Cristian Chivu

Cristian Chivu

Playing for Internazionale in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Cristian Eugen Chivu
Date of birth	26 October 1980 (1980-10-26) (age 31)
Place of birth	Reşiţa, Romania
Height	1.84 m (6 ft  1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Internazionale
Number	26
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1996–1998	Reşiţa	24	(2)
1998–1999	Universitatea Craiova	32	(3)
1999–2003	Ajax	107	(13)
2003–2007	Roma	85	(6)
2007–	Internazionale	97	(2)
National team‡
1999–2011	Romania	75	(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 October 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 November 2010

Cristian Eugen Chivu (Romanian pronunciation: [kristiˈan ˈkivu]) (born 26 October 1980 in Reşiţa) is a Romanian footballer. He currently plays for Internazionale of the Italian Serie A. He usually plays as a left back but can play as a center back as well as in defensive midfield when needed.

Club career

Early career

Chivu's first professional club was FCM Reşiţa. After moving to Universitatea Craiova, his reputation began to rise and his performances sparked interest from some larger clubs outside of Romania. Dutch club Ajax was particularly impressed with Chivu and signed him in 1999.

Ajax

At Ajax he developed a reputation as a reliable fullback and a free-kick specialist. Then-manager Ronald Koeman appointed him as captain of the club. With Chivu as captain, Ajax dominated the Dutch Eredivisie with an exciting young squad. Playing alongside Chivu were future stars such as Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, Johnny Heitinga, Zlatan Ibrahimović and Maxwell. Chivu played a pivotal role for Ajax in their Champions League run in the 2002–03 season, when they came to within a minute of the semi-finals. That season Chivu was in a group of Ajax players who all went on to join Internazionale, comprising himself, Maxwell, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Andy Van der Meyde and Wesley Sneijder.

AS Roma

In 2003, Roma expressed their interest in signing Chivu. At the time, Roma had an enormous debt and there were questions raised over Roma's ability to pay any proposed fees. Seeking to silence the increasing doubt over their financial situation, Roma sought a bank guarantee, which was subsequently denied. However, after much speculation Roma finally completed the purchase of Chivu in September, ending the long and protracted saga. The fee was €18 million.^[1] Though he became a regular in defence, he made limited appearances due to injuries. He won the 2007 Coppa Italia in his last season with Roma. During the summer transfer window, he was once again a subject of transfer speculation, with newly-crowned La Liga champions Real Madrid reportedly making a formal bid FC Barcelona and Internazionale were also interested in signing the defender.^[2][3][4]

Internazionale

Chivu was reported to be in the middle of a tug-of-war between Barcelona and Real Madrid during the 2007 summer transfer window. After a four-year spell which yielded a Coppa Italia, Chivu left Roma and signed a 5-year contract with Internazionale on 27 July 2007. The transfer fee was €16 million.^[5] which €3M of the transfer fee paid via defender Marco Andreolli moved to Roma in a co-ownership deal.^[6] His first season with the defending Serie A champions was a successful one as he won the Serie A title that had eluded him during his time at Roma.

During the Champions League match at home to Manchester United in the 2008–09 season, Chivu had a terrific game, denying Rooney and Ronaldo many times, and won Man of the Match ahead of Julio César.

Chivu was a regular at left back during the 2009–10 season as Walter Samuel and Lúcio became the preferred centre back pairing. On 6 January against Chievo Verona, he was stretchered off early in the second half after colliding heads with Chievo striker Sergio Pellissier.^[7] He was in two hours of surgery for a skull fracture^[8] and later cleared of any danger. Although it was initially thought he might be out for the rest of the season,^[9] he returned to Serie A on 24 March.^[10] A month later Chivu scored his first goal for Inter in a game against Atalanta, a terrific 30 yard strike. On 22 May 2010, he was in Inter's starting line-up in the UEFA Champions League Final against Bayern Munich, which Inter won 2–0. He scored his second goal for Inter in the 2010–11 season against Cesena which turned out to be the game winner in a 3–2 win for Inter. He also scored the winning penalty for Inter in their Coppa Italia win over Napoli on 26 January 2011.^[11]

International career

In 1999, Chivu was chosen to represent the Romanian under-21 team and quickly made the step up to play for the full side. He played for Romania in Euro 2000 and Euro 2008. Despite being capped only four times prior to the Euro 2000, he started all four matches and scored his first international goal. During the Euro 2008, he earned plaudits for his performance, keeping previous World Cup champions Italy and runners-up France at bay, despite being played in a less familiar role as a holding midfielder. He captained Romania through World Cup qualification but they failed to make the play-offs, finishing fifth in their group. On 21 May 2011, Chivu announced his retirement from the national team.^[12]

International goals

Scores and results table. Romania's goal tally first:

International appearances and goals
App	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Goal	Competition
1999–2000
1.	18 August 1999	Limassol, Cyprus	Cyprus	2–2	0	Friendly
2.	26 April 2000	Constanţa, Romania	Cyprus	2–0	0	Friendly
3.	27 May 2000	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Netherlands	1–2	0	Friendly
4.	31 May 2000	Bucureşti, Romania	Greece	2–1	0	Friendly
5.	12 June 2000	Liége, Belgium	Germany	1–1	0	Euro 2000
6.	17 June 2000	Arnhem, Belgium	Portugal	0–1	0	Euro 2000
7.	20 June 2000	Charleroi, Belgium	England	3–2	1	Euro 2000
8.	24 June 2000	Brussels, Belgium	Italy	0–2	0	Euro 2000
2000–01
9.	16 August 2000	Bucureşti, Romania	Poland	1–1	0	Friendly
10.	3 September 2000	Bucureşti, Romania	Lithuania	1–0	0	2002 World Cup qualification
11.	6 September 2000	Milano, Italy	Italy	0–3	0	2002 World Cup qualification
12.	28 February 2001	Nicosia, Cyprus	Lithuania	3–0	0	Friendly
13.	28 March 2001	Tbilisi, Georgia	Georgia	2–0	0	2002 World Cup qualification
14.	2 June 2001	Bucureşti, Romania	Hungary	2–0	0	2002 World Cup qualification
15.	6 June 2001	Kaunas, Lithuania	Lithuania	2–1	0	2002 World Cup qualification
2001–02
16.	15 August 2001	Ljubljana, Slovenia	Slovenia	2–2	0	Friendly
17.	5 September 2001	Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	2–0	0	2002 World Cup qualification
18.	10 November 2001	Ljubljana, Slovenia	Slovenia	1–2	0	2002 World Cup Play-offs
19.	14 November 2001	Bucureşti, Romania	Slovenia	1–1	0	2002 World Cup Play-offs
20.	13 February 2002	Paris, France	France	1–2	0	Friendly
21.	27 March 2002	Constanţa, Romania	Ukraine	4–1	0	Friendly
2002–03
22.	21 August 2002	Constanţa, Romania	Greece	0–1	0	Friendly
23.	7 September 2002	Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3–0	1	Euro 2004 qualification
24.	12 October 2002	Bucureşti, Romania	Norway	0–1	0	Euro 2004 qualification
25.	20 November 2002	Timişoara, Romania	Croatia	0–1	0	Friendly
26.	12 February 2003	Larnaca, Cyprus	Slovakia	2–1	0	Friendly
27.	29 March 2003	Bucureşti, Romania	Denmark	2–5	0	Euro 2004 qualification
28.	30 April 2003	Kaunas, Lithuania	Lithuania	1–0	0	Friendly
29.	7 June 2003	Craiova, Romania	Bosnia and Herzegovina	2–0	0	Euro 2004 qualification
30.	11 June 2003	Oslo, Norway	Norway	1–1	0	Euro 2004 qualification
2003–04
31.	20 August 2003	Donetsk, Ukraine	Ukraine	2–0	0	Friendly
32.	6 September 2003	Ploieşti, Romania	Luxembourg	4–0	0	Euro 2004 qualification
33.	10 September 2003	Copenhagen, Denmark	Denmark	2–2	0	Euro 2004 qualification
34.	11 October 2003	Bucureşti, Romania	Japan	1–1	0	Euro 2004 qualification
35.	31 March 2004	Glasgow, Scotland	Scotland	2–1	1	Friendly
36.	28 April 2004	Bucureşti, Romania	Germany	5–1	0	Friendly
2004–05
37.	26 March 2005	Bucureşti, Romania	Netherlands	0–2	0	2006 World Cup qualification
38.	30 March 2005	Skopje, Macedonia	Macedonia	2–1	0	2006 World Cup qualification
39.	4 June 2005	Rotterdam, Netherlands	Netherlands	0–2	0	2006 World Cup qualification
40.	8 June 2005	Constanţa, Romania	Armenia	3–0	0	2006 World Cup qualification
2005–06
41.	17 August 2005	Constanţa, Romania	Andorra	2–0	0	2006 World Cup qualification
42.	3 September 2005	Constanţa, Romania	Czech Republic	2–0	0	2006 World Cup qualification
43.	1 March 2006	Larnaca, Cyprus	Slovenia	2–0	0	Friendly
2006–07
44.	16 August 2006	Constanţa, Romania	Cyprus	2–0	0	Friendly
45.	2 September 2006	Constanţa, Romania	Bulgaria	2–2	0	Euro 2008 qualification
46.	6 September 2006	Tirana, Albania	Albania	2–0	0	Euro 2008 qualification
47.	7 October 2006	Bucureşti, Romania	Belarus	3–1	0	Euro 2008 qualification
48.	15 November 2006	Cádiz, Spain	Spain	1–0	0	Friendly
49.	2 June 2007	Celje, Slovenia	Slovenia	2–1	0	Euro 2008 qualification
50.	6 June 2007	Timişoara, Romania	Slovenia	2–0	0	Euro 2008 qualification
2007–08
51.	22 August 2007	Bucureşti, Romania	Turkey	2–0	0	Friendly
52.	8 September 2007	Minsk, Belarus	Belarus	3–1	0	Euro 2008 qualification
53.	12 September 2007	Köln, Germany	Germany	1–3	0	Friendly
54.	13 October 2007	Constanţa, Romania	Netherlands	1–0	0	Euro 2008 qualification
55.	17 October 2007	Luxembourg, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	2–0	0	Euro 2008 qualification
56.	17 November 2007	Sofia, Bulgaria	Bulgaria	0–1	0	Euro 2008 qualification
57.	6 February 2008	Tel-Aviv, Israel	Israel	0–1	0	Friendly
58.	26 March 2008	Bucureşti, Romania	Russia	3–0	0	Friendly
59.	31 May 2008	Bucureşti, Romania	Montenegro	4–0	0	Friendly
60.	9 June 2008	Zürich, Switzerland	France	0–0	0	Euro 2008
61.	13 June 2008	Zürich, Switzerland	Italy	1–1	0	Euro 2008
62.	17 June 2008	Bern, Switzerland	Netherlands	0–2	0	Euro 2008
2008–09
63.	11 October 2008	Constanţa, Romania	France	2–2	0	2010 World Cup qualification
64.	6 June 2009	Marijampole, Lithuania	Lithuania	1–0	0	2010 World Cup qualification
2009–10
65.	12 August 2009	Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	1–0	0	Friendly
66.	5 September 2009	Paris, France	France	1–1	0	2010 World Cup qualification
67.	9 September 2009	Bucureşti, Romania	Austria	1–1	0	2010 World Cup qualification
68.	10 October 2009	Belgrad, Serbia	Serbia	0–5	0	2010 World Cup qualification
69.	14 November 2009	Warsaw, Poland	Poland	1–0	0	Friendly

Personal life

Chivu can speak Italian, Dutch, Spanish and English as well as his native Romanian.

He is currently married to Adelina Elisei. According to Calcio Italia magazine, Chivu has been involved in opening football schools around Romania for the past few years, and he said "I hope that he is proud when he looks down on me" in reference to his late father who was a youth coach.^{[citation needed]}

On 12 February 2009, his wife Adelina gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Natalia.^[13]

Career statistics

Club	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
CSM Reşiţa	1996-97	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	1997-98	23	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	23	2
	Total	24	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	24	2
Universitatea Craiova	1998-99	26	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	26	3
	1999-00	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
	Total	32	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	32	3
Ajax	1999-00	23	1	0	0	4	0	0	0	27	1
	2000-01	26	5	0	0	4	0	0	0	30	5
	2001-02	32	1	0	0	6	0	0	0	38	1
	2002-03	26	6	3	0	12	0	1	0	42	6
	Total	107	13	3	0	26	0	1	0	137	13
A.S. Roma	2003-04	22	2	2	0	4	0	0	0	28	2
	2004-05	10	2	4	0	1	0	0	0	15	2
	2005-06	27	2	7	0	4	0	0	0	38	2
	2006-07	26	0	7	0	8	0	1	0	42	0
	Total	85	6	20	0	17	0	1	0	123	6
Internazionale	2007-08	26	0	3	0	6	0	1	0	37	0
	2008-09	21	0	3	0	2	0	1	0	26	0
	2009-10	20	1	3	0	9	0	1	0	33	1
	2010-11	24	1	3	0	6	0	4	0	37	1
	Total	91	2	12	0	23	0	7	0	131	2
Career total		334	26	33	0	65	0	9	0	441	26

Statistics accurate as of match played 15 March 2011

Honours

Club

Ajax

• Eredivisie (1): 2001–02
• Dutch Cup (1): 2001–02
• Dutch Supercup (1): 2002

Roma

• Coppa Italia (1): 2006–07

Internazionale

• Serie A (3): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
• Coppa Italia (2): 2009–10, 2010–11
• Supercoppa Italiana (2): 2008, 2010
• UEFA Champions League (1): 2009–10
• FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2010

Individual

• Dutch Golden Shoe: 2002
• Romanian Footballer of the Year: 2000, 2002, 2009, 2010
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2002
• Marco van Basten Trophy: 2000

References

1. ^ "Accordo trasferimento calciatore Cristian CHIVU’" (in Italian). AS Roma. 8 July 2003. http://109.75.174.100/~asroma/downloads/corporate_investor/1287723401.pdf. Retrieved 14 September 2011. 
2. ^ "Inter still keen on Roma's Chivu". FIFA.com. 25 July 2007. http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=558991.html. 
3. ^ "Barcelona in the lead to buy Roma's Chivu". ESPN. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=441921&campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=5739. Retrieved 27 June 2007. 
4. ^ "Barca in pole position for Chivu". Sky Sports. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11833_2493269,00.html. Retrieved 23 June 2007. 
5. ^ CESSIONE DEL DIRITTO ALLE PRESTAZIONI SPORTIVE DEL CALCIATORE CRISTIAN EUGEN CHIVU AS Roma, 27 July 2007
6. ^ "Cristian Chivu signs for Inter". http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=26924&L=en. Retrieved 28 July 2007. 
7. ^ "Serie A: Chievo 0–1 Inter". inter.it. 6 January 2010. http://inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=32989&L=en. 
8. ^ "Inter Milan's Cristian Chivu in hospital with skull fracture". ESPN Soccernet. 6 January 2010. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=721578&sec=europe&cc=4716. 
9. ^ "Paura per Chivu: frattura cranica; Operato subito, è fuori pericolo" (in Italian). Quotidiano.net. 6 January 2010. http://quotidianonet.ilsole24ore.com/sport/calcio/2010/01/06/277616-inter_grande_paura_chivu.shtml. 
10. ^ "Chivu: "Magical to be back"". Inter.it. 24 March 2010. http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=33532&L=en. 
11. ^ "Coppa Italia: Inter edge through on penalties". ESPN Soccernet. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=312201&cc=5739. Retrieved 26 January 2011. 
12. ^ "Chivu: "Why I'm quitting the national team"". Inter.it. http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=36529&L=en. Retrieved 21 May 2011. 
13. ^ Roberto Rosetti appointed for Milan derby inter.it, 13 February 2009

External links

• Official website
• Profile of Cristian Chivu at Inter website
• Player details at Sky Sports
• UEFA Profile
• Cristian Chivu – FIFA competition record

Romanian football portal

Persondata
Name	Chivu, Cristian Eugen
Alternative names
Short description	Romanian association footballer
Date of birth	26 October 1980
Place of birth	Reşiţa, Romania
Date of death
Place of death