Mircea David
Encyclopedia
Mircea David was a Romanian football player, who played as a goalkeeper
. After a match between Romania
and Italy
, played in Rome, he was nicknamed by the Italian football fans Il Dio, because of his incredible saves. He was a member of the Romania national football team
which competed at the 1938 FIFA World Cup
, but did not play any match.
, in October 1914. After a short period of time, Mircea moved, with his family, to Oradea
. In the high school
, David began to play oina
, a Romanian
traditional sport
, similar to baseball
.
After a time, he started to play football with his older friends. But after a while, bored because he was often selected as a goalkeeper
, he refused to play football and he went to gymnastics
.
In the summer holiday, his father bought him a football
. Because of that, he started to play football again. Moreover, he attended the match between the local team CA Oradea and Wacker Wien, and he admired the Austria
n goalkeeper
, Rudy Hiden. This was the reason because he chose to be a goalkeeper
.
. In one of his first matches for CAO
, he saved seven penalty kicks in a friendly match against Minerul Lupeni. He continued to play well at his club, where he stayed until 1938, when he was sold to Venus Bucureşti
together with his team-mate Augustin Juhasz because the club was in a financial crisis
.
In his first season at Venus Bucureşti
, he won the Romanian championship
with his team. In the next season, he repeated the performance. He remained at Venus until 1947, when he left the Bucharest-based team for 23 August a team from Lugoj.
In 1948, he returned to his first club, renamed IC Oradea, to win for the third time Divizia A
. In 1952, he retired from playing.
. After winning the promotion to Divizia A in 1960, he renounced to be a manager and was appointed as a member in the structure of Romanian Football Federation
.
in October 1936, in a match lost against Hungary
. In 1938, he was selected in the Romanian squad for the FIFA World Cup
, but did not play in the two matches between Romania
and Cuba
.
On 14 April 1940, Mircea David was selected in the starting lineup for the match between Romania
and Italy
, the World Champions. The match, which took place at Stadio Nazionale PNF
, was the game when David became a legend.
After a first half dominated by the Italians, David was already a hero for Romania
, because of a couple of marvellous saves in front of Silvio Piola
and Sergio Bertoni
. Romania
took the lead shortly after the break, when Iuliu Baratky scored the first goal of the match.
Despite receiving two goals from Amedeo Biavati
and Silvio Piola
and being seriously injured after a collision with Sergio Bertoni
, David was determined not to give up. He continued to rescue his team by plunging in the feet of the Italian strikers. Until the end of the game, he jumped in air to catch a ball and, after a wonderful save, he felt on the ground and fainted.
He continued to play after awaking and ended the match in the ground. He received praises from Vitorio Pozzo, the only manager who won twice the FIFA World Cup
. Pozzo said : "With Piola as a striker and David in the goal, a manager doesn't have any problem to win a game". He was also praised by Silvio Piola and the Italian fans, who nicknamed him "Il Dio".
: 1938-1939, 1939-1940, 1948-1949
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
. After a match between Romania
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...
and 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...
, played in Rome, he was nicknamed by the Italian football fans Il Dio, because of his incredible saves. He was a member of the Romania national football 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...
which competed at the 1938 FIFA World Cup
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
, but did not play any match.
Early life
Mircea David was born in SinaiaSinaia
Sinaia is a town and a mountain resort in Prahova County, Romania. The town was named after Sinaia Monastery, around which it was built; the monastery in turn is named after the Biblical Mount Sinai...
, in October 1914. After a short period of time, Mircea moved, with his family, to Oradea
Oradea
Oradea is the capital city of Bihor County, in the Crișana region of north-western Romania. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area has a total population of 245,832.-Geography:...
. In the high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, David began to play oina
Oina
Oină is a Romanian traditional sport, similar in many ways to baseball and lapta.-History:Oină was first mentioned during the rule of Vlaicu Vodă in 1364, when it spread all across Wallachia...
, a Romanian
Sport in Romania
The most popular sport in Romania is football. Other popular sports include team handball, basketball, rugby union, tennis and gymnastics.-Football:...
traditional sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
, similar to baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
After a time, he started to play football with his older friends. But after a while, bored because he was often selected as a goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
, he refused to play football and he went to gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
.
In the summer holiday, his father bought him a football
Ball
A ball is a round, usually spherical but sometimes ovoid, object with various uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for simpler activities, such as catch, marbles and juggling...
. Because of that, he started to play football again. Moreover, he attended the match between the local team CA Oradea and Wacker Wien, and he admired the 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...
n goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
, Rudy Hiden. This was the reason because he chose to be a goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
.
Club career
In 1933, he started his senior career at Clubul Atletic OradeaClubul Atletic Oradea
Clubul Atletic Oradea was a football club based in Oradea, in western Romania. It was founded in 1910 and it soon became one of the best teams in the country. The club was dissolved in 1963.-History:...
. In one of his first matches for CAO
Clubul Atletic Oradea
Clubul Atletic Oradea was a football club based in Oradea, in western Romania. It was founded in 1910 and it soon became one of the best teams in the country. The club was dissolved in 1963.-History:...
, he saved seven penalty kicks in a friendly match against Minerul Lupeni. He continued to play well at his club, where he stayed until 1938, when he was sold to Venus Bucureşti
Venus Bucuresti
Venus București was a Romanian football club based in Bucharest, nicknamed Negrii due to their all black shirts. Before being dissolved by the Communist authorities, Venus was the most successful football club in Romania, winning eight Liga I championships.The club's colours were black and white,...
together with his team-mate Augustin Juhasz because the club was in a financial crisis
Financial crisis
The term financial crisis is applied broadly to a variety of situations in which some financial institutions or assets suddenly lose a large part of their value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and many recessions coincided with these...
.
In his first season at Venus Bucureşti
Venus Bucuresti
Venus București was a Romanian football club based in Bucharest, nicknamed Negrii due to their all black shirts. Before being dissolved by the Communist authorities, Venus was the most successful football club in Romania, winning eight Liga I championships.The club's colours were black and white,...
, he won the Romanian championship
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"...
with his team. In the next season, he repeated the performance. He remained at Venus until 1947, when he left the Bucharest-based team for 23 August a team from Lugoj.
In 1948, he returned to his first club, renamed IC Oradea, to win for the third time Divizia A
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"...
. In 1952, he retired from playing.
Manager career
After his retirement as a player, Mircea David began his managerial career at FC Politehnica IaşiFC Politehnica Iasi
Fotbal Club Politehnica Iaşi was a football club from Iaşi, Romania. Its colours were blue and white. Its home stadium was the Emil Alexandrescu Stadium. It was founded in 1945 and dissolved in 2010.-History:...
. After winning the promotion to Divizia A in 1960, he renounced to be a manager and was appointed as a member in the structure of Romanian Football Federation
Romanian Football Federation
The Romanian Football Federation is the governing body of football in Romania. It organizes the Romania national football team and most of the Romanian football competitions. It is based in the Romanian capital city of Bucharest...
.
International career
David made his debut for the Romania national football 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...
in October 1936, in a match lost against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
. In 1938, he was selected in the Romanian squad for the FIFA World Cup
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
, but did not play in the two matches between Romania
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...
and Cuba
Cuba national football team
The Cuba national football team is the national team of Cuba and is controlled by the Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba. They are affiliated to the Caribbean Football Union of CONCACAF....
.
On 14 April 1940, Mircea David was selected in the starting lineup for the match between Romania
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...
and 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...
, the World Champions. The match, which took place at Stadio Nazionale PNF
Stadio Nazionale PNF
The Stadio Nazionale del PNF was a multi-purpose stadium in Rome, Italy. It was built in 1927 and held 50,000 people. It hosted three of the 17 matches of the 1934 FIFA World Cup, including the final between hosts Italy and Czechoslovakia on 10 June 1934.Clubs S.S. Lazio and A.S...
, was the game when David became a legend.
After a first half dominated by the Italians, David was already a hero for Romania
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...
, because of a couple of marvellous saves in front of Silvio Piola
Silvio Piola
Silvio Piola was an Italian footballer from Robbio Lomellina, province of Pavia. He is known as a highly prominent figure in the history of Italian football due to several records he set. Piola won the 1938 FIFA World Cup with Italy, scoring two goals in the final.Piola is third in the all-time...
and Sergio Bertoni
Sergio Bertoni
Sergio Bertoni was an Italian football player in striker role, and later manager.Born in Pisa, he played for Pisa Calcio and Genoa C.F.C. ....
. Romania
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...
took the lead shortly after the break, when Iuliu Baratky scored the first goal of the match.
Despite receiving two goals from Amedeo Biavati
Amedeo Biavati
Amedeo Biavati was an Italian footballer, who was born in Bologna.He played in Serie A with Bologna and with Catania in Serie B. For the Italian team was 1938 World Champion....
and Silvio Piola
Silvio Piola
Silvio Piola was an Italian footballer from Robbio Lomellina, province of Pavia. He is known as a highly prominent figure in the history of Italian football due to several records he set. Piola won the 1938 FIFA World Cup with Italy, scoring two goals in the final.Piola is third in the all-time...
and being seriously injured after a collision with Sergio Bertoni
Sergio Bertoni
Sergio Bertoni was an Italian football player in striker role, and later manager.Born in Pisa, he played for Pisa Calcio and Genoa C.F.C. ....
, David was determined not to give up. He continued to rescue his team by plunging in the feet of the Italian strikers. Until the end of the game, he jumped in air to catch a ball and, after a wonderful save, he felt on the ground and fainted.
He continued to play after awaking and ended the match in the ground. He received praises from Vitorio Pozzo, the only manager who won twice the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
. Pozzo said : "With Piola as a striker and David in the goal, a manager doesn't have any problem to win a game". He was also praised by Silvio Piola and the Italian fans, who nicknamed him "Il Dio".
Honours
Champion of RomaniaLiga 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"...
: 1938-1939, 1939-1940, 1948-1949