Mihai Zamfir (born 22 January 1955) is a Romanian former football defender and manager.
Zamfir was born on 22 January 1955 in MoÃÂoaia, Romania and began playing junior-level football in 1971 at ArgeàPiteÃÂti. He made his Divizia A debut on 30 September 1973 under coach ÃÂtefan Coidum in a 2âÂÂ1 home victory against Sportul StudenÃÂesc BucureÃÂti. In the 1978âÂÂ79 UEFA Cup edition he helped the team eliminate Panathinaikos in the first round with a 5âÂÂ1 aggregate victory. In the following round they met Valencia led by Mario Kempes, earning a 2âÂÂ1 win in the first leg, but they lost the second one with 5âÂÂ2, thus the campaign ended. In the same season he helped Argeàwin the title, being used by coach Florin Halagian in 33 games in which he scored two goals. In the following season they got past AEK Athens in the first round of the 1979âÂÂ80 European Cup, the team being eliminated in the following one by title holders and eventual winners, Nottingham Forest, Zamfir receiving a red card for repeated fouls in the 80th minute of the first leg.
In 1984 he joined Olt ScorniceÃÂti where he made his last Divizia A appearance on 17 December 1987 in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against Dinamo BucureÃÂti, totaling 365 matches with 11 goals in the competition and 12 games in European competitions. Zamfir ended his career in 1989, after playing in Divizia B for Inter Sibiu and Dacia PiteÃÂti, helping the first earn promotion to the first league.
Zamfir played 10 games for Romania, making his debut when coach ÃÂtefan Kovács sent him in the 24th minute to replace Florin Cheran in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Bulgaria in the 1977âÂÂ80 Balkan Cup. He also played in the second leg against Bulgaria which ended in a 1âÂÂ1 draw. Subsequently, he made three appearances in the Euro 1980 qualifiers. Zamfir's last appearance occurred on 8 April 1981 in a 2âÂÂ1 away loss in a friendly against Israel.
Zamfir coached several clubs in Romanian football, starting with Dacia PiteÃÂti, then working for ArgeàPiteÃÂti, Chimica TârnÃÂveni, Politehnica TimiÃÂoara, Cimentul Fieni, Unirea Alba Iulia and Girom Albota. He also worked as an assistant for Nicolae Dobrin and Florin Halagian at ArgeàPiteÃÂti, and for Cornel Iliescu at Dacia Mioveni. Zamfir coached abroad at the United Arab Emirates club Al Sabah.
His wife, Dana, was a handball player and his daughter Cristina played volleyball.
ArgeÃÂ PiteÃÂti
Inter Sibiu