Horațiu Alexandru Moldovan (; born 20 January 1998) is a Romanian professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a
goalkeeper
In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...
for
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known as the Primera División or La Liga, and officially known as LaLiga EA Sports for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Spain and the highest ...
club
Oviedo
Oviedo () or Uviéu (Asturian language, Asturian: ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains th ...
, on loan fom
Atlético Madrid
Club Atlético de Madrid, S.A.D. (; meaning "Athletic Club of Madrid"), commonly referred to as Atlético Madrid or simply Atlético, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid that plays in La Liga. The club play their home game ...
, and the
Romania national team.
A youth product of his hometown club
CFR Cluj
Fotbal Club CFR 1907 Cluj, commonly known as CFR Cluj ( or ) or simply CFR, is a Romanian professional association football, football club based in the city of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County, that competes in the Liga I. Founded as ''Kolozsvári Vasut ...
, Moldovan briefly represented several sides during the first part of his career before becoming a starter at
Rapid București
Rapid(s) or RAPID may refer to:
Hydrological features
* Rapids, sections of a river with turbulent water flow
* Rapid Creek (Iowa River tributary), Iowa, United States
* Rapid Creek (South Dakota), United States, namesake of Rapid City
Sport ...
in 2021. Three years later, his performances inspired a transfer to Spanish team Atlético Madrid.
Internationally, Moldovan earned his first
cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...
for
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
in November 2022, in a 2–1
friendly loss to
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
. He represented the country in the
UEFA Euro 2024
The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2024) or simply Euro 2024, was the 17th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international Association football, football champ ...
.
Early life
Before turning to junior football, Moldovan was passionate about
kart racing
Kart racing or karting is a motorsport discipline using open-wheel, four-wheeled vehicles known as go-karts or shifter karts. They are usually raced on kart circuit, scaled-down circuits, although some professional kart races are also held on fu ...
, engines and speed. He stated that he saw his first
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
at age seven, and "From that moment on, football was everything".
Club career
Early career
Moldovan spent a large part of his junior career at his hometown side
CFR Cluj
Fotbal Club CFR 1907 Cluj, commonly known as CFR Cluj ( or ) or simply CFR, is a Romanian professional association football, football club based in the city of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County, that competes in the Liga I. Founded as ''Kolozsvári Vasut ...
, but did not make his senior debut there and was instead loaned out to
Hermannstadt
Sibiu ( , , , Hungarian: ''Nagyszeben'', , Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'' or ''Hermestatt'') is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the ...
,
Voința Turnu Măgurele, and
Energeticianul, respectively. Between 2019 and 2020, Moldovan had a series of transfers; he initially signed for
Ripensia Timișoara, then moved to
Sepsi OSK, and subsequently returned to Ripensia Timișoara.
UTA Arad
On 10 August 2020, Moldovan joined
UTA Arad
Asociația Fotbal Club UTA Arad (), commonly known as UTA Arad or simply UTA (''Uzina Textilă Arad''; ), is a Romanian professional football club based in the city of Arad, Arad County that competes in the Liga I.
The team was founded in 1945 ...
. Twelve days later, he made his
Liga I
Liga I (; ''First League''), also spelled as Liga 1 and officially known as SuperLiga for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Romania and the highest level of the Romanian football league system. Contested by 1 ...
debut in a 1–1 away draw at
Viitorul Constanța
''Viitorul'' ("The Future") was a daily newspaper published in the Kingdom of Romania, out of Bucharest, as a central organ of the National Liberal Party (PNL). It was formed just months after peasants' revolt of March 1907, being originally li ...
.
He assumed a
substitute role at the team, only recording three additional appearances throughout the remainder of his spell.
Rapid București
On 6 January 2021, Moldovan moved to
Liga II
The Liga 2, most commonly 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 football season. It is currently Sponso ...
side
Rapid București
Rapid(s) or RAPID may refer to:
Hydrological features
* Rapids, sections of a river with turbulent water flow
* Rapid Creek (Iowa River tributary), Iowa, United States
* Rapid Creek (South Dakota), United States, namesake of Rapid City
Sport ...
on a one-and-a-half-year contract, establishing himself as a regular starter. After Rapid's promotion to the top tier, he played 37 league matches and kept 11
clean sheets
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usually seen as a result of ...
in the
2021–22 season, his consistency aiding the team to finish ninth overall.
On 14 December 2022, Moldovan saved a
penalty kick
A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...
in a 3–1
derby
Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
win over
Petrolul Ploiești. On 21 May 2023, he agreed to a one-year contract extension lasting until the summer of 2025. On 21 December that year, the ''
Gazeta Sporturilor
Gazeta Sporturilor () is a Romanian sports website, originally founded in 1924 as a daily newspaper. It was the third-oldest daily newspaper in Europe, with 99 years of uninterrupted publication, before issuing its last edition on 31 October 2023. ...
'' newspaper announced that Moldovan came fourth in voting for the 2023
Romanian Footballer of the Year
The Romanian Footballer of the Year (), also known as the Nicolae Dobrin Trophy (), is an annual association football award given by the ''Gazeta Sporturilor'' newspaper to the Romanian player adjudged to have been the best during a calendar yea ...
award.
Atlético Madrid
On 24 January 2024, Moldovan transferred to
La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known as the Primera División or La Liga, and officially known as LaLiga EA Sports for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Spain and the highest ...
club
Atlético Madrid
Club Atlético de Madrid, S.A.D. (; meaning "Athletic Club of Madrid"), commonly referred to as Atlético Madrid or simply Atlético, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid that plays in La Liga. The club play their home game ...
for a €800,000 fee, representing his
release clause
A buyout clause or release clause refers to a clause in an employment contract. It allows the employee to terminate the contract unilaterally upon payment of a specified (usually substantial) fee to the employer. The fee may be paid by the employ ...
. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract and was assigned the
number 1 shirt. Moldovan did not record his debut by the end of the
2023–24 season, being considered a backup option for
Jan Oblak
Jan Oblak (born 7 January 1993) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Atlético Madrid and captains the Slovenia national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
Oblak signed ...
.
Loan to Sassuolo
On 23 August 2024, Moldovan was loaned to
Serie B
The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...
side
Sassuolo
Sassuolo (; ) is an Italian town, ''comune'', and industrial centre of the Province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna.
Standing on the right bank of the river Secchia some southwest of Modena, the town is best known for being the centre of the Ita ...
for
one season. Upon his arrival, he quickly became the starting goalkeeper and helped the club win the league and achieve promotion to the Serie A in just one season after relegation. On one occasion, the away league game against Modena played on 12 April 2025, he was team's
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
. However, this was also his last game for the club as he would be benched for the remaining five games of the season.
Loan to Oviedo
On 18 July 2025, Moldovan agreed to a one-year loan deal with
Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo ( Asturian: Real Uviéu) is a Spanish professional football club based in Oviedo, Asturias. Founded on 26 March 1926, the club plays in the Segunda División, the second tier of the Spanish football league system.
The club plays at ...
, also in the Spanish top tier.
International career
On 17 November 2022, Moldovan made his debut for the
Romania national team in a 2–1
friendly loss to
Slovenia
Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
at
Cluj Arena
Cluj Arena () is a multi-purpose stadium in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It serves as the home of FC Universitatea Cluj, Universitatea Cluj of the Liga I and was completed on 1 October 2011. It is also the home of the Untold Festival. The facility, owne ...
. The following year, he appeared in eight matches of the
UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers, aiding his nation in winning its group undefeated.
On 7 June 2024, Moldovan was named in Romania's squad for
Euro 2024
The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2024) or simply Euro 2024, was the 17th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international football championship organised by U ...
. However, he lost his starter status to
Florin Niță
Florin Constantin Niță (; born 3 July 1987) is a Romanian professional association football, footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for Saudi Pro League club Damac FC, Damac and the Romania national football tea ...
due to his complete lack of playing time at Atlético Madrid, as the country won its
group
A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together.
Groups of people
* Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity
* Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic iden ...
but was eliminated by the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
in the
round of 16
A single-elimination knockout, or sudden-death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of a match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final match-up, w ...
.
Career statistics
Club
International
Honours
Hermannstadt
*
Liga III
The Liga 3, most often spelled as Liga III, is the third level of the Romanian football league system. It was founded in 1936 and was called Divizia C until 2006. An exception was the seasons 1992–93 to 1996–97, in which the league was call ...
:
2016–17
Sassuolo
*
Serie B
The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...
:
2024–25
Individual
*''
Gazeta Sporturilor
Gazeta Sporturilor () is a Romanian sports website, originally founded in 1924 as a daily newspaper. It was the third-oldest daily newspaper in Europe, with 99 years of uninterrupted publication, before issuing its last edition on 31 October 2023. ...
''
Romanian Footballer of the Year
The Romanian Footballer of the Year (), also known as the Nicolae Dobrin Trophy (), is an annual association football award given by the ''Gazeta Sporturilor'' newspaper to the Romanian player adjudged to have been the best during a calendar yea ...
fourth place: 2023
*''Gazeta Sporturilor''
Romania Player of the Month: November 2023
References
External links
*
*
Atlético Madrid official profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moldovan, Horatiu
Living people
1998 births
Footballers from Cluj-Napoca
Romanian men's footballers
Men's association football goalkeepers
Liga I players
Liga II players
Liga III players
La Liga players
Serie B players
CFR Cluj players
FC Hermannstadt players
AFC Turris-Oltul Turnu Măgurele players
ACS Viitorul Târgu Jiu players
FC Ripensia Timișoara players
Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe players
FC UTA Arad players
FC Rapid București players
Atlético Madrid footballers
US Sassuolo Calcio players
Real Oviedo players
Romania men's international footballers
UEFA Euro 2024 players
Romanian expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in Spain
Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
21st-century Romanian sportsmen