Gavril Pele "Gabi" Balint (born 3 January 1963) is a Romanian former professional football manager and player, who was part of the hugely successful Steaua team of the 1980s. He now works as a television pundit for Digi Sport.
Club career Born in Sângeorz-Băi, Bistrița-Năsăud County, Balint made his Divizia A debut with Steaua București in 1981 where he played until 1990 winning the league titles in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989, the Romanian Cup in 1985, 1987 and 1989, the 1985–86 European Cup and the European Super Cup in 1987. At the end of the 1989–90 season, Balint became the top goalscorer of the Divizia A with 19 goals. He scored the second and last goal at the penalties shoot-out during the 1986 European Cup final, helping his team, Steaua to win the trophy.
In 1990, he was bought by Real Burgos for $1,000,000. He played for the Spanish side until his retirement in 1993.
International career Balint was capped 34 times by Romania, and scored 14 goals. He played at the 1990 World Cup where he scored twice, against Cameroon and Argentina.
Managerial career Balint started his coaching career in 1994, aged 31, when he was appointed as assistant coach of Romania under Anghel Iordănescu's regime. Four years later comes his first chance as head coach after taking charge at Sportul Studențesc, but in May 2000 he is called again to join the coaching staff of Romania as the squad prepared for the UEFA Euro 2000.
In the summer of 2000, Balint was requested by Mircea Lucescu as his assistant for Galatasaray, however he left the job after only one season, to join again Romania as assistant coach, this time under Gheorghe Hagi.
After Hagi resigned, Balint went to Sheriff Tiraspol for his second job as head coach, taking the team in 2002.
In 2003, he returned to Romania and signed for Sportul Studențesc, now in Divizia B and helped the team win promotion back to Divizia A.
Balint returned as assistant coach for Galatasaray in 2004 to work again with Gheorghe Hagi.
In 2005, he was appointed assistant coach of FCU Politehnica Timișoara, working again with Hagi. When Hagi left, a few months later, Balint resigned also. Two years later, Balint returned to FC Timișoara, this time as a head coach.
In 2010, he became the head coach of the Moldova national team, but after the campaign for the UEFA Euro 2012, his contract ended and was not renewed. He then became a television pundit, signing a contract with Digi Sport.
In April 2013, Balint returned to coaching, signing a contract for one and a half years with FC Vaslui. In 2014 he was named head coach of Liga II side CS Universitatea Craiova and helped the club win promotion for the top-flight Liga I.
Trivia Balint has a passion for music and Harley Davidson. He even produced his own CD. He is named Pele because his father was a fan of the three time World Cup winner Pelé.
Playing statistics + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsRomania1982301983401984421985101986301987301988001989121990105199121199234Total3414
Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Balint goal.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 29 July 1984 Stadionul 23 August, Iași, Romania 4–0 4–2 Friendly 2 31 July 1984 Stadionul Municipal, Buzău, Romania 1–0 1–0 Friendly 3 15 November 1989 Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania 1–1 3–1 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification 4 3–1 5 28 March 1990 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt 2–0 3–1 Friendly 6 3–1 7 25 April 1990 Kiryat Eliezer Stadium, Haifa, Israel 4–1 4–1 Friendly 8 14 June 1990 Stadio San Nicola, Bari, Italy 1–2 1–2 1990 FIFA World Cup 9 18 June 1990 Stadio San Paolo, Naples, Italy 1–1 1–1 1990 FIFA World Cup 10 17 April 1991 Estadio Príncipe Felipe, Cáceres, Spain 2–0 2–0 Friendly 11 6 May 1992 Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania 1–0 7–0 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 12 4–0 13 7–0 14 20 May 1992 Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania 4–0 5–1 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
Managerial statistics + Managerial record by club and tenureTeamFromToRecordBihor Oradea1 August 199830 June 1999Sportul Studențesc1 September 199931 December 1999Sheriff Tiraspol1 July 200230 June 2003Sportul Studențesc23 December 20031 June 2004FC Timișoara29 December 20081 June 2009Moldova20 January 201019 December 2011Vaslui9 April 201316 June 2013Universitatea Craiova17 March 201410 June 2014Total
Honours
Player Steaua București Divizia A: 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 Cupa României: 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 European Cup: 1985–86 European Super Cup: 1986 Intercontinental Cup runner-up: 1986
Romania U20 FIFA U-20 World Cup third-place: 1981
Individual Divizia A top scorer: 1989–90
Coach Sheriff Tiraspol Divizia Națională: 2002–03 CIS Cup: 2003 Sportul Studențesc Divizia B: 2003–04 Universitatea Craiova Liga II: 2013–14
References
External links