# Gheorghe Constantin

Gheorghe Constantin (14 December 1932 – 9 March 2010) was a Romanian footballer and coach, nicknamed 'The Professor' and a symbol of Steaua București.

## Playing career

Constantin began his career with Unirea Tricolor's youth team, and shortly after their dissolution, he signed with Venus București. He played for only one year at his new club before moving to Avântul Reghin, then CFR Iaşi, before finally signing a contract with Steaua București. He played for Steaua for 15 years and helped the club win 8 domestic titles. In 1969, the Romanian Communist authorities allowed him to play abroad for Kayserispor in Turkey at age 37.
Constantin made his debut for the Romania national team on 22 April 1956 in a 1–0 win against Yugoslavia in Belgrade, a game notable for the fact that the entire Romanian team consisted of players from Steaua București. He was also a member of Romania's team at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Japan.
* Constantin (front row, second from left) with CCA Steaua in 1961
* Constantin (back row, fourth from left) with Romania's Olympic team in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1963
* Constantin with Steaua in 1963

## International goals

| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 14 September 1958 | Zentral Stadium, Leipzig, East Germany | East Germany | 1–1 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 2. | 2 November 1958 | 23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Turkey | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1960 European Nations' Cup Qual. |
| 3. | 8 November 1959 | 23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Bulgaria | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1960 European Nations' Cup Qual. |
| 4. | 8 October 1961 | 23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Turkey | 3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 5. | 8 October 1961 | 23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Turkey | 4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 6. | 25 November 1962 | 23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Spain | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1964 European Nations' Cup Qual. |
| 7. | 23 December 1962 | Stade D'honneur, Casablanca, Morocco | Morocco | 0–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 8. | 23 June 1963 | Idrætsparken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark | Denmark | 0–1 | 2–3 | 1964 Summer Olympics Qual. |
| 9. | 27 April 1964 | 23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Czechoslovakia | 1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 10. | 3 May 1964 | 23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Austria | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 11. | 3 May 1964 | 23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Austria | 2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 12. | 22 October 1964 | Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan | Yugoslavia | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1964 Summer Olympics (5th place match) |

## Managerial career

After his return from Turkey, he was appointed by Steaua București as assistant manager. Constantin was the manager of the club in 1972, but after only a short period, he moved to Bacău. After Bacău, he managed FCM Galaţi, but returned to Steaua in 1978. He won the Romanian Cup in his second spell there, then left the club to manage Politehnica Iaşi. In 1983, he was appointed the manager of Steaua București's second team, Steaua Mecanică Fină București. He managed a number of clubs in his native country and also coached in Turkey.

## Death

He died in Bucharest on 9 March 2010, at the age of 77.

## Honours
### Player

Steaua Bucharest
* Romanian League: 1956, 1960, 1961, 1968
* Romanian Cup: 1955, 1962, 1966, 1967
Individual
* Romanian League top scorer: 1960, 1961, 1962

### Manager

Steaua Bucharest
* Romanian Cup: 1978–79
* Romanian League runner-up: 1979–80
Politehnica Iaşi
* Romanian Second League: 1981–82