The Romanian Footballer of the Year (), also known as the Nicolae Dobrin Trophy (), is an annual association football award given by the Gazeta Sporturilor newspaper to the Romanian player adjudged to have been the best during a calendar year. The current holder is Andrei Rațiu, who won the award for his performances in 2025 representing Rayo Vallecano.
It has been presented since 1966 and is currently named after Nicolae Dobrin, the first recipient of the award and one of Romania's most notable footballers. Gheorghe Hagi, the joint leading goalscorer of the national team alongside Adrian Mutu, has received the trophy a record of seven times.
Other annual honours handed out by Gazeta Sporturilor include the Foreign Player of the Year in Romania and the Romania Coach of the Year awards.
Winners YearWinnerRunner-upThird placeFourth placeFifth place1966Nicolae DobrinVasile GergelyIon PîrcălabEmil DumitriuIon Nunweiller1967Nicolae DobrinGheorghe ConstantinNarcis ComanIon IonescuDan Coe1968Florea DumitracheCornel DinuLajos SătmăreanuGheorghe GorneaIon BarbuNarcis Coman1969Florea DumitracheNicolae DobrinRadu NunweillerLajos SătmăreanuAristide Ghiță1970Cornel DinuNecula RăducanuFlorea DumitracheRadu NunweillerNicolae LupescuVasile Ianul1971Nicolae DobrinIon DumitruNicolae LupescuMircea LucescuCornel Dinu1972Cornel DinuAlexandru BocNicolae DobrinStere AdamacheIon Dumitru1973Ion DumitruCornel DinuNicolae DobrinDumitru AntonescuFlorea Dumitrache1974Cornel DinuMircea LucescuIon DumitruSilviu IorgulescuAlexandru BocNecula Răducanu1975Ion Dumitru————1976Dudu GeorgescuLászló BölöniAnghel IordănescuNecula RăducanuFlorin Cheran1977László BölöniDudu GeorgescuAlexandru SătmăreanuNicolae DobrinIosif Vigu1978Narcis ComanNicolae DobrinCostică ȘtefănescuCornel DinuȘtefan Sameș1979Ștefan SameșCostică ȘtefănescuMarcel RăducanuNicolae DobrinCornel Dinu1980Marcel RăducanuAnghel IordănescuCostică ȘtefănescuVasile IordacheRodion Cămătaru1981Ilie BalaciCostică ȘtefănescuȘtefan SameșVasile IordacheRomulus Gabor1982Ilie BalaciCostică ȘtefănescuRodion CămătaruLászló BölöniGino Iorgulescu1983László BölöniSilviu LungCostică ȘtefănescuRodion CămătaruMircea Rednic1984Silviu LungGheorghe HagiCostică ȘtefănescuMircea RednicDumitru Moraru1985Gheorghe HagiCostică ȘtefănescuLászló BölöniSilviu LungMichael Klein1986Helmut DuckadamLászló BölöniMiodrag BelodediciRodion CămătaruGheorghe Hagi1987Gheorghe HagiMiodrag BelodediciRodion CămătaruLászló BölöniMarius Lăcătuș1988Dorin MateuțGheorghe HagiMiodrag BelodediciMarius LăcătușOvidiu Sabău1989Gheorghe PopescuOvidiu SabăuGheorghe HagiMarius LăcătușȘtefan Iovan1990Gheorghe PopescuIosif RotariuDan PetrescuIonuț LupescuMarius Lăcătuș1991Gheorghe PopescuGheorghe HagiIonuț LupescuSilviu LungDorinel Munteanu1992Gheorghe PopescuGheorghe HagiDorinel MunteanuIonuț LupescuIlie Dumitrescu1993Gheorghe HagiIlie DumitrescuFlorin RăducioiuGheorghe PopescuOvidiu Sabău1994Gheorghe HagiFlorin RăducioiuIonuț LupescuGheorghe PopescuIlie Dumitrescu1995Gheorghe PopescuGheorghe HagiDaniel ProdanDorinel MunteanuFlorin Răducioiu1996Gheorghe PopescuGheorghe HagiViorel MoldovanAdrian IlieDorinel Munteanu1997Gheorghe HagiDan PetrescuMarius LăcătușGheorghe PopescuAdrian Ilie1998Adrian IlieGheorghe PopescuGheorghe HagiBogdan SteleaIonuț Lupescu1999Gheorghe HagiDan PetrescuAdrian IlieGheorghe PopescuAdrian Mutu2000Gheorghe HagiCristian ChivuGheorghe PopescuDorinel MunteanuMarius Niculae2001Cosmin ContraMarius NiculaeCristian ChivuGheorghe PopescuAdrian MihalceaDaniel Pancu2002Cristian ChivuAdrian MutuCosmin ContraDaniel PancuMirel Rădoi2003Adrian MutuCristian ChivuBogdan LobonțMirel RădoiDaniel Pancu2004Ionel DănciulescuAdrian NeagaMirel RădoiDaniel NiculaeFlorentin PetreTiberiu Ghioane2005Adrian MutuMirel RădoiDorinel MunteanuNicolae DicăRăzvan CocișMarius Măldărășanu2006Nicolae DicăAdrian MutuCristian ChivuDănuț ComanCiprian Marica—2007Adrian MutuBogdan LobonțCristian ChivuDorin GoianNicolae Dică2008Adrian MutuDorin Goian Cristian Chivu—Bogdan LobonțEugen Trică2009Cristian ChivuRăzvan RațAdrian MutuIulian ApostolGigel Bucur2010Cristian ChivuBogdan StancuRăzvan RațȘtefan RaduGabriel Tamaș2011Gabriel TorjeLucian SânmărteanCristian SăpunaruIonel DănciulescuȘtefan Radu2012 Raul RusescuVlad ChiricheșGabriel TorjeAlexandru BourceanuRăzvan Raț2013Vlad ChiricheșAlexandru MaximAlexandru BourceanuCiprian MaricaDaniel Pancu2014 Lucian SânmărteanClaudiu KeșerüRăzvan RațAlexandru ChipciuAlexandru Maxim2015 Ciprian TătărușanuConstantin BudescuCostel PantilimonIoan HoraFlorin Andone2016 Denis AlibecNicolae StanciuRăzvan MarinClaudiu KeșerüFlorin Andone2017 Constantin BudescuCiprian TătărușanuFlorin Niță Ștefan Radu—Alexandru Băluță Cristian Săpunaru2018 George ȚucudeanRăzvan MarinIanis HagiCiprian TătărușanuAlexandru Mitriță2019 Ionuț RaduGeorge PușcașNicolae StanciuAlexandru MitrițăIanis HagiFlorinel Coman2020 Dennis ManCiprian DeacNicolae StanciuIanis HagiAlexandru Maxim2021 Florin NițăIanis HagiNicolae Stanciu—Alexandru CicâldăuRăzvan Marin2022 Nicolae StanciuFlorin TănaseCiprian Deac——2023 Radu DrăgușinNicolae StanciuDenis AlibecHorațiu MoldovanFlorinel Coman2024 Dennis ManRadu DrăgușinRăzvan MarinAndrei RațiuFlorin Niță2025Andrei RațiuDennis ManDaniel BîrligeaVlad DragomirLouis Munteanu—
Breakdown of winners
By number of wins PlayerWin(s)Year(s)Gheorghe Hagi1985, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000Gheorghe Popescu1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996Adrian Mutu2003, 2005, 2007, 2008Cristian Chivu2002, 2009, 2010Cornel Dinu1970, 1972, 1974Nicolae Dobrin1966, 1967, 1971Dennis Man2020, 2024Ilie Balaci1981, 1982László Bölöni1977, 1983Florea Dumitrache1968, 1969Ion Dumitru1973, 197524 others
By club Club Win(s) (outright wins/shared titles by two teams) Year(s) (* title was shared by two teams)Steaua București / FCSB1973, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 2006, 2012, 2013*, 2014, 2017*, 2020Dinamo București1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1988, 2004, 2011*Universitatea Craiova1981, 1982, 1984, 1989, 1990*Argeș Pitești1966, 1967, 1971 Fiorentina2007, 2008, 2015 Galatasaray1997, 1999, 2000 PSV Eindhoven1990*, 1991, 1992 Barcelona1994*, 1995*, 1996ASA Târgu Mureș1977, 1983 Genoa2019, 2023Astra Giurgiu2016, 2017* Brescia1993, 1994* Inter Milan2009, 2010 Tottenham Hotspur1995*, 2013* Parma2003*, 2024 Ajax2002CFR Cluj2018 Juventus2005 Sparta Prague2021Sportul Studențesc1985Târgoviște1978 Valencia1998 Wuhan Three Towns2022 Rayo Vallecano2025 Alavés2001* Chelsea2003* Milan2001* Udinese2011*
See also Gazeta Sporturilor Foreign Player of the Year in Romania Gazeta Sporturilor Romania Coach of the Year Gazeta Sporturilor Monthly Football Awards
References
External links Gazeta Sporturilor official website Romanian Footballer of the Year at Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation