Mihai Popescu (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mihai Popescu | ||
| Date of birth | 7 May 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Câmpulung, Romania | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FCSB | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2011 | Sporting Pitești | ||
| 2011–2012 | Dinamo București | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2012 | Dinamo II București | ||
| 2013–2020 | Dinamo București | 63 | (5) |
| 2013–2015 | → Dunărea Călărași (loan) | 54 | (2) |
| 2015 | → Berceni (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | → Dunărea Călărași (loan) | 30 | (0) |
| 2017 | → Voluntari (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2019 | → St Mirren (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | Heart of Midlothian | 18 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | → Hamilton Academical (loan) | 31 | (1) |
| 2022–2024 | Farul Constanța | 73 | (2) |
| 2024– | FCSB | 21 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2025– | Romania | 2 | (1) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 April 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 March 2025 | |||
Mihai Popescu (born 7 May 1993) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Liga I club FCSB and the Romania national team.
Popescu started his senior career at Dunărea Călărași in 2013, while on loan from Dinamo București. He made his professional debut for the latter side in 2016, and had multiple loan spells before moving to Heart of Midlothian in 2020. After returning from Scotland, Popescu signed with Farul Constanța and won his first national title in the 2022–23 season. In 2024, his performances earned him a €250,000 transfer to FCSB, the cross-town rival of his former club Dinamo București.
Internationally, Popescu registered his debut for Romania in March 2025, in a 0–1 home loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Club career
[edit]Dinamo București and various loans
[edit]Popescu joined Liga I club Dinamo București from Sporting Pitești in 2011. Following loans to Dunărea Călărași, Berceni, and again Dunărea Călărași, he recorded his debut for Dinamo on 11 August 2016, starting in a 2–1 away win over Voluntari in the Cupa Ligii. On 12 September, Popescu made his Liga I debut in a 1–2 away loss to ASA Târgu Mureș.
In the summer of 2017, Popescu was sent on loan to fellow league club Voluntari, where he spent half of season. Upon his return to Dinamo, he scored his first Liga I goal on 12 March 2018, in a 3–0 home defeat of Gaz Metan Mediaș. On 29 July that year, he netted in a 3–3 away derby draw with FCSB. Popescu moved abroad for the first time by being loaned to Scottish Premiership side St Mirren in January 2019.[1] After St Mirren manager Oran Kearney left the team, he returned to Bucharest in July that year.[2][3]
Heart of Midlothian and loan to Hamilton Academical
[edit]In September 2020, Popescu signed a two-year contract with Scottish Championship club Heart of Midlothian.[4][5] After the team achieved promotion to the Scottish Premiership as league winners, on 31 August 2021 he was sent to Championship side Hamilton Academical on loan until the end of the campaign.[6]
Farul Constanța
[edit]In July 2022, Popescu left Hearts as a free agent and returned to his native Romania, signing a two-year contract with Liga I side Farul Constanța.[7] In his debut season, he made 30 league appearances and scored one goal to aid the club in winning the national title.
Popescu made his debut in European competitions on 12 July 2023, starting in a 1–0 home victory over Sheriff Tiraspol in the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round (1–3 loss on aggregate).[8] On 24 August that year, he scored his first European goal after coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 home win over HJK in the Europa Conference League play-off round (2–3 on aggregate).[9]
FCSB
[edit]On 4 September 2024, Popescu agreed to a one-year deal with Romanian defending champions FCSB,[10] the cross-town rivals of his former club Dinamo București. FCSB owner Gigi Becali announced the transfer fee as €250,000.[11]
Popescu quickly established himself at the Roș-albaștrii, amassing 12 matches in the Europa League league phase and knockouts, of which he started in ten.
International career
[edit]Popescu made his debut for the Romania national team on 21 March 2025, aged 31, starting in a 0–1 home loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Three days later, he scored in a 5–1 away thrashing of San Marino counting for the same competition.[12]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played 20 April 2025.[13]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Dinamo II București | 2012–13 | Liga II | ? | ? | — | — | — | — | ? | ? | |||||
| Dinamo București | 2016–17 | Liga I | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | ||||||
| 2018–19 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 2 | ||||||
| 2019–20 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 1 | ||||||
| 2020–21 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 63 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 70 | 5 | |||||
| Dunărea Călărași (loan) | 2012–13 | Liga III | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | — | ? | ? | ||||
| 2013–14 | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | — | ? | ? | ||||||
| 2014–15 | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | — | ? | ? | ||||||
| Total | 54 | 2 | ? | ? | — | — | — | 54 | 2 | ||||||
| Berceni (loan) | 2014–15 | Liga II | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||||
| Dunărea Călărași (loan) | 2015–16 | Liga II | 30 | 0 | — | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 32 | 0 | ||||
| Voluntari (loan) | 2017–18 | Liga I | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 20 | 0 | |||
| St Mirren (loan) | 2018–19 | Scottish Premiership | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2[c] | 0 | 21 | 0 | |||
| Heart of Midlothian | 2020–21 | Scottish Championship | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||||
| Hamilton Academical (loan) | 2021–22 | Scottish Championship | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |||
| Farul Constanța | 2022–23 | Liga I | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 1 | ||||
| 2023–24 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 8[d] | 1 | 1[b] | 0 | 45 | 2 | ||||
| 2024–25 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||||||
| Total | 73 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 86 | 3 | ||||
| FCSB | 2024–25 | Liga I | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12[e] | 0 | — | 35 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 336 | 11 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 385 | 12 | |||
- ^ Appearances in Liga I promotion/relegation play-offs
- ^ a b Appearance in Supercupa României
- ^ Appearances in Scottish Premiership promotion/relegation play-offs
- ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa Conference League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
[edit]- As of match played 21 March 2025.[14]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | |||
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Popescu goal.[14]
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 March 2025 | San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino | 2 |  San Marino
|
2–0 | 5–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
[edit]Dinamo București[13]
Voluntari[13]
Heart of Midlothian[13]
Farul Constanța[13]
- Liga I: 2022–23
- Supercupa României runner-up: 2023
References
[edit]- ^ Prima reacţie a lui Mihai Popescu după ce a plecat de la Dinamo: "E o surpriză şi pentru mine!". telekomsport.ro (in Romanian)
- ^ "Mihai Popescu: St Mirren future in limbo for Dinamo Bucharest defender". BBC Sport. 24 June 2019.
- ^ "St Mirren: Mihai Popescu returns to Dinamo Bucharest". BBC Sport. 2 July 2019.
- ^ Bolat, Leila (16 September 2020). "FC Dinamo a anunţat că l-a transferat pe Mihai Popescu la Heart of Midlothian". news.ro. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Mihai Popescu: Hearts sign former St Mirren defender from Dinamo Bucharest". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
- ^ "Mihai Popescu joins on loan". 31 August 2021.
- ^ McGilvray, Andy (22 June 2022). "Ex-Hearts star signs for Romanian side as Hamilton Accies lose out on target". msn.com. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
- ^ "Farul Constanța - Sheriff 1–0". UEFA.com. 12 July 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
- ^ "Farul Constanța - HJK 2–1". UEFA.com. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
- ^ "Former Hearts player makes transfer to Europa League side as he's set for glamour showdowns after move". Edinburgh News. 4 September 2024.
- ^ "Becali a anunțat un nou transfer la FCSB: „L-am luat azi, îi dau salariu 15.000 de euro"" [Becali announced a new transfer at FCSB: "I brought him today, I offer him a salary of 15,000 euros"] (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. 2 September 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
- ^ "Mihai Popescu a fost criticat de Mircea Lucescu, a "răspuns" cu primul gol la națională și acum a rupt tăcerea: "Greșim!"" [Mihai Popescu was criticised by Mircea Lucescu, "responded" with his first international goal and now breaks the silence: "We're mistaken!"] (in Romanian). ProSport. 25 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Mihai Popescu at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Mihai Popescu". European Football. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
External links
[edit]- Mihai Popescu at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
- Mihai Popescu at WorldFootball.net
- 1993 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Câmpulung
- Footballers from Argeș County
- Romanian men's footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- Liga I players
- Liga II players
- FC Dinamo București II players
- FC Dinamo București players
- FC Dunărea Călărași players
- FC Voluntari players
- Scottish Professional Football League players
- St Mirren F.C. players
- Heart of Midlothian F.C. players
- Hamilton Academical F.C. players
- FCV Farul Constanța players
- FCSB players
- Romania men's international footballers
- Romanian expatriate men's footballers
- Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Scotland
- Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland
- 21st-century Romanian sportsmen