FC Sportul Studențesc, commonly referred to as Sportul is a Romanian professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

club based in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

, that last played at senior level in the

Liga IV Liga IV is the fourth level of the Romanian football league system. Its name was changed from Divizia D into Liga IV before the start of play for the 2006–07 season. Current format Liga IV has 42 divisions. The divisions are regionalised a ...

. Founded in 1916, Sportul Studențesc was one of the oldest Romanian clubs still active. The club's best European performance came in the 1979–80 Balkans Cup, when it won the trophy, defeating Yugoslavian side NK Rijeka in the final. The club made it to the

Balkans Cup The Balkans Cup was an international football competition for clubs from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Turkey, and Yugoslavia. It was introduced in 1961 and was very popular in the 1960s (the 1967 final attracted 42,000 spectators), being t ...

final on one other occasion, in

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...

, when it lost to another Yugoslavian side,

Dinamo Zagreb Građanski nogometni klub Dinamo Zagreb ( en, Dinamo Zagreb Citizens' Football Club, link=yes, italics=yes), commonly referred to as GNK Dinamo Zagreb or simply Dinamo Zagreb (), is a Croatian professional football club based in Zagreb. Dinamo ...

. In the

UEFA Cup A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store Solid, solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, porcela ...

, Sportul Studențesc's most notable performance came in the 1987–88 season, when the club reached the Third Round. Domestically, Sportul Studențesc's best league performance was a second-place finish in the 1985–86 season, just behind (back then) European Champions, Steaua București. In the

Romanian Cup Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language *** Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language ** Romanian cuisine, tradition ...

, Sportul Studenţesc made it to the final on three occasions, in 1938–1939, 1942–1943, and 1978–1979 losing all three matches to

Rapid București Rapids are sections of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient, causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. Rapids are hydrological features between a ''run'' (a smoothly flowing part of a stream) and a '' cascade' ...

CFR Turnu Severin CFR Turnu Severin is a football club based in Turnu Severin (now Drobeta-Turnu Severin), Romania. It was founded in 1928 and it won one Romanian Cup in 1943. The club was dissolved in 1958. History The railroad workers team from the Danube por ...

, and Steaua București, respectively. Currently, the team is active only at youth level.Cum a “murit” Sportul Studențesc din cauza unei datorii de 10.000 de dolari
fanatik.ro

Chronology of names

History

On 11 February 1916 "Sporting Club Universitar Studențesc" was born, as an initiative of a group of professors and students. At the beginning, football, athletics and tennis were the club's only three departments. The president was professor

Traian Lalescu Traian Lalescu (; 12 July 1882 – 15 June 1929) was a Romanian mathematician. His main focus was on integral equations and he contributed to work in the areas of functional equations, trigonometry, trigonometric series, mathematical physics, geo ...

, the world famous mathematician. "Sporting" had no stadium of its own, and the team used to play here and there. Even after acceding in the first national league, the stadium was still in its project phase. It was only when "Stiința" was established in 1954 that the club was allowed to use "Belvedere" stadium in the

Regie Regie or Régie (from the Latin ''regium'': regal, royal) refers to a public or government establishment, administration, commission or management. They are also common first names in the Francophone world. Transport organisations * '' Regia Aut ...

borough of Bucharest. The history of the club can be divided into several distinct periods. The first period lasted until World War II and culminated with the accession in the first national league. Afterwards the club disappeared in the dawn of communism and was reborn and grown again to accede to the first division. The mid to late 1970s, and the 1980s "Hagi period" saw the club's best performances. Led by then-president Barbu Emil "Mac" Popescu, the club reached the

final on two occasion, winning it once; it qualified to the

on six occasions, it reached the

final once, and it had the highest league finish in club history in the 1985–86 season. Stars like Marcel Coraș, Mircea Sandu,

Gino Iorgulescu George "Gino" Iorgulescu (born 15 May 1956) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is the current chairman of the Romanian Professional Football League. Club career Gino Iorgulescu was born on 15 May 1956 in ...

, and

Gheorghe Hagi Gheorghe "Gică" Hagi (; born 5 February 1965) is a Romanian professional football manager and former player, who is currently the owner and manager of Liga I club Farul Constanța. Deployed as an attacking midfielder, Hagi was considered one of ...

played for Sportul Studențesc during that time period. After the fall of communism in late 1989, the club struggled to keep afloat. Financial struggles and a constant loss of talented players lead to an unavoidable outcome. At the end of the 1997–98 season the club relegated to the second division, after more than 25 years at the top flight. One year later, the club came very close to a demotion to the third division, however, with the help of a young investor, Vasile Șiman corroborated with massive rejuvenation of the squad, Sportul Studențesc turned things around and the team remained in the second league. Two years later, at the end of the 2000–01 season Sportul Studențesc saw its third accession to the first league. After a fierce battle with Farul Constanța for the top spot in the standings, "the students" finished first, with 81 points and a 71–17 goal differential. The promotion to the top flight was short-lived. At the end of the 2001–02 season, the club relegated back to the second league. At the end of the 2003–2004 season, the club, once again, promoted to the first league, despite having sold half of their squad from the previous season. They had a praiseworthy evolution in the 2004–2005 seasons, ending the championship in sixth place with Gigel Bucur the league's top scorer (21 goals). Throughout the 2005–06 season the team, coached by former international player

Dan Petrescu Daniel Vasile Petrescu (; born 22 December 1967) is a Romanian football manager and former player, who is currently in charge of Liga I club CFR Cluj. As a player, Petrescu was deployed as a full-back or a winger and represented Premier Lea ...

in the first half of the season, and by

Gheorghe Mulțescu Gheorghe Mulțescu (; born 13 November 1951) is a Romanian professional football manager and a former football player. Club career Gheorghe Mulțescu made his Divizia A debut playing for Jiul Petroșani in a 0–0 against Crișul Oradea. He p ...

in the second half, had a very good run, finishing the season in fourth place, the highest since 1987. During the off-season, the club was relegated due to financial reasons. After spending four seasons in

Liga II The Liga 2, most often spelled as Liga II, is the second level of the Romanian football league system. The league changed its name from Divizia B just before the start of the 2006–07 Liga II, 2006–07. It is currently Sponsor (commercial), sp ...

, at the end of the 2009–10 season, the club promoted back to

Liga I The Liga I (; ''First League''), also spelled as Liga 1, is a Romanian professional league for men's association football clubs. Currently sponsored by betting company Superbet, it is officially known as the SuperLiga. It is the country's top ...

. Sportul finished the 2010–11 season in last place, and therefore, should have been relegated. However, due to

licensing controversies A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

by other Liga I clubs, Sportul Studențesc was allowed to continue playing in the first league for the 2011–2012 season. At the end of the 2011–12 season, the club finished 17th and relegated from the top tier.

Colours and badge

The team's colours are black and white, the traditional students' team colours. The logo consists of a stylized "S" on a black and white background, alongside the club's official name and year of establishment.

European record

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers

Honours

Domestic

Leagues

**Runners-up (1): 1985–86 *

**Winners (4): 1936–37, 1971–72, 2000–01, 2003–04 **Runners-up (3): 1965–66, 1970–71, 2009–10 *

Liga III The Liga 3, most often spelled as Liga III, is the third level of the Romanian football league system. Its name was changed from Divizia C to Liga III before the start of the 2006–07 season. It was the first in this format (six series of 18 t ...

**Winners (1): 1958–59 * Liga IV – Bucharest **Runners-up (1): 2014–15

Cups

Cupa României The Cupa României ( en, Romanian Cup) is a Association football, football cup competition for List of football clubs in Romania, Romanian teams which has been held annually since 1933–34 Cupa României, 1933–34, except during World War II. I ...

**Runners-up (3): 1938–39, 1942–43, 1978–79

European

: **Winners (1): 1979–80 **Runners-up (1):

Notable former players

Famous Managers

Ioan Andone Ioan Andone (; born 15 March 1960) is a Romanian football coach and former player. Club career Ioan Andone, nicknamed "Fălcosul" was born on 15 March 1960 in Șpălnaca and when he was 14 years old he played basketball and football simultane ...

Gabi Balint Gavril Pele "Gabi" Balint (born 3 January 1963) is a Romanian football manager and former player, who was part of the hugely successful Steaua team of the 1980s. Club career Born in Sângeorz-Băi, Bistrița, Balint made his Divizia A debut wit ...

Constantin Cernăianu Constantin Cernăianu (12 October 1933 – 22 June 2015) was a Romanian football player and coach. As a manager, Cernăianu won league titles with non-Bucharest based clubs, Petrolul Ploiești and Universitatea Craiova. Managerial honours P ...

* Ion "Jackie" Ionescu *

Traian Ionescu Traian Ionescu (17 July 1923 – 4 October 2006) was a Romanian football goalkeeper and coach. Club career Traian Ionescu was born on 17 July 1923 in Văleni, Argeș County, Romania and started to play junior level football at age 13 at TC Tâ ...

Marian Mihail Marian Cucchiaroni Mihail (; born 7 May 1958) is a Romanian professional football manager and former player who is the current head coach of Liga 1 club PSS Sleman. An attack-minded right-back, Mihail spent almost his entire 17-year career with ...

* Ion Motroc *

* Angelo Niculescu *

Gheorghe Ola Gheorghe Ola (10 October 1928 – 1995) was a Romanian footballer and manager. Honours Manager ;Romania * UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New ...

* Mircea Rădulescu

Romanian League goalscorer of the year

* 1983–84 Marcel Coraș * 1984–85

* 1985–86

* 2004–05

Gheorghe Bucur Gheorghe "Gigel" Bucur (born 8 April 1980, in Bucharest) is a former Romanian football player. He is a short and speedy forward. Bucur has won the top league goalscorer award in the Romanian Liga 1 twice, in the 2004–05 and in the 2008–09 ...

* 2005–06

Ionuț Mazilu Ionuț Costinel Mazilu (born 9 February 1982) is a Romanian former footballer, currently a manager. He is known in Romania for his sharp finishing, pace and technique. Career Club Mazilu started his career at Sportul Studențesc in 1999. In th ...

References

External links

Sportul Studențesc official websiteSportul Studențesc supporter's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sportul Studentesc București Defunct football clubs in Romania Football clubs in Bucharest Association football clubs established in 1916 Association football clubs disestablished in 2017 Liga I clubs Liga II clubs Liga III clubs Liga IV clubs University and college association football clubs in Romania 1916 establishments in Romania 2017 establishments in Romania