Lucian Ilie
Romanian footballer
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Lucian Ilie (born 14 October 1967) is a Romanian retired footballer who played as a midfielder.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 October 1967 | ||
| Place of birth | Dâmbovița, Romania | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1987–1989 | Rapid București | 44 | (2) |
| 1989–1990 | Jönköpings Södra | 20 | (6) |
| 1990–1991 | Mechelen | 4 | (0) |
| 1991–1992 | FC Wageningen | 16 | (1) |
| 1992–1993 | Groningen | 32 | (1) |
| 1993–1995 | Veendam | 62 | (3) |
| 1995–1997 | FC Zwolle | 64 | (11) |
| 1998–2000 | Veendam | 49 | (1) |
| 2001–2003 | DVS '33 | 30 | (7) |
| Total | 321 | (32) | |
| International career | |||
| 1989 | Romania U21 | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Ilie was born on 14 October 1967 in Dâmbovița, Romania.[1][2] He started his senior career at Rapid București, making his Divizia A debut on 13 December 1987, when coach Ion Dumitru sent him in the 72nd minute to replace Fănel Țîră in a 4–0 loss to rivals Steaua București.[1][3] The team suffered relegation at the end of the 1988–89 season.[1][4][5] Subsequently, he made five appearances in the 1989 Intertoto Cup, scoring a goal in a 3–1 defeat to Spartak Varna.[4] Seeking to escape Romania's communist regime, Ilie and his teammates Gabriel Ciolponea and Alexandru Aprodu fled their hotel on 19 July 1989, following a 2–0 loss to Örgryte, to request political asylum in Sweden.[4][5][6] They were helped by Adrian Oprișan, a former Sportul Studențesc București player who defected four years earlier.[4][5][6] Oprișan also helped them secure contracts with Jönköpings Södra.[1][4]
In 1990, Ilie went to play for Belgian side Mechelen, moving one year later to Dutch Eerste Divisie club FC Wageningen.[1][4] Subsequently, he joined Groningen, making his Eredivisie debut on 16 August 1992 under coach Pim Verbeek in a 1–1 draw against Willem II.[1][7][8] On 6 December, he scored his only goal in the competition in a 2–0 away win over Den Bosch.[1][7] He also played in both legs of the 2–1 aggregate loss to Vác in the first round of the 1992–93 UEFA Cup.[1][9] In 1993, Ilie went back to Eerste Divisie football at Veendam.[1] Two years later, he moved to FC Zwolle only to return to Veendam two seasons later.[1] From 2000 to 2003, Ilie played for amateur club DVS '33, retiring afterwards.[1]
International career
Ilie played one game for Romania's under-21 team on 16 May 1989 in a 1–1 draw against Bulgaria.[10]