Mihai Neșu
Neșu with FC Utrecht in 2008
Born
Mihai Mircea Neșu

(1983-02-19) 19 February 1983
Oradea, Romania
Occupations
Known forFounding and managing the Mihai Neșu Foundation
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Association football career
Position(s) Left-back
Youth career
0000—2001 Bihor Oradea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2008 Steaua București 87 (1)
2008–2012 FC Utrecht 86 (2)
Total 173 (3)
International career‡
2003–2005 Romania U21 12 (0)
2005–2010 Romania 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 March 2011
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 3 March 2010
Websitewww.mihainesufoundation.com/ro/

Mihai Mircea Neșu (born 19 February 1983) is a Romanian former footballer[1] and philanthropist.

A left-back, Neșu played as a senior for Steaua București and FC Utrecht, as well as being capped eight times for the Romania national team. His footballing career ended at age 28, when he suffered a severe neck injury that left him paralysed.[2]

After his accident, Neșu started a personal foundation dedicated to children with motor disorders, at the same time receiving treatment for his paralysis from which he did not make a full recovery.

Club career

Steaua București

Neșu, who was nicknamed Bișonul (Romanian for "the Bichon"), was born in Oradea and started to play football with the junior squads of Bihor Oradea.[2][3][4] He was transferred to Steaua București in 2001 for $6,000 and made his Divizia A debut on 21 April 2002, when head coach Victor Pițurcă used him in a 1–1 draw with Petrolul Ploiești.[2][3][5][6]

During his time in the capital, Neșu aided the club in winning the national title in the 2004–05 and the 2005–06 seasons. He also amassed 33 games in European competitions, of which twelve in the latter campaign as they reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.[2][3][4]

FC Utrecht and career-ending injury

On 27 August 2008, Neșu was sold to FC Utrecht for €1.2 to replace PSV Eindhoven-bound Erik Pieters.[7][8][9][10] He played 86 Eredivisie matches and scored two goals during his stint, and in 2008 was named the best left-back of the competition.[2][3][8]

On 10 May 2011, Neșu got injured during a training session by colliding with teammate Alje Schut; he broke his cervical vertebrae, which left him paralysed in a wheel chair ever since.[2][11][12][13] His FC Utrecht contract expired in July 2012, formally ending his footballing career.[2]

In 2020, he was selected by FC Utrecht fans as the best left-back the team's history.[8][9]

International career

Neșu appeared eight times at international level for Romania, with manager Victor Pițurcă handing him his full debut on 12 November 2005, when he replaced Răzvan Raț in the 80th minute of a friendly 1–2 loss to Ivory Coast.[14][15] He also played in a 1–0 away victory against the Faroe Islands at the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.[14][16] His last game for the national team was a friendly which ended in a 0–2 loss to Israel, on 3 March 2010.[14][17]

Personal life

Neșu's father, Mircea, was a footballer, referee, and doctor.[18][19] His nephew Nikos Barboudis is also a football player.[20][21]

Neșu married Maria Laura Gherman in June 2006, but they divorced after six years.[22]

Philanthropy

In the 2012–13 season, Steaua București honoured Neșu by displaying the logo of his namesake foundation on the club's kit in the UEFA Europa League matches against Ekranas, Ajax and Chelsea.[23]

As of January 2022, Neșu manages the construction of a new and larger rehabilitation centre in Oradea for children with motor disorders.[24]

Honours

Steaua București[25]

References

  1. ↑ Mihai Neșu at WorldFootball.net
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "FOTO Mihai Neşu şi-a încheiat contractul cu Utrecht şi, o dată cu el, cariera de sportiv: "Ultima mea zi ca fotbalist"" [PHOTO Mihai Neşu concluded his contract with Utrecht and, with him, his sports career: "My last day as a footballer"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Mihai Neșu at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
  4. 1 2 "Cum arată viața lui Mihăiță Neșu la aproape zece ani de când a rămas paralizat: "Scriu cu gura, de aceea am contracturi"" [What does Mihăiță Neșu's life look like almost ten years after he became paralyzed:"I write with my mouth, that's why I have contracts"] (in Romanian). Digisport.ro. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "Episod confuz între Piţurcă şi Neşu: "Poate e mai bine să ai un accident d-ăsta, că ai lumea lîngă tine!"" [Confusing episode between Piţurcă and Neşu: "Maybe it's better to have an accident like this, because you have all the people next to you!" What does Mihăiță Neșu's life look like almost ten years after he became paralyzed: "I write with my mouth, that's why I have contracts"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "Mihai Neșu a dialogat cu ProSport! Ce-și dorește "Bichonul" pentru 2012! Citește mesajul EMOȚIONANT transmis românilor" [Mihai Neșu talked to ProSport! What does "Bichon" want for 2012! Read the EXCITING message sent to Romanians] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "Utrecht confirmă transferul lui Mihăiță Neșu" [Utrecht confirms Mihăiță Neșu's transfer] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 22 August 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 "Respect! Mihai Neșu, ales de olandezi cel mai bun fundaș stânga al lui Utrecht din toate timpurile" [Respect! Mihai Neșu, chosen by the Dutch as the best left defender of Utrecht of all times] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Mihai Neșu, ales de fanii lui Utrecht în cea mai bună echipă din istoria clubului. Nu lipsesc Mertens, Kuyt și Van Breukelen" [Mihai Neșu, chosen by Utrecht fans in the best team in the club's history. Mertens, Kuyt and Van Breukelen are not missing] (in Romanian). Digisport.ro. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  10. ↑ FC Utrecht rondt transfer Mihai Nesu af Archived 22 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ "Fotbalistul Mihai Neșu și-a rupt gâtul în timpul antrenamentelor" [Football player Mihai Neșu broke his neck during training] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 10 May 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  12. ↑ "Picture". mpinteractiv.ro. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  13. ↑ "Mihai Nesu: The footballer, the victim of cruel fate, the fighter". Sports Keeda. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 "Mihai Neșu". European Football. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  15. ↑ "Romania - Côte d'Ivoire 1:2". European Football. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  16. ↑ "Faroe Islands - Romania 0:1". European Football. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  17. ↑ "Romania - Israel 0:2". European Football. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "Tatăl lui Mihai Neşu, fostul jucător şi arbitru Mircea Neşu, a murit" [The father of Mihai Neşu, the former player and referee Mircea Neşu, died] (in Romanian). digi24.ro. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  19. ↑ "Tatăl lui Mihai Neşu a murit. Mircea Neşu ajunsese la spital după o supradoză de medicamente, Mihai Neşu: E un an foarte trist, dar ăsta e cursul vieţii" [Mihai Neşu's father died. Mircea Neşu arrived at the hospital after an overdose of drugs, Mihai Neşu: It's a very sad year, but this is the course of life] (in Romanian). mediafax.ro. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  20. ↑ "EXCLUSIV Nikos Barboudis, nepotul lui Mihăiță Neșu: "Torje poate fi decisiv"" [EXCLUSIVELY Nikos Barboudis, nephew of Mihăiţă Neşu: "Torje can be decisive"] (in Romanian). libertatea.ro. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  21. ↑ "Foto: Nikos Barboudis, nepotul lui Mihăiţă Neşu: "Mihai mi-e ca un frate!"" [Photo: Nikos Barboudis, nephew of Mihăiţă Neşu: "Mihai is like a brother!"] (in Romanian). libertatea.ro. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  22. ↑ "Fosta soţie a lui Mihai Neşu şi-a refăcut viaţa după divorţ. Ce face acum Maria Gherman" [Mihai Neşu's ex-wife resurrected her life after divorce. What is Maria Gherman doing now?] (in Romanian). Prosoprt.ro. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  23. ↑ "Steaua a jucat cu "Mihai Neşu Foundation" pe tricouri, o iniţiativă care l-a impresionat pe fostul fotbalist: "Vă mulţumesc şi plîng!"".
  24. ↑ "Mihai Neșu, din ce în ce mai aproape de ridicarea complexului de recuperare de la Oradea".
  25. ↑ Mihai Neșu at Soccerway
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