Gheorghe "Gigel" Bucur (born 8 April 1980) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a winger or a striker.
Bucur has won the top league goalscorer award in the Romanian league twice, in the 2004âÂÂ05 and in the 2008âÂÂ09 seasons. He was tied on goals with another player on both occasions, first with Claudiu Niculescu and then with Florin Costea.
Before joining Politehnica TimiÃÂoara, Bucur had only played for Sportul Studenà £esc, where he appeared in 170 matches and scored 77 goals in the first two Romanian leagues. He made his debut in the Divizia A during the 2001âÂÂ02 season. After winning the title of Romanian top league goal scorer of the Divizia A in 2006, he was transferred to TimiÃÂoara, for a rumored sum of US$800,000. Sorin RÃÂdoi also came to Poli as part of that deal.
In the autumn of 2009 he scored a brace in the Third Champions League Qualifying Round to help Politehnica TimiÃÂoara knockout Shakhtar Donetsk.
On 3 February 2010, he signed a 3-year contract with Russian club Kuban Krasnodar for a fee worth $1.8 million.
Gigel Bucur first played for the Romania national team in 2005 and amassed twenty six appearances until 2013, scoring four goals, including a brace against Armenia for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification.
On 25 March 2008 he was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian BÃÂsescu for the results on Qualifying to EURO 2008 and qualification to UEFA Euro 2008 Group C with Medalia "Meritul Sportiv" â (The Medal "The Sportive Merit") class III.
Sportul StudenÃÂesc
Politehnica TimiÃÂoara
Kuban Krasnodar
Individual