Dumitru Munteanu (3 July 1932 â 19 June 2020) was a Romanian footballer.
Munteanu was born on 3 July 1932 in Bucharest, Romania, and spent his entire career from junior to senior level playing alongside his twin brother Anton, both of them being known for their dribbling abilities and spectacular play. He grew up in DÃÂmÃÂroaia and began playing junior-level football at the local club, afterwards joining Laromet BucureÃÂti, before moving to CCA Cluj where he spent only two weeks. Then he joined Gloria BistriÃÂa, a team he helped reach in 1954 a promotion play-off to Divizia B which was eventually lost. Munteanu made his Divizia A debut on 6 May 1955, playing for CCA BucureÃÂti under coach Ilie Savu in a 1âÂÂ0 loss against Flamura RoÃÂie Arad, this being his only league appearance for the team.
In 1956 he went to play for Petrolul PloieÃÂti where he spent nine seasons. Munteanu helped the club win two Divizia A titles in the 1957âÂÂ58 and 1965âÂÂ66 seasons. In the first season, he was used by coach Ilie Oanàin 11 matches in which he scored three goals and in the second, coach Constantin CernÃÂianu gave him three appearances. In 1958, he and his brother were banned for life from playing football because they were considered "rebels" and "bourgeois elements" by the Communist regime, but after one year they were allowed to play again. In 1961, after Petrolul played a friendly against Brazilian team Grêmio Porto Alegre that ended with a 4âÂÂ3 victory in which he and his brother were appreciated for their play, they were nicknamed "The Brazilians". Munteanu also helped The Yellow Wolves win the 1962âÂÂ63 Cupa României, being used by coach Oanàthe entire match in the 6âÂÂ1 victory in the final against Siderurgistul GalaÃÂi. He made his last Divizia A appearance playing for them on 8 May 1966 in a 2âÂÂ1 home victory against CSMS IaÃÂi, totaling 136 matches and 19 goals in the competition. He also accumulated 19 matches with six goals in the Cupa României and 11 games in European competitions (including seven appearances in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup).
Munteanu made one appearance for Romania on 14 October 1962 when coach Constantin TeaÃÂcàsent him in the 25th minute to replace Ion Nunweiller in a 3âÂÂ2 friendly loss to East Germany.
Munteanu died on 19 June 2020 at age 87.
CCA BucureÃÂti
Petrolul PloieÃÂti