Carol Haidu

Carol Haidu (3 June 1942 – 11 July 2022) was a Romanian footballer who played as a goalkeeper.^[1][2]

Carol Haidu

Personal information
Date of birth	(1942-06-03)3 June 1942^[1]
Place of birth	Râșnov, Romania^[1]
Date of death	11 July 2022(2022-07-11) (aged 80)
Place of death	Craiova, România
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)^[1]
Position(s)	Goalkeeper^[1]
Youth career
1958–1961	Luceafarul Brașov
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1961–1964	Steagul Roșu Brașov	40	(0)
1964–1974	Steaua București	118	(0)
Total		158	(0)
International career
1965–1967	Romania	5	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 January 2020

Club career

Carol Haidu was born on 3 June 1942 in Râșnov, Romania under the name of Karol Haydu, but the communist authorities made him change it to Carol Haidu, in order to "sound more Romanian".^[3] He started to play junior level football in 1958 at Luceafarul Brașov, afterwards moving at Steagul Roșu Brașov where he made his Divizia A debut on 1 April 1962 under coach Silviu Ploeșteanu in a 3–1 away loss against Dinamo Pitești.^[1][3] He went to play for Steaua București in 1964, a team with whom he won the 1967–68 Divizia A title in which coach Ștefan Kovács used him in 20 matches, also helping the club win five Cupa României.^[1][3][4] During his period spent with The Military Men he also played 9 games (including one appearance in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup) in European competitions, taking part in the 1971–72 European Cup Winners' Cup campaign, playing three games as the team reached the quarter-finals by eliminating Hibernians and Barcelona, being eliminated after 1–1 on aggregate on the away goal rule by Bayern Munich.^{[1][3][5][6][7]} Haidu's last Divizia A appearance took place on 9 December 1973, playing for Steaua in a 1–0 away loss against SC Bacău, having a total of 158 appearances in the competition.^[1][3] After he retired from football, he had a period when he suffered from poverty, not having a place to sleep.^[3][8][9] Carol Haidu died on 11 July 2022 at age 80.^[10]

International career

Carol Haidu played five games at international level for Romania, including three at the 1966 World Cup qualifiers.^[11] He received goals in only one game, a 2–1 loss against Portugal, with both goals being scored by Eusébio.^[12]

Honours

Steaua București

• Divizia A: 1967–68^[1]
• Cupa României: 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71^[1]

References

1. Carol Haidu at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
2. Carol Haidu at National-Football-Teams.com
3. "Necazurile se țin scai de Carol Haidu, fost mare portar al Stelei. De-abia se ajunge cu banii, iar recent a fost călcat de tramvai! "Omul cu mâini de aur" a fost la un pas să-și piardă piciorul! FOTO" [The troubles are settled with Carol Haidu, former star goalkeeper of the Steaua. He barely makes it with the money, and recently he was trampled! The "man with golden hands" was close to losing his leg!] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
4. "Romania National Champions". RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
5. "În 1972, Steaua a fost la un pas să o elimine pe Bayern" [In 1972, Steaua was one step away from eliminating Bayern] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
6. "Cupa Cupelor, sezonul 1971/72, sferturi: Steaua 1-1 Bayern, 8 martie 1972" [Cup Winners' Cup, season 1971/72, quarter-finals: Steaua 1-1 Bayern, 8 March 1972]. Tikitaka.ro. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
7. "Lajos Sătmăreanu. UEFA Cup Winners Cup 1971/1972". WorldFootball. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
8. "Carol Haidu, la un pas să‑și piardă un picior" [Carol Haidu, close to losing one leg] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 17 August 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
9. "Un fost mare portar al Stelei mănîncă şi doarme pe unde apucă!" [A former great goalkeeper of Steaua eats and sleeps anywhere he can] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
10. "Ei ne-au părăsit în 2022! Cele mai importante nume din fotbalul românesc care au murit anul trecut" [They left us in 2022! The most important names in Romanian football who died last year] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
11. "Carol Haidu". European Football. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
12. "Portugal – Romania 2:1". European Football. Retrieved 25 January 2020.

External links

• Carol Haidu at WorldFootball.net
• Carol Haidu at Labtof.ro