Nicușor Bancu
Romanian footballer (born 1992)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nicușor Silviu Bancu (Romanian pronunciation: [nikuˈʃor ˈsilvju ˈbaŋku]; born 18 September 1992) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a left-back or a left winger for Liga I club Universitatea Craiova, which he captains, and the Romania national team.
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|
Bancu with Romania in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicușor Silviu Bancu[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 18 September 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Crâmpoia, Romania | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Universitatea Craiova | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2010 | Rapid Piatra-Olt | ||
| 2010–2011 | Olt Piatra-Olt | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2014 | Olt Slatina | 68 | (8) |
| 2014– | Universitatea Craiova | 359 | (26) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017– | Romania | 52 | (2) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 27 April 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 31 March 2026 | |||
Club career
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Bancu recorded his competitive debut for Universitatea Craiova on 16 July 2014, a 0–1 Cupa Ligii loss to Rapid București. His first Liga I match came nine days later in a 1–1 home draw with Pandurii Târgu Jiu.
He scored his first goal for the Alb-albaștrii on 9 September that year, in a 2–0 defeat of Universitatea Cluj. 29 October, Bancu was injured by Viitorul Constanța player Alin Șeroni in a Cupa României Round of 16 game, which ended 1–1 after 90 minutes. He suffered a broken tibia and was sidelined for around half a year.[2]
Bancu made 34 appearances in all competitions in the following season, as his team finished on the eighth place in the domestic league.
In 2019, it was announced that Lazio are keen on bringing Craiova captain Bancu to Stadio Olimpico. They have been monitoring his progress over the past few seasons. Former Biancocelesti captain, Cristiano Bergodi, likened Bancu to Senad Lulić.[3] Earlier, in 2016, Universitatea Craiova rejected an offer from PSV Eindhoven for Bancu.[4]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 27 April 2026[5]
| Club | Season | League | Cupa României | Cupa Ligii | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Olt Slatina | 2011–12 | Liga II | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 1 | |||
| 2012–13 | Liga II | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 23 | 3 | ||||
| 2013–14 | Liga II | 30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 31 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 68 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 69 | 8 | |||||
| Universitatea Craiova | 2014–15 | Liga I | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16 | Liga I | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 3 | |||
| 2016–17 | Liga I | 35 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 3 | |||
| 2017–18 | Liga I | 34 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 2[a] | 0 | — | 40 | 4 | |||
| 2018–19 | Liga I | 33 | 4 | 5 | 2 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 41 | 6 | ||
| 2019–20 | Liga I | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | 6[a] | 1 | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| 2020–21 | Liga I | 35 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | — | 41 | 2 | |||
| 2021–22 | Liga I | 35 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Liga I | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6[c] | 1 | — | 19 | 1 | |||
| 2023–24 | Liga I | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 39 | 2 | |||
| 2024–25 | Liga I | 36 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | — | 41 | 1 | |||
| 2025–26 | Liga I | 26 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 10[c] | 0 | — | 40 | 1 | |||
| Total | 359 | 26 | 36 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 431 | 31 | ||
| Career total | 427 | 34 | 37 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 500 | 39 | ||
- Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance in Supercupa României
- Appearances in UEFA Conference League
- Appearance in Liga I Conference League play-off
International
- As of 31 March 2026[6]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 52 | 2 | |
- Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bancu goal.[6]
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 November 2021 | Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein | 22 |  Liechtenstein | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 11 June 2022 | Stadionul Rapid-Giulești, Bucharest, Romania | 25 |  Finland | 1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Nations League B |
