Aurel "AuricÃÂ" Beldeanu (born 5 March 1951) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Beldeanu, nicknamed "Vulpea" (The Fox), was born on 5 March 1951 in DobroeÃÂti, Romania, but grew up in the Colentina neighborhood of Bucharest. He began playing junior-level football in 1965, aged 14, at his childhood favorite team Progresul BucureÃÂti under coaches Ioan Kluge and Nicolae Gorgorin. On 2 November 1968, he made his Divizia A debut under coach Cornel DrÃÂguÃÂin in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Dinamo BucureÃÂti. However, the team was relegated at the end of the season, but Beldeanu stayed with the club, helping it gain promotion back to the first league after one year. At the end of the 1970âÂÂ71 season, Progresul was relegated once again and Beldeanu spent another season with them in Divizia B. Subsequently, he came back to Divizia A football, after joining FCM ReÃÂiÃÂa in 1972. There, during the 1974âÂÂ75 season he scored a personal record of nine goals.
Beldeanu joined Universitatea Craiova in 1976. He went on to play nine seasons for "U" Craiova, being part of the "Craiova Maxima" generation that won two consecutive league titles in 1980 and 1981. At the first one he contributed with four goals netted in the 30 appearances given to him by coach Valentin StÃÂnescu and in the second he scored one goal in the 17 matches that coach Ion Oblemenco used him. He also won the Cupa României four times, playing in all the finals.
Beldeanu played 28 games and scored five goals for "U" Craiova in European competitions. In the second round of the 1979âÂÂ80 UEFA Cup, he missed a penalty and scored once with a 25-meter shot in a 4âÂÂ0 aggregate win over Leeds United, as Universitatea became the first Romanian club that eliminated a team from England in European competitions. Afterwards, they reached the quarter-finals in the 1981âÂÂ82 European Cup by eliminating Olympiacos and Kjøbenhavns Boldklub, with Beldeanu scoring once against the latter, being eliminated with 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate by Bayern Munich. He made eight appearances in the 1982âÂÂ83 UEFA Cup campaign, as they reached the semi-finals where they were eliminated by Benfica on the away goal rule after 1âÂÂ1 on aggregate.
In 1984, Beldeanu went to play for a short while at Divizia B club Constructorul Craiova, returning afterwards to Universitatea. Subsequently, in 1985 he joined Chimia Râmnicu Vâlcea where he made his last Divizia A appearance on 30 April 1986 in a 4âÂÂ0 home loss to Steaua BucureÃÂti, totaling 354 matches with 44 goals in the competition.
From 1969 to 1981, Beldeanu was consistently featured for Romania's under-23, Olympic and B teams.
Beldeanu made 18 appearances and scored one goal for Romania, making his debut on 18 April 1973 when coach Valentin StÃÂnescu sent him in the 82nd minute to replace Ion Dumitru in a 2âÂÂ0 friendly loss to the Soviet Union. Subsequently, he played in a 2âÂÂ0 home win over Cyprus in the Euro 1980 qualifiers. Then he played in a 4âÂÂ1 victory against Yugoslavia in the 1977âÂÂ80 Balkan Cup final. Beldeanu scored his only goal for The Tricoulours in a 2âÂÂ1 friendly win over Bulgaria. He also played five games during the Euro 1980 qualifiers. He made six appearances during the 1982 World Cup qualifiers which included a 2âÂÂ1 home victory and a 0âÂÂ0 away draw against England, but also his last match for the national team, a 0âÂÂ0 draw against rivals Hungary.
In 2003, Beldeanu received the Honorary Citizen of Craiova title.
Progresul BucureÃÂti
Universitatea Craiova
Romania