Daniel George Niculae
Encyclopedia
Daniel George Niculae is a football
striker
who currently plays for Nancy
. He is usually holder at the Romanian national team.
Niculae was Rapid's leading scorer in the 2003–04 season, with 14 goals – the third highest total in Romania's Liga 1.
In the 2005–06 UEFA Cup
campaign, he and Mugurel Buga
formed one of the most powerful striker pairs of the competition, with Niculae scoring 8 goals, as Rapid reached the Quarter-Finals of the competition. The season also saw Rapid claim the 2006 Romanian Cup, with Niculae scoring the winning goal in the first minute of extra-time, against Naţional Bucureşti.
in the summer of 2006, for 3.3 million Euros. His first season with the club saw him score 4 goals in the UEFA Cup, but he struggled for goals in Ligue 1
. However, the following season his form improved, as he scored 11 goals to help keep the club in Ligue 1.
The 2008–09 season was one to forget for Niculae. He was deeply affected by the loss of his father, and despite threatening to score on several occasions, he failed to find the net in 32 games.
Things got back on track in 2009–10
however. Jean Fernandez
initially wanted to loan out Niculae for the season, but the latest signing Alexandre Licata
was ruled out for most of the season with a serious ankle injury. Daniel Niculae found a new role in the Auxerre side, as a creater of goals rather than a scorer of them. As of April 2010, he lies third in the table for assists in Ligue 1 with a total of 8. He has a brilliant entente with Polish goalscorer Ireneusz Jeleń
and has helped the Burgundian side to reach second in the table and to thus push for the Champions League places.
on 15 June 2010, Niculae signed a three-year-deal with Ligue 1
rivals AS Monaco
.
on a season long loan.
in 2003, but did not become a regular squad member until the 2005–06 season.
He was selected for Romania's Euro 2008 squad, and started his country's first two matches. He came on as a substitute for their final group game against the Netherlands
, but could not help Romania to a win, which would have taken the country into the Quarter-Finals.
Other than the fact that they share birthplace, he has no connection with namesake and fellow international Marius Niculae
.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who currently plays for Nancy
AS Nancy
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy. The club was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of...
. He is usually holder at the Romanian national team.
Rapid Bucureşti
Daniel "Nico" Niculae started his professional career at Rapid Bucureşti in 2000. Despite a period playing for the B team in 2001, Nico proved he is one of most gifted players of the club, and helped his club to win the championship in the 2002–03 season – his first as a first-team regular.Niculae was Rapid's leading scorer in the 2003–04 season, with 14 goals – the third highest total in Romania's Liga 1.
In the 2005–06 UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
campaign, he and Mugurel Buga
Mugurel Buga
Mugurel Buga , nicknamed "Pele" by the fans, is a Romanian football player, playing as a forward for FC Braşov....
formed one of the most powerful striker pairs of the competition, with Niculae scoring 8 goals, as Rapid reached the Quarter-Finals of the competition. The season also saw Rapid claim the 2006 Romanian Cup, with Niculae scoring the winning goal in the first minute of extra-time, against Naţional Bucureşti.
Auxerre
Niculae was transferred to French club AJ AuxerreAJ Auxerre
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise is a French association football club based in the commune of Auxerre in Burgundy. The club was founded in 1905 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade l'Abbé-Deschamps on the banks of the...
in the summer of 2006, for 3.3 million Euros. His first season with the club saw him score 4 goals in the UEFA Cup, but he struggled for goals in Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
. However, the following season his form improved, as he scored 11 goals to help keep the club in Ligue 1.
The 2008–09 season was one to forget for Niculae. He was deeply affected by the loss of his father, and despite threatening to score on several occasions, he failed to find the net in 32 games.
Things got back on track in 2009–10
2009–10 Ligue 1
The 2009–10 Ligue 1 season was the 72nd since its establishment. Bordeaux were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 June 2009, and play commenced on 8 August and ended on 15 May 2010. There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated...
however. Jean Fernandez
Jean Fernandez
Jean Fernandez is a football manager, currently manages AS Nancy. He has previously managed FC Metz and Olympique Marseille, where French national team star Franck Ribéry saw him as a mentor...
initially wanted to loan out Niculae for the season, but the latest signing Alexandre Licata
Alexandre Licata
Alexandre Licata is a French soccer player who currently plays for AJ Auxerre.- Career :Licata started his career at Lille OSC. Licata joined CS Louhans-Cuiseaux in 2004 when they were in the Championnat National, scoring 20 goals in his first two seasons...
was ruled out for most of the season with a serious ankle injury. Daniel Niculae found a new role in the Auxerre side, as a creater of goals rather than a scorer of them. As of April 2010, he lies third in the table for assists in Ligue 1 with a total of 8. He has a brilliant entente with Polish goalscorer Ireneusz Jeleń
Ireneusz Jelen
Ireneusz Jeleń is a Polish footballer who plays as a right-winger or striker for Ligue 1 side Lille and the Polish national football team.-Club career:...
and has helped the Burgundian side to reach second in the table and to thus push for the Champions League places.
Monaco
After the expiring of his contract with AJ AuxerreAJ Auxerre
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise is a French association football club based in the commune of Auxerre in Burgundy. The club was founded in 1905 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade l'Abbé-Deschamps on the banks of the...
on 15 June 2010, Niculae signed a three-year-deal with Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
rivals AS Monaco
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
.
Nancy (loan)
On 31 August 2011, Niculae signed for French side AS NancyAS Nancy
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy. The club was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of...
on a season long loan.
International career
Niculae won his first international cap for RomaniaRomania 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...
in 2003, but did not become a regular squad member until the 2005–06 season.
He was selected for Romania's Euro 2008 squad, and started his country's first two matches. He came on as a substitute for their final group game against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, but could not help Romania to a win, which would have taken the country into the Quarter-Finals.
Other than the fact that they share birthplace, he has no connection with namesake and fellow international Marius Niculae
Marius Niculae
Marius Constantin Niculae is a Romanian footballer who plays for FC Dinamo Bucureşti as a centre forward.A Romanian international since the age of 19, he participated at Euro 2008.-Dinamo Bucharest:...
.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 November 2005 | Steaua, Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... , Romania 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... |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | ||||||
| 2 | 26 May 2006 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... , Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | ||||||
| 3 | 21 November 2007 | Lia Manoliu, Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... , Romania 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... |
3–0 | 6–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | ||||||
| 4 | 21 November 2007 | Lia Manoliu, Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... , Romania 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... |
4–0 | 6–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | ||||||
| 5 | 26 March 2008 | Steaua, Bucharest Bucharest Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... , Romania 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... |
2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | ||||||
| 6 | 14 November 2009 | Polish Army Stadium Polish Army Stadium Marshal Józef Piłsudski Polish Army Stadium is an all-seater football-specific stadium in Warsaw, Poland. It is the home of Legia Warsaw football club, which has been playing there since August 9, 1930. With space for 31,000 spectators it is the 5th biggest football stadium in Ekstraklasa... , Warsaw Warsaw Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most... , Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | ||||||
| 7 | 29 May 2010 | Ukraina Stadium Ukraina Stadium Ukraina Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Lviv, Ukraine. It is currently used mostly for football matches, and is the home of FC Karpaty Lviv. "Ukraina" is also an alternative stadium for the Ukraine national football team where it played several of its qualification games for various... , Lviv Lviv Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... |
2–1 | 2–3 | Friendly | ||||||
| 8 | 5 June 2010 | Sankt Veit an der Glan Sankt Veit an der Glan Sankt Veit an der Glan is a town in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is the capital of a district with the same name.-Location:This town is a major point on the Glan River in the north of the Zollfeld Valley.... , Carinthia Carinthia (state) Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group... , Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | ||||||
| 9 | 11 November 2011 | Stade Maurice Dufrasne Stade Maurice Dufrasne Stade Maurice Dufrasne is a football stadium in Liège, Belgium. The stadium holds 30,023 people. It is also known as Stade de Sclessin and is the home stadium of Standard Liège... , Liège Liège Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
1–2 | 1–2 | Friendly | ||||||
| Correct as of 11 November 2011 | |||||||||||
External links
- Daniel Niculae at National Soccer Teams
- Daniel Niculae career stats RomanianSoccer.ro
- ESPN Profile