Mihai Alexandru Bălașa (born 14 January 1995) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Liga I club Farul Constanța.

Mihai Bălașa
Bălașa captaining FCSB in 2017
Personal information
Full name Mihai Alexandru Bălașa[1]
Date of birth (1995-01-14) 14 January 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth Târgoviște, Romania
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Farul Constanța
Number 44
Youth career
2004–2006 FCM Târgoviște
2006–2007 Concordia Chiajna
2007–2009 CSȘ Târgoviște
2009–2012 Gheorghe Hagi Academy
2013–2014 Roma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Viitorul Constanța 23 (1)
2014–2017 Roma 0 (0)
2014–2016Crotone (loan) 53 (2)
2016–2017Trapani (loan) 8 (0)
2017–2019 FCSB 61 (0)
2019–2022 Universitatea Craiova 57 (3)
2022–2024 Sepsi OSK 47 (3)
2024– Farul Constanța 14 (0)
International career
2011–2012 Romania U17 3 (0)
2012–2013 Romania U18 10 (0)
2012–2014 Romania U19 11 (1)
2013–2015 Romania U21 9 (2)
2017–2020 Romania 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 November 2024

Club career

edit

Viitorul Constanța

edit

Bălașa made his professional debut for Viitorul Constanța on 20 August 2012, in a Liga I game against Gaz Metan Mediaș.[2]

Roma

edit

In August 2014, Bălașa was transferred by Italian club Roma, joining a growing Romanian contingent at the club.[3] He was part of the squad for the 2014 International Champions Cup, featuring as a second-half substitute against Internazionale.[4]

On 22 August 2014, Bălașa signed for Crotone on loan.[5] He made his debut in the 0–2 defeat to Ternana on 30 August 2014.

Bălașa joined Trapani on a season-long loan on 16 July 2016.[6]

FCSB

edit

Bălașa returned to Romania in January 2017, signing a five-year contract with FCSB for an undisclosed transfer fee.[7]

On 2 August 2017, he scored the opener from a free kick in a Champions League third qualifying round 4–1 away win over Viktoria Plzeň.[8]

International career

edit

Bălașa has represented Romania on many occasions at youth level.

He earned his first senior international cap for Romania in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Denmark on 8 October 2017, playing the full 90 minutes in their 1–1 away draw.[9]

Personal life

edit

Bălașa's father Cristian was also a professional footballer. He played as a midfielder and scored 26 goals in 224 Divizia A matches for Chindia Târgoviște, Argeș Pitești and Farul Constanța combined.[10][11][12][13]

Career statistics

edit

Club

edit
As of 29 November 2024[14]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Viitorul Constanța 2012–13 22 1 1 0 23 1
2013–14 1 0 1 0
Total 23 1 1 0 24 1
Crotone (loan) 2014–15 24 0 24 0
2015–16 29 2 2 0 31 2
Total 53 2 2 0 55 2
Trapani (loan) 2016–17 8 0 2 0 10 0
FCSB 2016–17 14 0 1 0 15 0
2017–18 23 0 1 0 9 1 33 1
2018–19 20 0 0 0 5 0 25 0
2019–20 4 0 0 0 1 0 5 0
Total 61 0 1 0 1 0 15 1 78 1
Universitatea Craiova 2019–20 22 3 1 0 0 0 23 3
2020–21 27 0 5 1 0 0 32 1
2021–22 8 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 12 1
Total 57 3 8 2 1 0 1 0 67 5
Sepsi OSK 2021–22 6 1 3 0 9 1
2022–23 22 1 4 1 3 0 1 0 30 2
2023–24 19 1 2 0 6 0 1 0 28 1
Total 47 3 9 1 9 0 2 0 67 4
Farul Constanța 2024–25 14 0 0 0 14 0
Career total 263 9 23 3 1 0 25 1 3 0 315 13

International

edit
As of 15 October 2020[15]
National team Year Apps Goals
Romania
2017 2 0
2018 4 0
2019 0 0
2020 2 0
Total 8 0

Honours

edit

Universitatea Craiova

Sepsi OSK

References

edit
  1. ^ "UEFA Nations League 2019: Booking List before League phase Matchday 5" (PDF). UEFA. 6 November 2018. p. 12. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Mihai Balasa - cel mai tanar jucator al campionatului". sport365.ro.
  3. ^ "GAZZETTA GIALLOROSSA La Roma ufficializza Mihai B膬la葯a: ecco chi 猫". gazzettagiallorossa.it.
  4. ^ "ROMANEWS.US / Guinness International Champions Cup. Inter vs Roma 2-0: the Nerazzurri defeat the Giallorossi in Philadelphia - ROMANEWS.US". ROMANEWS.US. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Calciomercato Roma, per il terzino Balasa prestito al Crotone". La Gazzetta dello Sport - Tutto il rosa della vita.
  6. ^ "Il Trapani 2016/17. Ingaggiato il difensore Balasa" (in Italian). Trapani Calcio. 16 July 2016. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Bine ai venit, Mihai Balasa!" (in Romanian). FC Steaua București. 24 January 2017. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Plzeň 1–4 FCSB". UEFA.com. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Denmark 1–1 Romania". UEFA.com. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  10. ^ "Cristi Bălaşa, despre fiul său: "Sper să mă depăşească"" [Cristi Bălaşa, about his son: "I hope he will overcome me"] (in Romanian). evz.ro. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  11. ^ "Mihai Bălașa, tot mai aproape de Steaua. Declarația făcută de tatăl jucătorului" [Mihai Balaşa, much more closer to Steaua. Statement made by the player's father] (in Romanian). digisport.ro. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  12. ^ "Mihai Bălaşa, probabil cel mai puţin cunoscut fotbalist chemat de Piţurcă pentru stagiul din Spania: "E nevoie de mai mulţi tineri"" [Mihai Bălaşa, probably the least known football player called Piţurcă for the internship in Spain: "There is a need for more young people"] (in Romanian). prosport.ro. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  13. ^ "Cristian Bălașa profile". Romaniansoccer. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  14. ^ "M. Bălașa". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  15. ^ "Mihai Bălașa". European Football. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
edit