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Cosmin ContraRomanian footballer, defender. Currently a coach.
Date of Birth: 15.12.1975
Country:  Romania |
Content:
- Cosmin Contra: Romanian Football Legend and Coach
- Stints in Italy, Spain, and England
- Return to Romania and Arrival at Getafe
- Player-Coach and Return to Romania
- International Career
- Coaching Career
Cosmin Contra: Romanian Football Legend and Coach
Early Career and Rise to ProminenceCosmin Contra, a Romanian footballer, began his career with Poli Timișoara before moving to Dinamo București in 1996. In 1999, he joined Alavés for $800,000, becoming a key player and earning a spot on the UEFA Team of the Year.
Stints in Italy, Spain, and England
His success at Alavés caught the attention of AC Milan, but he spent only one season with the Italian club before moving to Atlético Madrid. During his time in Italy, he was involved in a heated incident with Juventus midfielder Edgar Davids. In Madrid, he played for two seasons, one of which was heavily impacted by an ankle injury.
Return to Romania and Arrival at Getafe
In 2004, Contra joined West Bromwich on a six-month loan, followed by another six-month loan at Poli Timișoara. In 2005, Getafe acquired him on loan for one season, eventually purchasing his transfer rights at the end of the season. In 2008, he scored in both legs of Getafe's epic quarterfinal clash against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup, though it was not enough to advance.
Player-Coach and Return to Romania
After a conflict with the manager, Contra left Getafe in January 2010 and returned to his hometown club, now renamed Timișoara. After his contract was terminated in August, it was reinstated two weeks later. A week after, he was introduced as the club's player-coach. In December 2010, he left again due to a conflict with the management. Despite interest from clubs like Kuban, he remained without a club during the winter transfer window and retired at Timișoara in 2011 as player-coach.
International Career
Contra played 73 matches for the Romania national team from 1996 to 2009, scoring 7 goals. He participated in the 2000 and 2008 European Championships. After announcing his retirement in 2009, he returned for the 2012 European Championship qualifier against Albania in 2010.
Coaching Career
In 2012, Contra returned to Romania from Spanish club Fuenlabrada, where he had been a coach, to lead Petrolul on a 1.5-year contract. He later coached Getafe and Guangzhou FuLi before being appointed head coach of the Romanian national team in 2017. He held the position for the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.
