Alexandru Pop (footballer, born 2000)
 Pop with Oțelul Galați in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexandru Mihai Constantin Pop | ||
| Date of birth | 1 February 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Dinamo București | ||
| Number | 99 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| CFR Cluj | |||
| –2016 | Universitatea Cluj | ||
| 2016–2019 | Gheorghe Hagi Academy | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2016 | Universitatea Cluj | 3 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Viitorul Constanța | 0 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | → Universitatea Cluj (loan) | 37 | (8) |
| 2021–2022 | Farul Constanța | 0 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Unirea Dej (loan) | 40 | (11) |
| 2023 | Unirea Dej | 13 | (4) |
| 2023–2024 | Oțelul Galați | 57 | (16) |
| 2025– | Dinamo București | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2017 | Romania U17 | 1 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Romania U18 | 5 | (0) |
| 2018 | Romania U19 | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 January 2025 | |||
Alexandru Mihai Constantin Pop (born 1 February 2000) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga I club Dinamo București.
Pop started out as a senior at Universitatea Cluj, making his debut in 2016, aged 16. He moved to Viitorul Constanța during the summer of that year, but never made an official appearance and was loaned back to Universitatea Cluj and Unirea Dej, respectively. In 2023, Pop signed for Oțelul Galați in the top flight. One and half years later, his performances earned him a transfer to Dinamo București.
Internationally, Pop represented Romania from under-17 up to under-19 level.
Club career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Before starting his junior career with CFR Cluj at age seven, Pop practiced swimming, karate, and dancesport, respectively.[1] He then moved to city rivals Universitatea Cluj, for which he made his senior debut at the age of 16 years and 2 months.
Pop registered his first appearance on 20 April 2016, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute for Jakub Vojtuš in a 2–0 Liga II win over Sportul Snagov.
Viitorul Constanța and loans
[edit]Pop had a one-week tryout at Italian club Roma in the summer of 2016, but nothing came of it and instead joined Viitorul Constanța's academy.[2] He returned to Universitatea Cluj on loan in the summer of 2019,[3] playing 39 games and scoring four goals in all competitions during his two-year stint back in the Liga II.
Between 2021 and 2023, Pop represented Unirea Dej, also in the second division. In the 2022–23 season, he totalled nine goals from 29 league appearances, as his side finished fourth in the promotion play-offs.
Oțelul Galați
[edit]On 5 June 2023, Pop agreed to a one-year contract with Oțelul Galați, newly promoted to the Liga I.[4] Unirea Dej retained 50% participation rights in a co-ownership deal.[5] Pop made his competitive debut on 14 July, equalising in a 1–1 home league draw to UTA Arad.[6] On 12 August, he scored in a 1–1 home draw against his former club Universitatea Cluj.
Pop scored once more against Universitatea Cluj on 17 December 2023, representing the only goal of the away match. By the turn of the year, he became the second-best goal scorer of the Liga I with nine goals, sharing the position with several other players. On 4 January 2024, he signed a contract extension lasting until 30 June 2025.[7]
On 27 February 2024, Pop converted a free kick in a 2–2 home draw against his former youth side CFR Cluj.[8] On 2 December that year, he scored Oțelul's only goal in a 1–4 home loss to defending champions FCSB.
Dinamo București
[edit]On 31 December 2024, fellow Liga I club Dinamo București announced the signing of Pop on a two-and-a-half-year contract with the option of another year. The transfer fee was reported as being worth €125,000,[9] and Oțelul Galați also stated that it would retain interest on a possible future move.[5]
Personal life
[edit]Pop was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Romanian parents from Huedin, Cluj County. They moved back to Romania when he was around two or three years old.[1][10]
Pop has a bachelor's degree in public relations from the Babeș-Bolyai University.[1]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played on 19 January 2025[11]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Universitatea Cluj | 2015–16 | Liga II | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Universitatea Cluj (loan) | 2019–20 | 21 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 4 | |||
| 2020–21 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 17 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 37 | 8 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 40 | 9 | ||||
| Unirea Dej (loan) | 2021–22 | Liga II | 24 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 6 | ||
| 2022–23 | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 9 | ||||
| Total | 53 | 15 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 54 | 15 | ||||
| Oțelul Galați | 2023–24 | Liga I | 36 | 11 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 11 | ||
| 2024–25 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 57 | 16 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 65 | 16 | ||||
| Dinamo București | 2024–25 | Liga I | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Career totals | 151 | 39 | 12 | 1 | — | — | 163 | 39 | ||||
Honours
[edit]Oțelul Galați[11]
- Cupa României runner-up: 2023–24
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Interviu cu Alexandru Pop (Oțelul Galați)" [Interview with Alexandru Pop (Oțelul Galați)] (in Romanian). Liga Profesionistă de Fotbal. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "El este Alex Pop, puştiul care a dat gol de la 50 de metri. S-a născut în Buenos Aires, a luat 9.71 la BAC şi a fost în probe la AS Roma: "E un plus să-ţi dezvolţi mintea"" [He is Alex Pop, the kid who scored from 50 meters. He was born in Buenos Aires, got 9.71 GED and had trials at AS Roma: "It's a bonus to develop your mind"] (in Romanian). Orange Sport. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ "U Cluj nu renunță la promovare și continuă să se întărească » "Șepcile Roșii" l-au transferat pe Alex Pop de la Viitorul" [U Cluj does not give up on promotion and continues to strengthen itself » "The Red Caps" transferred Alex Pop from Viitorul]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ "Oțelul Galați a anunțat primul transfer după revenirea în Liga 1" [Oțelul Galati announced its first transfer after returning to Liga 1] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 5 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Alex Pop, mult succes!" [Success, Alex Pop!] (in Romanian). SC Oțelul Galați. 24 December 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
- ^ "Oțelul Galați - UTA Arad 1-1, Dorinel Munteanu și Mircea Rednic au deschis noul sezon cu un rezultat de egalitate!" [Oțelul Galati - UTA Arad 1–1, Dorinel Munteanu and Mircea Rednic opened the new season with a draw!]. Sport.ro. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ "Alex Pop și-a prelungit contractul" [Alex Pop extended his contract] (in Romanian). ASC Oțelul Galați. 4 January 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ "VIDEO+FOTO Golul de excepție din Superliga l-a impresionat pe Ilie Dumitrescu: "Fabulos! A dat mai bine ca mine"" [VIDEO+PHOTO The exceptional Superliga goal impressed Ilie Dumitrescu: "Fabulous! He hit it better than I did"]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 27 February 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "Ofiicial | Lovitură în ultima zi a anului: Alex Pop a semnat cu Dinamo! Prima reacție" [Official | Hit on the last day of the year: Alex Pop signed with Dinamo! His first reaction] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 31 December 2024. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
- ^ "Tricolorul născut în Argentina! Fantastica poveste a lui Alex Pop, fotbalistul Unirii Dej: "Aș spune că sunt stilul Julian Alvarez"" [The tricolour born in Argentina! The fantastic story of Alex Pop, the Unirii Dej footballer: "I would say that I have the style of Julián Álvarez"] (in Romanian). ProSport. 19 February 2023.
- ^ a b Alexandru Pop at Soccerway
External links
[edit]- Alexandru Pop at Soccerway
- Alexandru Pop – Romanian league stats at LPF (in Romanian)
- 2000 births
- Living people
- Argentine people of Romanian descent
- Footballers from Buenos Aires
- Footballers from Cluj-Napoca
- Romanian men's footballers
- Argentine men's footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- Men's association football wingers
- Liga I players
- Liga II players
- CFR Cluj players
- FC Universitatea Cluj players
- FC Viitorul Constanța players
- FCV Farul Constanța players
- FC Unirea Dej players
- ASC Oțelul Galați players
- FC Dinamo București players
- Romania men's youth international footballers
- 21st-century Argentine sportsmen
- 21st-century Romanian sportsmen