Ion Nicolaescu
 Nicolaescu with Heerenveen in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 September 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Chișinău, Moldova | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Heerenveen | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2014 | Cahul-2005 | ||
| 2014–2016 | Zimbru Chișinău | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2017 | Zimbru-2 Chișinău | 37 | (13) |
| 2016–2018 | Zimbru Chișinău | 25 | (5) |
| 2018–2020 | Shakhtyor Soligorsk | 13 | (0) |
| 2020 | → Vitebsk (loan) | 18 | (9) |
| 2020–2022 | DAC Dunajská Streda | 39 | (5) |
| 2022 | → Maccabi Petah Tikva (loan) | 15 | (5) |
| 2022–2023 | Beitar Jerusalem | 27 | (15) |
| 2023– | Heerenveen | 19 | (5) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2016 | Moldova U19[a] | 2 | (0) |
| 2018 | Moldova U21[a] | 1 | (0) |
| 2018– | Moldova | 45 | (15) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 June 2024 | |||
Ion Nicolaescu (born 7 September 1998) is a Moldovan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Dutch Eredivisie club Heerenveen and the Moldova national team. He is the all-time leading goal scorer for his country with 15 goals,[1][2][3] and was named Moldovan Footballer of the Year in 2023.[4]
Club career
[edit]On 20 May 2016, Nicolaescu made his professional debut for Zimbru Chișinău in the Divizia Națională against Academia Chișinău, coming on as a 65th-minute substitute.[5]
Shakhtyor Soligorsk
[edit]Nicolaescu joined Shakhtyor Soligorsk in August 2018. However, he was used as substitute and didn't score a single goal for the Belarusian team. Out of his 15 appearences during two seasons he started in only three matches.[6] In an interview, Nicolaescu said that this was due to the general director and the coach having a falling out.[7] He won the 2018–19 Belarusian Cup, playing in the both legs of the quarter-finals.
Vitebsk
[edit]In January 2020 Nicolaescu went on loan to the Belarusian team Vitebsk.[8] He was the team's top goal scorer in 2020 Belarusian Premier League, scoring 9 goals in 18 matches.[9]
DAC Dunajská Streda
[edit]Nicolaescu joined DAC Dunajská Streda of Fortuna Liga in September 2020. After mere two days with the club he contributed with two goals to a 5–3 victory over Jablonec, advancing the Slovak side to the Third Round of UEFA Europa League qualifying.[10]
Beitar Jerusalem
[edit]Nicolaescu scored 15 league goals and 3 goals in Israel State Cup at the 2022–23 season, helping Beitar Jerusalem win the Israeli State Cup. His three goals in the State Cup games, one against F.C. Kafr Qasim on 11 December 2022, one against Hapoel Afula, on 1 February 2023, during the 4–0 win and another goal at the finals against Maccabi Netanya.[11][12] Nicolaescu scored 4 goals in a 6–3 win over Maccabi Netanya in a Israeli Premier League match.[13]
Heerenveen
[edit]On 7 August 2023, Dutch side Heerenveen announced they had signed Nicolaescu to a three-year contract.[14] Five days later he scored the opening goal in his debut, a 3–1 win over RKC Waalwijk.[15]
International career
[edit]Nicolaescu debuted for Moldova on 8 September 2018 against Luxembourg in 2018–19 UEFA Nations League, coming on as a substitute in the 62nd minute.[16] He scored his first goal for the national team against Kosovo in 2020–21 UEFA Nations League, which was Moldova's only goal in the league phase.[17] He was Moldova's top goal scorer in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification and 2022–23 UEFA Nations League, scoring 3 out of 5 and 4 out of 10 team's goals, respectively.[18][19]
Nicolaescu became Moldova's top goal scorer after scoring his 11th and 12th goals in a 3–2 win over Poland in UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying. With 4 goals in the competition, he became the first Moldovan to be the top goal scorer of a qualifying group.[20]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of 11 June 2024[21]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moldova | 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 8 | 5 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 45 | 15 | |
- Scores and results list Moldova's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nicolaescu goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 September 2020 | Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma, Italy |  Kosovo |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League C |
| 2 | 25 March 2021 | Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova |  Faroe Islands |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 12 October 2021 | Turner Stadium, Be'er Sheva, Israel |  Israel |
1–2 | 1–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 15 November 2021 | Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt, Austria |  Austria |
1–3 | 1–4 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 24 March 2022 | Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova |  Kazakhstan |
1–0 | 1–2 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League |
| 6 | 3 June 2022 | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein |  Liechtenstein |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League |
| 7 | 10 June 2022 | Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova |  Latvia |
1–0 | 2–4 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League |
| 8 | 14 June 2022 | Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova |  Andorra |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League |
| 9 | 22 September 2022 | Skonto Stadium, Riga, Latvia | Latvia |
2–0 | 2–1 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League |
| 10 | 24 March 2023 | Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova | Faroe Islands |
1–1 | 1–1 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
| 11 | 20 June 2023 | Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău |  Poland |
1–2 | 3–2 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
| 12 | 2–2 | |||||
| 13 | 12 October 2023 | Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden |  Sweden |
1–2 | 1–3 | Friendly |
| 14 | 15 October 2023 | Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland | Poland |
1–0 | 1–1 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
| 15 | 26 March 2024 | Mardan Sports Complex, Antalya, Turkey |  Cayman Islands |
3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
Honours
[edit]Club
[edit]Zimbru Chișinău[6]
- Moldovan Cup runner-up: 2017-18
Shakhtyor Soligorsk[6]
- Belarusian Premier League runner-up: 2018
- Belarusian Cup: 2018-19
DAC Dunajská Streda[6]
- Slovak First Football League runner-up: 2020-21
Beitar Jerusalem[6]
- Israel State Cup: 2022-23
- Israel Super Cup runner-up: 2023
Individual
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Ion Nicolaescu a devenit cel mai bun golgheter în istoria naționalei Moldovei" (in Romanian).
- ^ "Dvadsaťdvaročný útočník z Moldavska podpísal zmluvu na tri roky" (in Slovak).dac1904.sk
- ^ "Nicolaescu called up for Moldova U19 team" (in Russian).sports.md
- ^ "Superlativele anului fotbalistic 2023" (in Romanian). Moldovan Football Federation. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Academia vs Zimbru". Soccerway.
- ^ a b c d e "Moldova - I. Nicolăescu". Soccerway.
- ^ "Ион Николаеску: "Футбол в Словакии и в Беларуси и близко нельзя сравнивать"" [Ion Nicolaescu: "Football in Slovakia and Belarus are not even close to being comparable"]. football.by (in Russian). 6 June 2021.
- ^ ""Шахтер" отдал нападающего в аренду "Витебску"" ["Shakhtyor" loaned striker to "Vitebsk"]. Football.by (in Russian). 21 January 2020.
- ^ "Лучший бомбардир "Витебска" Ион Николаеску уехал в Словакию в "ДАК 1904"" [Vitebsk's top scorer Ion Nicolaescu left for Slovakia to join DAK 1904]. football.by (in Russian). 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Hrdina DAC prišiel pred dvomi dňami. Na tréningu nechápal, na obede sa pýtal trénera, čo má robiť". Šport.sk (in Slovak). 18 September 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- ^ "ההתאחדות לכדורגל בישראל - פרטי משחק". www.football.org.il.
- ^ "ההתאחדות לכדורגל בישראל - פרטי משחק". www.football.org.il.
- ^ "Beitar Jerusalem vs. Maccabi Netanya 6 - 3". Soccerway.
- ^ "SC HEERENVEEN VERSTERKT AANVAL MET MOLDAVISCHE SPITS ION NICOLAESCU" [SC HEERENVEEN STRENGTHENS ATTACK WITH MOLDOVAN STRIKER ION NICOLAESCU] (in Dutch). SC Heerenveen. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
- ^ "Ion Nicolaescu a marcat un gol în meciul său de debut pentru Heerenveen în Țările de Jos". moldfootball.com (in Romanian).
- ^ "Luxembourg vs Moldova". Soccerway.
- ^ "Summary - UEFA Nations League". Soccerway.
- ^ "Summary - UEFA World Cup Qualifiers". Soccerway.
- ^ "Summary - UEFA Nations League". Soccerway.
- ^ a b "Superlativele anului fotbalistic 2023". fmf.md. 31 December 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ Ion Nicolaescu at National-Football-Teams.com
External links
[edit]- Ion Nicolaescu at Soccerway
- Ion Nicolaescu at FootballFacts.ru (in Russian)
  | This biographical article relating to Moldovan association football is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1998 births
- Living people
- Moldovan men's footballers
- Moldovan expatriate men's footballers
- Moldova men's youth international footballers
- Moldova men's under-21 international footballers
- Moldova men's international footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- FC Zimbru Chișinău players
- FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk players
- FC Vitebsk players
- FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda players
- Maccabi Petah Tikva F.C. players
- Beitar Jerusalem F.C. players
- SC Heerenveen players
- Moldovan Super Liga players
- Belarusian Premier League players
- Slovak First Football League players
- Israeli Premier League players
- Eredivisie players
- Expatriate men's footballers in Belarus
- Expatriate men's footballers in Slovakia
- Expatriate men's footballers in Israel
- Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands
- Moldovan expatriate sportspeople in Belarus
- Moldovan expatriate sportspeople in Slovakia
- Moldovan expatriate sportspeople in Israel
- Moldovan expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
- Moldovan football biography stubs