Valentin Mihai Mihăilă (Romanian pronunciation: [valenˈtin miˈhaj mihəˈilə]; born 2 February 2000) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Serie A club Parma and the Romania national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Valentin Mihai Mihăilă | ||
| Date of birth | 2 February 2000[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Târgoviște, Romania | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Parma | ||
| Number | 28 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2010 | Gaz Metan Finta | ||
| 2010–2012 | Astra Ploiești | ||
| 2012–2014 | CS Casa Bogdan | ||
| 2014–2017 | Universitatea Craiova | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2020 | Universitatea Craiova | 62 | (8) |
| 2020– | Parma | 88 | (13) |
| 2022 | → Atalanta (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017–2018 | Romania U18 | 5 | (0) |
| 2018 | Romania U19 | 6 | (6) |
| 2019–2020 | Romania U21 | 6 | (5) |
| 2021– | Romania | 28 | (5) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2024 | |||
Mihăilă began his professional career at Universitatea Craiova in 2017, appearing in over 60 Liga I matches before signing with Italian team Parma for €8.5 million three years later.
After representing Romania at under-18, under-19, and under-21 levels, Mihăilă recorded his full debut in a 3–2 win over North Macedonia in March 2021. He competed for the country in the UEFA Euro 2024, where they won their group and reached the round of 16.
Club career
editUniversitatea Craiova
editMihăilă made his senior debut for Universitatea Craiova on 24 October 2017, aged 17, in a 2–0 away victory over Sepsi OSK counting for the Cupa României.[2] He did not appear in any other match during that season, but on 9 August 2018 started in a 3–1 away defeat to RB Leipzig in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round.[3] His Liga I debut also came against Sepsi OSK, in a 0–1 loss on 29 July 2018.
Mihăilă began to play frequently, and on 19 April 2019 recorded his first league goal—and the only of the match—in an away fixture with Astra Giurgiu,[4] one of his former youth clubs.[5] He amassed 32 matches across all competitions in the 2018–19 campaign, and in December 2019 manager Victor Pițurcă confirmed that Craiova rejected a €5 million bid for him from fellow league team FCSB.[6]
During his third season in Oltenia, Mihăilă totalled nine goals and came close to claiming the national championship; his side however lost the final fixture 1–3 to eventual champions CFR Cluj on 3 August 2020.[7]
Parma
editOn 5 October 2020, Italian team Parma announced the signing of Mihăilă on a five-year contract, with the transfer fee being reportedly worth €8.5 million.[8][9] The sum represented the third-most expensive sale of the Romanian championship at the time, slightly surpassing his former Craiova teammate Alexandru Mitriță on that place.[10] After recovering from athletic pubalgia,[11] Mihăilă made his debut on 3 January 2021 by coming on as a substitute in a 0–3 Serie A loss to Torino.[12]
Mihăilă was a starter for the first time on 21 January 2021, scoring the equaliser in an eventual 1–2 defeat to Lazio in Coppa Italia's round of 16.[13] He registered his first league goal on 7 March, in a 3–3 away draw with Fiorentina in which he also assisted Jasmin Kurtić.[14] The following fixture, his compatriot Dennis Man assisted him to open the scoring in a 2–0 defeat of Roma.[15] Mihăilă ended the league season with three goals from 16 appearances, as the club got relegated to the Serie B.[16]
On 31 January 2022, Mihăilă joined Serie A club Atalanta on a five-month loan with an option to buy.[17] He did not impress during his stint in Bergamo, featuring in only seven matches without scoring. After returning to Parma, Mihăilă converted a free kick in the Serie B opener, a 2–2 draw with Bari on 12 August 2022.[18]
Mihăilă struggled with recurring injuries before regaining his fitness in the 2023–24 season, aiding with 6 goals from 35 appearances in all competitions as Parma won its first-ever Serie B title and reached the top division after a three-year pause.
International career
editYouth
editMihăilă attracted significant media attention after contributing to Romania national under-21 team's victory in a UEFA Euro 2021 qualifier against Finland on 14 November 2019, as he scored a hat-trick and provoked an own goal.[19]
Senior
editIn March 2021, Mihăilă was called up for the first time to the Romania squad by head coach Mirel Rădoi for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against North Macedonia, Germany, and Armenia. On the 25th that month, he replaced injured Florinel Coman in the first half of the former game and netted in the 3–2 win at the Arena Națională in Bucharest.[20]
On 19 June 2023, Mihăilă came on in the second half of a Euro 2024 qualifier against Switzerland and scored a late double to earn his team a 2–2 draw.[21] He was then meant to join up with the under-21 team for the 2023 European Championship, but was ruled out after suffering an injury in the latter match.[22]
Romania secured their spot in the Euro 2024 by finishing first in their qualifying group, and on 7 June 2024 Mihăilă was selected as part of the final squad.[23] He made three appearances and only started in the 0–2 loss to Belgium on 22 June, as his country won its group before being eliminated by the Netherlands in the round of 16.[24]
Style of play
editMihăilă is primarily deployed as a winger on the left flank, his standout quality being his pace.[25] During Euro 2024, he showcased it by recording one of the fastest speeds of the tournament at 35.8 km/h.[26]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 9 November 2024[27]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental[a] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Universitatea Craiova | 2017–18 | Liga I | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018–19 | Liga I | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
| 2019–20 | Liga I | 28 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 9 | ||
| 2020–21 | Liga I | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| Total | 62 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 10 | ||
| Parma | 2020–21 | Serie A | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 17 | 4 | ||
| 2021–22 | Serie B | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 2 | |||
| 2022–23 | Serie B | 15 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 19 | 3 | ||
| 2023–24 | Serie B | 32 | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 6 | |||
| 2024–25 | Serie A | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Total | 88 | 13 | 7 | 2 | — | 2 | 0 | 97 | 15 | |||
| Atalanta (loan) | 2021–22 | Serie A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| Career total | 155 | 21 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 175 | 25 | ||
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in Serie B promotion play-offs
International
edit- As of match played 15 October 2024[28]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 2021 | 5 | 1 |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 1 | |
| Total | 28 | 5 | |
- Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mihăilă goal.[28]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 March 2021 | Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania |  North Macedonia |
2–0 | 3–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 19 June 2023 | Swissporarena, Lucerne, Switzerland |  Switzerland |
1–2 | 2–2 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
| 3 | 2–2 | |||||
| 4 | 12 September 2023 | Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania |  Kosovo |
2–0 | 2–0 | |
| 5 | 9 September 2024 | Steaua Stadium, Bucharest, Romania |  Lithuania |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League C |
Honours
editUniversitatea Craiova[27]
- Cupa României: 2017–18
- Supercupa României runner-up: 2018
Parma[27]
References
edit- ^ "La mulți ani, Valentin Mihăilă! #18" [Happy birthday, Valentin Mihăilă! #18] (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. 2 February 2018.
- ^ "Ascensiunea pepinierei: a debutat și Mihăilă în tricoul Științei!" [The ascent of our talent farm: Mihăilă also made his debut in the jersey of "Știința"] (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "RB Leipzig - Universitatea Craiova live - 9 August 2018 - Eurosport". Eurosport. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Valentin Mihăilă, la primul gol pentru Craiova. Cum a marcat noua "speranță" din Bănie la primul meci cu Papură pe bancă" [Valentin Mihăilă, the first goal for Craiova. How the new "jewel" from Bănie scored in the first match with Papură on the bench] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 19 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Cum a ajuns Valentin Mihăilă noua "perlă" a Craiovei: Astra a renunţat gratis la el! "Va fi cel mai scump transfer din fotbalul românesc!". EXCLUSIV" [How Valentin Mihăilă became the new "jewel" of Craiova: Astra gave him away for free! "It will be the most expensive transfer in Romanian football!". EXCLUSIVE] (in Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "Gigi Becali nu a jucat la derută, Victor Pițurcă a confirmat oferta de 5 milioane de euro pentru Mihăilă. "Nu pleacă nici pentru 10 milioane"" [Gigi Becali did not bluff, Victor Pițurcă confirmed the 5 million euros offer for Mihăilă. "He is not leaving, not even for 10 million"] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 17 December 2019.
- ^ "Universitatea Craiova – CFR Cluj 1-3. Veni, Vidi, Vinicius. Ardelenii revin spectaculos, câștigă al treilea titlu consecutiv și se pregătesc de preliminariile Champions League" [Universitatea Craiova – CFR Cluj 1-3. Veni, Vidi, Vinícius. Ardelenii turn the game around in a spectacular manner, win their third consecutive title and prepare for the Champions League qualifiers] (in Romanian). ProSport. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Official: Mihaila to Parma". Football Italia. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Răureanu, Remus (4 October 2020). "UPDATE Valentin Mihăilă a semnat pe 5 ani cu Parma » Dezvăluiri din culise: impresarul român care a realizat transferul de 8,5 milioane de euro" [UPDATE Valentin Mihăilă signed a 5-year contract with Parma » From behind the curtains: the Romanian agent who made the 8.5 million euros transfer possible]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Mitrita, in topul celor mai scumpi jucatori din istoria Ligii 1: Iata cati bani a incasat Craiova" [Mitriță, at the top of the most expensive players in the history of Liga 1: The sum earned by Craiova] (in Romanian). Ziare.com. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- ^ ""Craiova nu a păcălit Parma, totul a fost la vedere!". Omul care l-a descoperit pe Mihăilă iese în față" ["Craiova did not fool Parma, everything was crystal clear!" The man who discovered Mihăilă steps out] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ "Valentin Mihăilă a debutat în Serie A! Primele imagini cu atacantul român în tricoul Parmei pe teren. Echipa românului, învinsă" [Valentin Mihăilă made his debut in the Serie A! The first images with the Romanian forward on the field in Parma's shirt. The Romanian's team, defeated] (in Romanian). Telekom Sport. 3 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ Berardino, Nicola (21 January 2021). "Lazio ai quarti contro l'Atalanta: un autogol al 90' condanna il Parma" [Lazio in the quarter-finals against Atalanta: a 90th-minute own goal condemns Parma]. La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Ce au remarcat italienii după primul gol reuşit de Mihăilă în Serie A şi adevăratul motiv pentru care a fost rezervă" [What did the Italians observe after Mihăilă's first scored goal in Serie A and the true reason he was a substitute] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ "Finalmente! Il Parma c'è: è vivo per la corsa salvezza, 2-0 alla Roma. Hernani: "Eravamo convinti di farcela: ci crediamo"" [Finally! Parma is there: it is alive and in the race to save itself, 2–0 over Roma. Hernani: "We were convinced we could do it: we believe in it"]. Gazzetta di Parma (in Italian). 14 March 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
- ^ "Parma, retrogradată matematic în Serie B! Veste grea pentru Dennis Man și Valentin Mihăilă" [Parma, mathematically relegated to Serie B! Difficult news for Dennis Man and Valentin Mihăilă] (in Romanian). Eurosport România. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ "WELCOME MIHAILA!". Atalanta B.C. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "FOTO Românii au făcut show în primul meci al sezonului din Serie B! Dennis Man și Valentin Mihăilă, goluri în Parma - Bari" [PHOTO The Romanians put on a show in the first match of the Serie B season! Dennis Man and Valentin Mihăila, goals in Parma - Bari]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 12 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Mihăilă, de neoprit! Starul Craiovei a dat patru goluri cu Finlanda" [Mihăilă, unstoppable! The Craiova star scored four goals against Finland] (in Romanian). Realitatea Sportivă. 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Valentin Mihăilă, super-gol marcat la debut pentru România! Macedonenii n-au scăpat de ce s-au temut" [Valentin Mihăilă, super goal scored at the debut for Romania! The Macedonians could not escape from what they feared] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Valentin Mihăilă plătește scump "dubla" de poveste din Elveția! Ce a pățit după golul doi" [Mihăilă pays a heavy price after the amazing "double" in Switzerland! What happened after the second goal] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Ce spune Emil Săndoi despre debutul la EURO 2023, după ce Mihăilă și Grameni s-au accidentat: "Avem și noi o experiență"" [What does Emil Săndoi say after Mihăilă and Grameni got injured: "We also have experience"] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Lotul României pentru EURO 2024" [Romania's squad for EURO 2024] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Romania 0–3 Netherlands: Donyell Malen and Cody Gakpo score as Dutch reach quarters". BBC. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "POVESTEA LUI MIHĂILĂ, UNUL DINTRE CEI MAI RAPIZI JUCĂTORI ROMÂNI DIN ULTIMELE DECENII" [THE STORY OF MIHĂILĂ, ONE OF THE FASTEST ROMANIAN PLAYERS OF THE LAST DECADES] (in Romanian). Eurosport România. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ "Valentin Mihăilă, locul 4 în clasamentul celor mai rapizi jucători de la EURO 2024" [Valentin Mihăilă, 4th place in the ranking of the fastest players at EURO 2024] (in Romanian). Pro TV. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Valentin Mihăilă at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Valentin Mihăilă". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
External links
edit- Valentin Mihăilă at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
- Valentin Mihăilă at National-Football-Teams.com
- Valentin Mihăilă – UEFA competition record (archive)