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Ever wondered what led to the death of former Romanian footballer Nicolae Dobrin who died on 26 October 2007 after playing and working as a manager.
In this article, we delve into the cause of death of this player.
Who Is Nicolae Dobrin?
Nicolae Dobrin was born on August 26, 1947, in Pitești, Argeș County, Romania. He started playing football at a young age with his friends on a field they nicknamed “Maracana.”
Dinamo Pitești players came to play with them one day in 1959, and Dobrin’s squad triumphed 12-2, with him scoring six goals. A coach from Dinamo Pitești encouraged Dobrin to join their training sessions after being impressed by his performance.
Dobrin made his Divizia A debut on July 1, 1962, at the age of 14, making him the youngest debutant in the competition’s history. Throughout his career, he spent the majority of his time with Argeș Pitești, where he won two Divizia A titles under coach Florin Halagian.
He was the team’s leading scorer in 1971-72, scoring 15 goals in 23 games. Dobrin scored nine goals in 22 games during the winning season of 1978-79, including the game-winning goal.
Dobrin also excelled in European events. He appeared in 25 games and scored eight goals, including two in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
Dobrin scored one goal in six games as Dinamo Pitești overcame Sevilla FC and Toulouse FC before being eliminated by Dinamo Zagreb in the 1966-67 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
Argeş Pitești defeated Real Madrid at home in the 1972-73 European Cup, with Dobrin scoring the first goal.
Despite their defeat in the second leg, Dobrin’s performance piqued the interest of Real Madrid’s president, who made a record-breaking offer to sign him.
Dobrin’s transfer, however, was thwarted by Romania’s communist leadership since he was regarded as a “national treasure.”
Despite never playing for Real Madrid, Dobrin was given the opportunity to wear the Spanish club’s famed “blanco” shirt in Francisco Gento’s testimonial. It was a momentous occasion for Dobrin, and he regarded it a career highlight.
Argeş Pitești defeated Valencia at home in the 1978-79 UEFA Cup, with Dobrin scoring from an indirect free kick. After the game, Argentina World Cup winner Mario Kempes lauded Dobrin, calling him a “great player.”
Dobrin’s ability and talent on the pitch gained him the nicknames “Gâscanul” or “The Gander” and “Prințul din Trivale” or “The Prince of Trivale.”
His dribbling ability was admired, and he was named Romanian Footballer of the Year three times, in 1966, 1967, and 1971. His contributions to Romanian football were recognised by the naming of a stadium in his hometown of Pitești after him.
On October 26, 2007, Nicolae Dobrin died, leaving behind a spectacular legacy as one of Romania’s best footballers. His contribution to the sport and devotion to Argeş Pitești will be remembered forever.
Nicolae Dobrin Career Information
Youth career | |||
---|---|---|---|
1959–1962 | Dinamo Pitești | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1962–1981 | Argeș Pitești | 390 | (106) |
1981–1982 | FCM Târgovişte[b] | 13 | (5) |
1982–1983 | Argeș Pitești | 5 | (0) |
1985–1986 | CS Botoșani | ||
Total | 408 | (111) | |
International career | |||
1966–1980 | Romania | 48 | (6) |
Managerial career | |||
1982–1985 | Argeș Pitești | ||
1985–1986 | CS Botoșani | ||
1992 | Argeș Pitești | ||
1995 | ARO Muscelul Câmpulung (technical director) | ||
1998–1999 | Argeș Pitești | ||
2001 | Argeș Pitești |
Nicolae Dobrin Cause Of Death
Nicolae Dobrin’s cause of death is known to be lung cancer which led him to be placed in the intensive care unit of the County Hospital in Pitești after multiple organ failure.
Nicolae started smoking at the age of 8 making him have issues with his lungs. He was buried on 29 October 2007 at the St. George’s Military Cemetery.
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