Vasile Chitaru (5 January 1959 â 5 December 2003) was a Romanian footballer who played as a forward.
Chitaru, nicknamed "Zira", was born on 5 January 1959 in BacÃÂu, Romania. He made his Divizia A debut on 19 May 1974, playing for SC BacÃÂu at the age of 15 years, 4 months and 14 days under coach Constantin RÃÂdulescu in a 3âÂÂ0 home victory against Jiul PetroÃÂani. In 1976, Chitaru went to play for Dinamo BucureÃÂti, where he won the league title in his only season spent at the club, coach Ion Nunweiller using him in seven matches. With Dinamo, he also played his only game in a European competition, a 0âÂÂ0 draw against AC Milan in the first round of the 1976âÂÂ77 UEFA Cup. Afterwards, he returned to play for SC BacÃÂu for a few years. He spent the last three years of his career at Partizanul BacÃÂu, Foresta FÃÂlticeni and Proletarul BacÃÂu, retiring in 1986.
Between 1974 and 1975, Chitaru made several appearances for Romania's under-18 and under-21 national teams.
Throughout his life, Chitaru struggled with alcoholism, committing suicide in December 2003 by jumping from his apartment balcony which was on the fourth floor.
SC BacÃÂu
Dinamo BucureÃÂti