Iulian Filipescu

Iulian Filipescu
Personal information
Full name	Iulian Sebastian Filipescu
Date of birth	29 March 1974 (age 50)
Place of birth	Slatina, Romania
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Youth career
0000–1991	Faur București
Senior career*
Years	Team
1991–1992	Faur București
1992–1996	Steaua București
1997–1999	Galatasaray
1999–2003	Betis
2004–2006	FC Zürich
2006–2008	MSV Duisburg
Total
International career
1992–1995	Romania U21
1996–2003	Romania
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Iulian Sebastian Filipescu (born 29 March 1974) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a centre back.

Club career

Filipescu was born in Slatina, Olt County.

He debuted in Divizia A with Steaua București in 1992, where he won seven domestic trophies. In 1997, he moved abroad joining Turkish team Galatasaray where he won three trophies. Later he joined Primera División club Real Betis, and played four and a half seasons there before joining FC Zürich. He retired in 2008 after he spent to seasons at MSV Duisburg.

During the 2006 Swiss Championship FC Basel 1893 were atop the league table, leading Zürich by three points heading into the last game of the season. Both teams met at that last game at St. Jakob Park, where Zürich needed to win to tie with Basel on points and take the title on superior goal differential. Alhassane Keita scored in the 31st minute and gave Zurich the advantage, Mladen Petrić tying it at 1–1 in the 73rd minute. In the 93rd, Filipescu scored the game-winning goal past Pascal Zuberbühler, with Zürich winning both the game 2–1 and the Swiss Super League title. After the final whistle, Basel fans stormed the pitch and chased the Zürich players and officials. Filipescu was the main target for scoring the winning goal and was almost hit by a large firework.

International career

Filipescu made his debut for the Romania national team in 1996 against Yugoslavia, and represented his country at the UEFA Euro 1996, 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000. He played his last international match in 2003, earning 52 caps and scoring one goal.