Octavian George Popescu (; born 27 December 2002) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a winger or an attacking midfielder for Liga I club FCSB.
After playing junior football for Rapid BucureÃÂti and Universitatea Craiova among others, Popescu recorded his professional debut with FCSB in 2020, at age 17. He won his first national title in the 2023âÂÂ24 season.
Internationally, Popescu made his senior debut for Romania in a 0âÂÂ1 friendly loss to Greece in March 2022. He previously represented the nation at under-21 and under-23 levels, competing in two UEFA European Championships with the former.
Popescu started practising football at age eight with the team of his local high school from Nucet, DâmboviÃÂa County. In 2014, he moved to Regal Sport BucureÃÂti, where he was teammates with Radu DrÃÂguÃÂin and Luca Floricàamong others. The capital-based club loaned him out to Rapid BucureÃÂti and Universitatea Craiova, respectively, before Popescu joined FCSB in 2020.
Popescu was loaned out by FCSB to second tier side Turris Turnu MÃÂgurele on 20 August 2020, but was immediately recalled to his parent club after general manager Mihai Stoica and owner Gigi Becali found out the deal was agreed over their heads. One month later, aged 17, he made his professional debut for FCSB by coming on for Robert Ion in the 50th minute of a 3âÂÂ0 Liga I win over ArgeàPiteÃÂti.
Popescu scored his first career goal and also provided an assist on 30 January 2021, in a 3âÂÂ1 defeat of Politehnica IaÃÂi at the Arena NaÃÂionalÃÂ. On 15 April 2021, he started in a 1âÂÂ4 penalty shoot-out loss to CFR Cluj in the Supercupa României. FCSB also lost the national title to the latter opponent, and he ended his debut season as a senior with four goals from 34 appearances in all competitions.
On 25 July 2021, Popescu scored in a 4âÂÂ1 league defeat of his former youth team Universitatea Craiova, and on 12 September netted in a 6âÂÂ0 derby thrashing of Dinamo BucureÃÂti. In January 2022, he opened the scoring in successive fixtures against CFR Cluj (3âÂÂ3 draw) and Dinamo BucureÃÂti (3âÂÂ0 win). Popescu scored the only goal of a championship play-off match against CFR Cluj on 17 April, representing FCSB's first win at the Dr. Constantin RÃÂdulescu Stadium in almost eight years. He amassed 38 appearances and ten goals in his second season in Bucharest.
Ahead of the 2022âÂÂ23 campaign, Popescu switched his shirt number from 9 to 11, but at the end of July was handed the number 10 jersey and also appointed vice-captain as a result of Florin TÃÂnase's imminent departure. After a several-month goal drought, he scored his first goal of the season on 6 November, in a 3âÂÂ1 derby win over Rapid BucureÃÂti. It was a disappointing year for Popescu, only totalling four goals in all competitions, the last in another game against Rapid in which he was sent off less than 20 minutes after he came on, on 27 May 2023.
On 29 July 2023, in the first league match after his suspension expired, Popescu opened a 2âÂÂ0 away win over newly-promoted OÃÂelul GalaÃÂi. He scored his first goal in European competitions on 3 August, his late winner helping defeat CSKA 1948 3âÂÂ2 at home and 4âÂÂ2 on aggregate in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Popescu's poor form continued throughout the 2023âÂÂ24 season, but he aided with 33 appearances as FCSB won its first national title in seven years. On 6 October 2024, he scored his first two goals in more than a year, in a 3âÂÂ2 home victory over Gloria BuzÃÂu.
Popescu did not represent Romania at any level prior to 2021, in spite of being considered a talented prospect. He made his debut for the under-21 side in March 2021, aged 18, after entering as a substitute in the UEFA European Championship group stage matches against Hungary and Germany, which ended 2âÂÂ1 and 0âÂÂ0, respectively.
In June 2021, Popescu featured for the under-23 team in friendlies against Mexico and Australia, but was later not allowed by FCSB to participate in the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics. On 25 March 2022, 19-year-old Popescu was handed his full debut for Romania in a 0âÂÂ1 exhibition loss to Greece at the Stadionul Steaua, being brought on for Alexandru MitriÃÂàin the 62nd minute.
On 15 June 2023, Popescu returned to the Romania under-21 squad and was selected for his second European Championship.
Popescu's best attributes are his pace and acceleration, while at the same time possesses appreciable dribbling skills and creativity. He is able to strike the ball with both feet, and has been deployed in the centre as an attacking midfielder or wide as a winger.
Popescu's breakthrough in FCSB's senior team was highly regarded by Romanian punditsâÂÂCornel Dinu described him as a "very talented kid of extraordinary quality" who "has similarities to Florea Dumitrache", Gabi Balint stated he is a quick-thinking genius "just like [Gheorghe] Hagi was", and Basarab Panduru emphasised his versatility. Dinu continued his praises and compared him to Adrian Mutu, considering Popescu can have a much more successful career.
His former coach Daniel Pancu regarded him a "fantastic talent", while Dorinel Munteanu said that he is a "youngster who looks different from what we have in Romania" and that from his "generation, from [Gheorghe] HagiâÂÂnot even from Adrian Mutu, but from Hagi" he has "never seen such a lightness to play in depth or to provide the final pass".
When discussing his weaknesses, Balint noted in February 2021 that Popescu should become more consistent during the full 90 minutes and build muscle mass, and the following year Ioan SabÃÂu made a similar remark. In May 2023, after being sent off in a match against Rapid BucureÃÂti, former LPF president Dumitru Dragomir accused Popescu of "lack of education".
FCSB
Individual