Bogdan Lobont
Encyclopedia
Bogdan Ionuț Lobonț is a Romania
n goalkeeper playing for A.S. Roma
and the Romanian national team
. Lobonț has been popularly nicknamed "Pisica" (The Cat) in Romania due to his quick reflexes, compared to that of a cat.
. He remained with the team until 1997, when he moved to Rapid București. He enjoyed success there and was transferred to Dutch
club AFC Ajax in 2000. However, injury and inexperience kept him out of the starting eleven, and he was loaned to Dinamo București for the 2001–02 season.
Upon his return to Ajax, however, he became the team's primary goalkeeper. Although he struggled with occasional injuries, he played well when healthy in both the Eredivisie
and the UEFA Champions League
.
In January 2006, Lobonț was sold from Ajax to Italian
Serie A
club Fiorentina
, which needed a goalkeeper after the injury to starting goalkeeper Sébastien Frey
. Although he played particularly well, Frey's return meant that he would spend most of the time as a substitute. Because he had also lost his place on the Romanian national team
, Lobonţ made a surprise move back to Dinamo Bucureşti in January 2007 and helped the club win Liga I
.
On 31 August 2009, Italian
Serie A
club A.S. Roma
signed Lobonţ on a free loan from Dinamo Bucureşti, with an option for the Italian team to buy him at the end of the season. He made his first appearance for the Giallorossi on 4 October, coming off the bench after 23 minutes in a game against Napoli. Because of Stekelenburgs injury he is temporary first goalkeeper in season 2011-12.
, earning over 70 caps, his first being in 1998. He was part of his country's UEFA Euro 2000 and UEFA Euro 2008 squads.
He turned in a particularly strong performance in Romania's group stage game in Euro 2008 against world champions
Italy
, saving numerous well-placed shots and keeping his team's tournament hopes alive with a 1–1 draw.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n goalkeeper playing for A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
and the Romanian national team
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
. Lobonț has been popularly nicknamed "Pisica" (The Cat) in Romania due to his quick reflexes, compared to that of a cat.
Club career
Lobonț began his career with hometown club Corvinul HunedoaraFC Corvinul Hunedoara
Corvinul Hunedoara is a Romanian football team from Hunedoara, Hunedoara County, founded in 1921.-History:The club played in the Liga I between 1960–1961, 1976–1979 and 1980-1992. Their best finish - 3rd place at the end of the 1981-82 season and urgo qualified for the 1982-83 season of the UEFA Cup...
. He remained with the team until 1997, when he moved to Rapid București. He enjoyed success there and was transferred to Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
club AFC Ajax in 2000. However, injury and inexperience kept him out of the starting eleven, and he was loaned to Dinamo București for the 2001–02 season.
Upon his return to Ajax, however, he became the team's primary goalkeeper. Although he struggled with occasional injuries, he played well when healthy in both the Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
and the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
.
In January 2006, Lobonț was sold from Ajax to Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
club Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
, which needed a goalkeeper after the injury to starting goalkeeper Sébastien Frey
Sébastien Frey
Sébastien Frey is a French footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Genoa.-Club career:Frey began his career with French side AS Cannes in 1997, at the age of 17...
. Although he played particularly well, Frey's return meant that he would spend most of the time as a substitute. Because he had also lost his place on the Romanian national team
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, Lobonţ made a surprise move back to Dinamo Bucureşti in January 2007 and helped the club win Liga I
Liga I
Liga I, or in full, due to sponsorship reasons, Liga I Bergenbier, is the top division of the Romanian football league system. Before the 2006/2007 season, it was called Divizia A, but the name had to be changed following the discovery that someone else had registered the trademark "Divizia A"...
.
On 31 August 2009, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
club A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
signed Lobonţ on a free loan from Dinamo Bucureşti, with an option for the Italian team to buy him at the end of the season. He made his first appearance for the Giallorossi on 4 October, coming off the bench after 23 minutes in a game against Napoli. Because of Stekelenburgs injury he is temporary first goalkeeper in season 2011-12.
International career
Lobonţ has played an important part of the Romanian national teamRomania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, earning over 70 caps, his first being in 1998. He was part of his country's UEFA Euro 2000 and UEFA Euro 2008 squads.
He turned in a particularly strong performance in Romania's group stage game in Euro 2008 against world champions
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, saving numerous well-placed shots and keeping his team's tournament hopes alive with a 1–1 draw.
Club
- Rapid Bucureşti
- Romanian League: 1998–99
- Romanian CupRomanian CupThe Cupa României is a football competition which was held annually since 1933-34, except during the World War II. It is the country's main cup competition, and it is open to all clubs affiliated with FRF and the county football associations regardless of the league they belong to...
: 19981998 Cupa României FinalThe 1998 Cupa României Final was the 60th final of Romania's most prestigious cup competition. The final was played at the Stadionul Naţional in Bucharest on 6 May 1998 and was contested between Divizia A sides Rapid Bucureşti and Universitatea Craiova. The cup was won by Rapid.-Match details... - Romanian Super Cup: 19991999 Supercupa RomânieiThe 1999 Supercupa României was the 4th edition of Romania's season opener cup competition. The match was played in Bucharest at Stadionul Naţional on 7 October 1999, and was contested between Divizia A title holders, Rapid and Cupa României champions, Steaua. Rapid won the trophy.-Match...
- Ajax
- Dutch LeagueEredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
: 2003–04Eredivisie 2003-04The 2003-2004 season of the Dutch Eredivisie began in August 2003 and ended in May 2004. The title was won by Ajax.- League standings :- Topscorers :- Relegation playoffs :- Match table :- References :* *...
- Dutch League
- Dinamo Bucureşti
- Romanian League: 2001–02, 2006–07
External links
- Official website
- Bogdan Lobonţ profile at AS Roma website
- Profile on RomanianSoccer
- Profile on Transfermarkt