/99". WorldFootball. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  11. ↑ "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Romanian Cup – Season 1998–1999". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  13. ↑ "Constantin Barbu. Champions League Qual. 1999/2000". WorldFootball. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
    "Skonto Riga – Rapid, meciul care le dă fiori celor de la FCSB. Dănuț Lupu și Narcis Răducan, amintiri de la o eliminare dramatică în fața letonilor: "Erau mulți jucători tineri" Exclusiv" [Skonto Riga vs. Rapid: the match that still gives FCSB the shivers. Dănuț Lupu and Narcis Răducan recall a dramatic elimination at the hands of the Latvians: "There were many young players." Exclusive.] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Liga Antidefaimare n-a uitat de "Corleone"" [The Anti-Defamation League hasn't forgotten about "Corleone."] (in Romanian). Ziaruldeiasi.ro. 17 August 1999. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  15. 1 2 3 "Constantin Barbu. Primera Division 1999/2000". WorldFootball. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Numancia 1:0 Valladolid". WorldFootball. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  17. ↑ "El Numancia hunde más al Atlético" [Numancia sinks Atlético even further] (in Spanish). Marca. 25 March 2000. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
    "El Numancia acaricia la salvación tras ganar al Espanyol" [Numancia caressing salvation after defeating Espanyol] (in Spanish). El País. 7 May 2000. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
    "El Alavés entra en lista de espera" [Alavés join waiting list] (in Spanish). El País. 15 May 2000. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 "Breve enciclopedia numantina" [Brief numantina encyclopedia] (in Spanish). Desdesoria.es. 29 May 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "La Federación deniega la licencia de comunitarios a cinco jugadores" [Federation denies EU-licence to five players] (in Spanish). El País. 26 January 2001. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "Constantin Barbu. Divizia A 2002/03". WorldFootball. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Constantin Barbu". European Football. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  22. ↑ "Liechtenstein 1-8 Romania". European Football. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Cătălin Barbu, aproape de Liga 1! Cum a motivat Argeşul despărţirea de fiul lui Jean Barbu şi unde a ajuns atacantul" [Cătălin Barbu close to Liga 1! How Argeș explained parting ways with Jean Barbu's son and where the forward has ended up.]. Liga2.prosport.ro. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
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