Cosmin Contra great goal in Milan-Inter
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- Duration: 0:06
- Published: 2008-12-15
- Uploaded: 2011-01-15
- Author: Acig1981
Contra scoring in the derby.
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| Playername | Cosmin Contra |
|---|---|
| Fullname | Cosmin Marius Contra |
| Dateofbirth | December 15, 1975 |
| Cityofbirth | Timişoara |
| Countryofbirth | Romania |
| Height | |
| Position | Right back / Midfielder |
| Youthyears1 | | youthclubs1 = Politehnica Timişoara |
| Years1 | 1993–1995 | clubs1 = Politehnica Timişoara | caps1 = 51 | goals1 = 1 |
| Years2 | 1996–1999 | clubs2 = Dinamo Bucureşti | caps2 = 101 | goals2 = 8 |
| Years3 | 1999–2001 | clubs3 = Alavés | caps3 = 66 | goals3 = 5 |
| Years4 | 2001–2002 | clubs4 = Milan | caps4 = 29 | goals4 = 3 |
| Years5 | 2002–2006 | clubs5 = Atlético Madrid | caps5 = 34 | goals5 = 0 |
| Years6 | 2004–2005 | clubs6 = → West Bromwich (loan) | caps6 = 4 |goals6 = 0 |
| Years7 | 2005 | clubs7 = → Poli Timişoara (loan) | caps7 = 14 | goals7 = 0 |
| Years8 | 2005–2006 | clubs8 = → Getafe (loan) | caps8 = 24 | goals8 = 0 |
| Years9 | 2006–2010 | clubs9 = Getafe | caps9 = 60 | goals9 = 3 |
| Years10 | 2010–2011 | clubs10 = Politehnica Timişoara | caps10 = 22 | goals10 = 4 |
| Nationalyears1 | 1996– | nationalteam1 = Romania | nationalcaps1 = 73 | nationalgoals1 = 7 |
| Manageryears1 | 2010 | managerclubs1 = Politehnica Timişoara |
| Pcupdate | 22:00, 13 November 2010 (UTC) |
| Ntupdate | 22:00 3 September 2010 (UTC) |
Offensive-minded, he can also appear as a midfielder, and played professionally in four countries (his own included), mainly in Spain, where he appeared for three clubs, mainly Getafe CF, which he helped consolidate in the top division.
After three 1/2 seasons with the capital-based team, he was transferred for $800.000 to Spain's Deportivo Alavés, where he was a vital player in the Basque side's UEFA Cup runner-up campaign, his performances earning him in a place in the season's UEFA Team of the Year; he also added five La Liga goals in his two seasons combined.
Contra then managed yet another excellent move, as Italian giants A.C. Milan bought him, but his spell there lasted only one season. In September 2002 he changed clubs once more and went to Atlético de Madrid, playing with the Colchoneros two seasons (though he played very rarely in his second year, due to a serious ankle condition). A player of character, Contra was involved, while still with Milan, in an incident with Juventus FC player Edgar Davids, this being pointed as one of the reasons for his quick departure from Milan.
Contra moved to West Bromwich Albion on loan in August 2004, making his debut in a 2–1 League Cup defeat to Colchester United on 21 September. His Premier League debut came almost two months later, when Albion lost 2–1 at home to Middlesbrough. The loan was not particularly successful, with Contra playing just six times and receiving a red card in the last game of his spell, in a 5–0 home defeat to Liverpool. He then returned to the Romanian first division, at the club which brought him up as a player, Politehnica Timisoara, where he managed to be recalled to the national side due to his good performances.
In August 2005, Contra returned to Spain, penning a season-long loan with Getafe CF(which was made permanent at the season's end); with the side from the Madrid outskirts, he was used regularly, battling for position with David Cortés.
In the 2007–08 UEFA Cup, Contra scored in both legs in an epic quarterfinal bout against FC Bayern Munich, which ended in an extra time 4–4 aggregate elimination. Earlier in the competition, he scored a penalty kick against AEK Athens, appearing in that match even though his father had died just hours before. In September 2006, he also became a naturalized Spanish citizen.
In late January 2010, after being ousted from the team's lineups by manager Míchel, Contra left Getafe and returned to his country, rejoining hometown's FC Timişoara, initially until June. On 26 February 2010 he made his debut in his second spell for the club, scoring from a 30-yard a free kick against FC Politehnica Iaşi; two months later, against FC Steaua Bucureşti, he again found the net from two set pieces, one from the penalty spot; during his second spell at the club, he played mainly as a central midfielder.
On 29 August 2010, Contra scored again from a free kick and again against Steaua, in a late 1–1 equalizer. One day after, his contract expired. On 9 September, he signed a new contract with the club and, only six days later, was announced Timişoara's new player-manager.
On 1 April 2009, after a match with Austria, Contra announced his retirement from international football. On 30 August 2010, however, the 34-year old was recalled for two Euro 2012 qualifiers against Albania and Belarus.
{| class="wikitable" ! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition |- |1 || 28 March 2001 || Boris Paichadze Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia || ||align="center"|2–0||align="center"|2–0|| 2002 World Cup qualification |- |2 || 14 November 2001 || Stadionul Ghencea, Bucharest, Romania || ||align="center"|1–1|| align="center"|1–1|| 2002 World Cup qualification – Playoffs |- |3 || 16 October 2002 || Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg|| ||align="center"|4–0|| align="center"|7–0|| Euro 2004 qualifying |- |4 || 16 October 2002 || Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg|| ||align="center"|5–0|| align="center"|7–0|| Euro 2004 qualifying |- |5 || 16 October 2002 || Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg|| ||align="center"|7–0|| align="center"|7–0|| Euro 2004 qualifying |- |6 || 28 March 2007 || Stadionul Ceahlăul, Piatra Neamţ, Romania|| ||align="center"|2–0|| align="center"|3–0|| Euro 2008 qualifying |- |7 || 6 June 2007 || Stadionul Dan Păltinişanu, Timişoara, Romania|| ||align="center"|2–0|| align="center"|2–0|| Euro 2008 qualifying |}
*Getafe:
Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:People from Timişoara Category:Spanish people of Romanian descent Category:Romanian footballers Category:Association football defenders Category:Liga I players Category:FC Dinamo Bucureşti players Category:FC Politehnica Timişoara players Category:La Liga footballers Category:Deportivo Alavés footballers Category:Atlético Madrid footballers Category:Getafe CF footballers Category:Serie A footballers Category:A.C. Milan players Category:Premier League players Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players Category:Romania international footballers Category:UEFA Euro 2000 players Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players Category:Romanian expatriate footballers Category:Expatriate footballers in Spain Category:Expatriate footballers in Italy Category:Expatriate footballers in England Category:Romanian football managers Category:FC Timişoara managers
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