Gheorghe Popescu

DoB: Oct 9, 1967

PoB: Calafat, Romania

Position: Centre back, sweeper

Clubs represented: Universitatea Craiova, Steua Bucuresti, PSV Eindhoven, Tottenham Hotspur, FC Barcelona, Galatasary, Lecce, Dinamo Bucuresti, Hannover 96

Total appearances/goals: 467/68

Total caps: 115/16

Honours:
6 domestic league titles, 4 domestic cups, 2 domestic super cups
1 UEFA Cup, 1 UEFA Cup Winner's Cup, 1 UEFA Super Cup

Romanian footballer of the year: 89, 90, 91, 92, 95, 96

Highs:
Was a staple of PSV's early 90s side, under Sir Bobby Robson and playing alongside the likes of Romário, Arthur Numan, Luc Nilis and Ronaldo, having won back-to-back league titles.
He would later be reunited with Ronaldo and Robson in Barcelona, where he became captain.
His time at Galatasaray was to be his most successful, culminating in 2000's UEFA Cup final penalty victory over Arsenal. Among his teammates were legends such as Taffarel, Hakan Sukur and countryman and brother-in-law Gheorge Hagi.

Lows:
His time in the Premier League was a disappointment, despite Sir Bobby Robson's backing. Extending his career with Lecce, Dinamo Bucuresti and Hannover proved to be perfectly inconsequential.
Despite being part of Romania's most talented international team, never made it past the quarter-finals of an international tournament.

Raiding Europe from Asia Minor.............................Becoming an Hotspur..................Rubbing shoulders with the greats