Cristian Marian Munteanu (born 10 November 1974) is a former Romanian football player who played as a goalkeeper, currently president at Liga I club OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi.
Munteanu, nicknamed Babicu, was born on 10 November 1974 in Isaccea, Romania and began playing football at local club Progresul. When he was 11 years old, as Progresul's goalkeepers left the club to do their military service, he made his senior debut in a Divizia C match that ended with a 7âÂÂ0 loss to Chimia BrÃÂila. Afterwards he played one more senior league game, then he continued his junior career, at one point moving to LuceafÃÂrul BucureÃÂti.
Munteanu went to Farul ConstanÃÂa where he made his Divizia A debut shortly after he turned 18, on 22 November 1992 under coach Florin Marin in a 5âÂÂ0 away loss to OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi. He played five games in the 1995 Intertoto Cup as The Sailors got past the group stage, being eliminated in the round of 16 by Heerenveen. During his five seasons spent at Farul he had a period in which he did not concede any goals for 569 consecutive minutes.
In 1997 he went to play for his childhood favorite team, Dinamo BucureÃÂti where he made only two league appearances, as Florin Prunea was the first-choice goalkeeper. In the middle of the 1997âÂÂ98 season he went to play for NaÃÂional BucureÃÂti. He participated with The Bankers in the 1998 Intertoto Cup, playing five matches as they got past Hapoel Haifa and Iraklis in the first two rounds, being eliminated in the third by Bologna on the away goals rule. In the middle of the 1999âÂÂ2000 season, Munteanu joined OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi. During his two and a half seasons spent with The Steelworkers, he was very appreciated by the fans, being considered one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the club.
In 2002, Munteanu returned to Dinamo where he played in both legs of the 4âÂÂ1 aggregate loss to Club Brugge in the 2002âÂÂ03 Champions League second qualifying round. The team also won the 2002âÂÂ03 Cupa României, but coach Ioan Andone preferred to use Daniel Tudor in the 1âÂÂ0 win over NaÃÂional in the final. In the first half of the following season he was loaned to NaÃÂional. Munteanu returned for the second half to Dinamo, helping them win The Double, coach Andone using him in nine league games, and he also kept a clean sheet in the 2âÂÂ0 win over OÃÂelul in the Cupa României final. Afterwards he made three appearances in the 2004âÂÂ05 Champions League qualifying rounds, keeping a clean sheet in the 2âÂÂ0 aggregate win over à ½ilina but received a red card in the second leg, then in the following round they were eliminated by Manchester United. In the middle of the season he was loaned once again to NaÃÂional. In 2005, Munteanu had his only experience outside Romania, as he was loaned by Dinamo to AEK Larnaca, where he was a teammate with compatriot Narcis RÃÂducan and played seven games in the Cypriot First Division. He returned to Dinamo after half a year where he played for the rest of the season.
In 2006, Munteanu returned to NaÃÂional which was relegated at the end of the season. He stayed with the club that changed its name to Progresul for one more season in the second league.
In the 2008âÂÂ09 season he played for Otopeni and was again relegated.
In July 2009, Munteanu was signed once again by Dinamo which needed a goalkeeper after Bogdan Lobonàsuffered an injury. He was loaned to Astra PloieÃÂti for the 2009âÂÂ10 season, but left after the first half when coach Nicolò Napoli removed him from the squad. He returned to Dinamo for the second half of the season, making his last appearance in the Romanian first league on 22 May 2010 in a 2âÂÂ0 away loss to FC Vaslui, totaling 338 matches in the competition.
Munteanu played for Romania's under-18 squad under the guidance of coach Gheorghe Staicu, including three games in the 1993 European Under-18 Championship. He started playing for the nation's under-21 team while he was 17 years old.
During his career, Munteanu was called to Romania's senior team by coaches Anghel IordÃÂnescu and Gheorghe Hagi, but eventually did not play in any games.
After he ended his career, Munteanu had several businesses in various domains. In 2012 he was appointed as vice-president at Farul ConstanÃÂa, a position he held for a few months. In 2020 he went to work for OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi as a general manager, then in 2024 he became the club's president.
Munteanu's father, Vasile, played for Progresul Isaccea in Divizia C. He had four uncles and two cousins who also played for Isaccea. His cousin, George CurcÃÂ, was also a goalkeeper and they were colleagues in 2010 at Dinamo BucureÃÂti.
Dinamo BucureÃÂti