Dorin MateuÃÂ (born 2 August 1965) is a former Romanian professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
Mateuàwas born in Bogata-CurtuiuÃÂ, Cluj County, Romania, on 2 August 1965, but his birth was declared by his family to the authorities on 5 August. He made his Divizia A debut on 14 October 1981, playing for Corvinul Hunedoara in a 3âÂÂ1 victory against Olt ScorniceÃÂti under coach Mircea Lucescu. The highlight of his five and a half seasons spent at Corvinul was a third place in the 1981âÂÂ82 Divizia A season. He also appeared in three games in the 1982âÂÂ83 UEFA Cup campaign, as they got past Grazer AK in the first round, being eliminated in the following one by FK Sarajevo against whom he scored a goal.
Mateuàwas transferred in the middle of the 1986âÂÂ87 season to Dinamo BucureÃÂti. He scored an astounding 43 goals, with only one penalty kick among them, to take the top-scorer title and even the European Golden Boot in the 1988âÂÂ89 season. In the same season he scored two goals against Dundee United in the 1988âÂÂ89 European Cup Winners' Cup campaign as the team reached the quarter-finals where they were eliminated on the away goals rule after 1âÂÂ1 on aggregate by Sampdoria. For the way he played in 1988, Mateuàwas named the Romanian Footballer of the Year. In the 1989âÂÂ90 season, Mateuàhelped Dinamo win The Double, coach Lucescu giving him 22 league appearances in which he netted nine goals, and he scored one goal in the Cupa României final that ended with a 6âÂÂ4 victory against rivals Steaua BucureÃÂti. He also scored one goal against Dinamo Tirana, then three goals against Panathinaikos in eight matches in the 1989âÂÂ90 European Cup Winners' Cup as the club reached the semi-finals where they were eliminated after 2âÂÂ0 on aggregate by Anderlecht.
After the 1989 Romanian Revolution, Mateuàwent to play abroad, in Spain at Real Zaragoza. He made his La Liga debut on 14 October 1990 under coach Ildo Maneiro in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Betis Sevilla. In the following three games he scored a goal in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Real Valladolid, netted both goals of the 2âÂÂ0 win over Tenerife and the only goal in the 1âÂÂ0 victory against Athletic Bilbao, scoring seven league goals by season's end. In the next season he scored only three league goals, but before leaving the club he netted a hat-trick in November 1992 against Boldklubben Frem in a 5âÂÂ1 win in the second round of the 1992âÂÂ93 UEFA Cup.
Mateuàjoined Mircea Lucescu's "Brescia Romena", as around that period, his fellow Romanians Gheorghe Hagi, Florin RÃÂducioiu, Ioan SabÃÂu and DÃÂnuàLupu also played for the club. He made his Serie A debut on 29 November 1992 in a 2âÂÂ1 away loss to Inter Milan.
In the following season he left Brescia to go and play for Reggiana where in his first game he netted a goal in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Cremonese. Until the end of the season he scored two more goals in another two victories against Cagliari and Lecce.
In 1995, Mateuàmade a comeback to Dinamo for one and a half years. Subsequently, he joined Sportul StudenÃÂesc where he made his last Divizia A appearance on 23 March 1996 in a 1âÂÂ0 victory against CeahlÃÂul Piatra NeamÃÂ, totaling 281 matches with 134 goals in the competition and 25 games with 12 goals in European competitions.
Mateuàplayed 56 matches and scored 10 goals for Romania, making his debut on 7 February 1984 when coach Mircea Lucescu sent him in the 81st minute to replace Aurel ÃÂicleanu in a 1âÂÂ1 friendly draw against Algeria. In his following game, a 2âÂÂ0 friendly victory against Greece, Mateuàscored his first goal. He played four games, scoring one goal in the 1986 World Cup qualifiers and five games in which he scored once during the Euro 1988 qualifiers.
Mateuànetted two goals in six games in the successful 1990 World Cup qualifiers. Coach Emerich Jenei selected him to be part of the final tournament squad, where he played only in the final minutes of a group game against Argentina that ended in a 1âÂÂ1 draw. The campaign ended in the round of 16. Mateuàappeared in six games in which he scored two goals during the Euro 1992 qualifiers, including his last game for the national team that was a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Bulgaria.
For representing his country at the 1990 World Cup, Mateuàwas decorated by President of Romania Traian BÃÂsescu on 25 March 2008 with the Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" â (The Medal "The Sportive Merit") class III.
Dinamo BucureÃÂti
Individual