CFR Cluj facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
CFR Cluj

Full name	SC Fotbal Club CFR 1907 Cluj SA
Nickname(s)	Ceferiștii (The CFR People) Clujenii (The Cluj People) Feroviarii (The Railwaymen) Alb-vișinii (The White and Burgundies) Echipa din Gruia (The Team from Gruia) Campioana Provinciei (The Provincial Champion)
Short name	CFR
Founded	10 November 1907; 117 years ago (10 November 1907) (as Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club)
Ground	Dr. Constantin Rădulescu
Ground Capacity	22,198
Owner	Ioan Varga
President	Cristian Balaj
Head coach	Dan Petrescu
League	Liga I
2024–25	Liga I, 2nd of 16
Home colours Away colours Third colours

CFR Cluj is a professional football club from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The club plays in Liga I, which is the top football league in Romania. It was founded in 1907 as Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club. The name "CFR" stands for "Căile Ferate Române," which means "Romanian Railways."

Before 2004, CFR Cluj mostly played in lower football leagues. After joining Liga I, the team started using more international players. In 2005–06, CFR Cluj played in its first European competition, the UEFA Intertoto Cup, and finished as a runner-up. With strong financial support from its former owner, Árpád Pászkány, the club won its first national championship in 2007–08. This was a big deal because it ended 17 years of teams from Bucharest winning the title.

Between 2017 and 2022, CFR Cluj, also known as "the White and Burgundies," won five Liga I championships in a row. The club has won 17 major trophies in Romania, all since the year 2000. These include eight Liga I titles, five Cupa României (Romanian Cup), and four Supercupa României (Romanian Supercup). CFR Cluj has also played in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League three times each, and the UEFA Europa Conference League twice.

CFR Cluj has a big rivalry with the local team Universitatea Cluj. Their matches are called Derbiul Clujului. Recently, they also developed a rivalry with FCSB because they often compete for the Liga I title.

Club History

How it Started (1907–1969)

The Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club team in 1911.

CFR Cluj was founded in 1907. At that time, Cluj-Napoca was called Kolozsvár and was part of Austria-Hungary. The club's first name was Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club, meaning "Kolozsvár Railway Sports Club."

From 1907 to 1910, the team played in the city championship. In 1911, they won the new Championship of Transylvania. They often finished second in this competition until World War I stopped it in 1914. After the war, Transylvania became part of Romania. The club then changed its name to CFR Cluj, keeping its connection to the national railway system. They won two regional titles in 1918–19 and 1919–20.

Between 1920 and 1934, the club did not win any major titles. From 1934 to 1936, CFR played two seasons in Divizia B (the second league). In 1936, they were moved down to Divizia C (the third league). After World War II, CFR played one season in Divizia C and was promoted to Divizia B.

Before the 1947–48 season, CFR merged with another local club, Ferar Cluj. This allowed them to play in Divizia A (the top league) for the first time. However, they only stayed in the top league for two years. They would not return for another 20 years. In 1960, the team merged again with Rapid Cluj and was called CSM Cluj. In 1964, the name changed to Clujeana. Three years later, the team's name became CFR Cluj again.

Back to the Top League (1969–1976)

Chart showing CFR's yearly positions in national leagues from 1943 to 2017.

In 1969, CFR Cluj won Divizia B and was promoted to Divizia A. This was under the guidance of coach Constantin Rădulescu. He had played for CFR and another local team, Universitatea Cluj, in the 1940s.

CFR started its 1969–70 top-league season with a 2–0 win. However, they struggled in other games. They managed to avoid being moved down to a lower league. In the 1970–71 season, CFR Cluj again fought to stay in Divizia A. A late goal in their last game helped them avoid relegation.

Constantin Rădulescu, a key coach for the club in the 1970s.

The 1971–72 season started poorly for CFR. But they made a comeback, winning important games. They again avoided relegation thanks to late goals in their final match. When the team returned to Cluj, 3,000 fans celebrated their success.

In 1972, CFR signed Mihai Adam, a top scorer from Universitatea Cluj. With Adam, the 1972–73 season became CFR's most successful. They reached their highest league position ever, finishing fifth in Divizia A. The stadium CFR uses today was built in 1973.

The 1973–74 and 1974–75 seasons were tough, with CFR barely avoiding relegation. Mihai Adam, at 33, was still a top scorer in 1973–74 with 23 goals. The 1975–76 season was CFR's last in Divizia A for the rest of the 20th century. The team was getting older, which was a challenge.

Tough Times in Lower Leagues (1976–2002)

After being relegated in 1976, CFR Cluj spent many years in the second and third divisions. In 1977–78, they almost returned to the top league but finished second in Divizia B. In 1982, they dropped to the third division.

During the 1990s, CFR faced financial problems and was almost bankrupt many times. Despite these difficulties, the club helped develop several talented players.

New Ownership and First Titles (2002–2012)

In January 2002, a new sponsor, Árpád Pászkány, took over the club. By the end of the 2001–02 season, CFR was promoted back to Divizia B (now Liga II).

In 2003, many new talented players joined CFR. The team had a great season in Divizia B and was promoted to the top league (Divizia A) in 2004. They started strong in Divizia A, even leading the league for a while. After some challenges, CFR won their last match 3–0 and returned to the top of the league for the first time in 28 years.

CFR Cluj's first year back in Divizia A (2004–05) was mixed. They finished 11th, avoiding relegation. In 2005, CFR Cluj joined the UEFA Intertoto Cup, which was their first time playing in a European competition. They did very well, even beating Athletic Bilbao from Spain. They also had exciting draws against French club Saint-Étienne. CFR reached the final match of the Intertoto Cup but lost to another French team, RC Lens.

CFR Cluj players at Stamford Bridge before a game against Chelsea, December 2008.

In 2006–07, big changes happened. New foreign players joined, and the club partnered with Portuguese team Benfica. In July 2007, CFR Cluj celebrated its 100th birthday with a friendly game against Benfica and new stadium lights.

Under coach Ioan Andone, CFR Cluj had an amazing 2007–08 season. They led the league for a long time and won the title on the last day, becoming the first team outside Bucharest to win in almost 20 years. A few days later, they also won the Romanian Cup, completing a "double" (winning both the league and cup).

Winning the league meant CFR Cluj qualified for the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League group stage. They surprised everyone by beating A.S. Roma 2–1 in Italy and drawing 0–0 with Chelsea.

In 2009, CFR Cluj won the Romanian Cup again and then the Romanian Supercup. In the 2009–10 season, they won the league title for the second time. They also kept the Romanian Cup and qualified for the Champions League group stage again.

The 2011–12 season brought CFR Cluj its third league title. They won many games at the end of the season to secure first place.

Challenges and Comeback (2012–2017)

After 2012, the club faced some tough times. In the 2012–13 season, they finished 9th in the league. However, they did very well in the Champions League, earning 10 points in their group. This is still a record for a Romanian team. They even won 1–0 against Manchester United at their home stadium, Old Trafford.

In 2014–15, CFR Cluj faced serious financial problems. The Romanian Football Federation took away 24 points from them, putting them in last place. Many players left. But the club fought the decision and won, getting their points back. This helped them finish third in the league. CFR Cluj then won the 2016 Cupa României final against Dinamo București after a penalty shootout. This was their first trophy since 2012.

Winning Streak and European Return (2017–Present)

In early 2017, the club got new owners and was able to solve its financial issues. This meant CFR Cluj could play in European competitions again starting in the 2018–19 season. In June 2017, Dan Petrescu became the head coach.

On May 20, 2018, "the Railwaymen" won their fourth Liga I title. They also won the 2018 Supercupa României later that year. In 2019, under Dan Petrescu again, CFR Cluj won its fifth Liga I title.

The club had a great run in European competitions in 2019–20. They beat teams like Celtic to reach the Champions League play-off round. They then played in the Europa League group stages, finishing second in their group with 12 points, a record for a Romanian team. They were eventually knocked out by Sevilla, who went on to win the competition. On August 3, 2020, CFR Cluj won its third league title in a row, and sixth overall.

CFR continued to play in European competitions in 2020–21 and 2021–22, reaching the group stages of the Europa League and the new UEFA Europa Conference League.

CFR Cluj celebrating their fifth consecutive Liga I title at the end of the 2021–22 season.

While their European journey in 2021–22 was challenging, CFR Cluj had an amazing season in Romania. They won the regular season by a large margin. Even after a few losses in the play-offs, they quickly recovered and won four games in a row. On May 14, 2022, CFR Cluj won their match against Craiova 2–1 to secure their fifth consecutive Liga I title. This made them the team with the most titles outside the capital (eight) and the only Romanian team in the 21st century to win five titles in a row.

In the 2023–24 season, CFR Cluj finished second in Liga I. They also reached the quarter-finals of the Romanian Cup.

Stadium

The Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Stadium in 2012

CFR Cluj plays almost all its home games at the Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Stadium. The stadium was made bigger in 2008 and can now hold up to 22,198 fans. It meets all the rules set by UEFA, which means it can host important matches like those in the UEFA Champions League.

In 2006–07, the club invested a lot of money to improve the stadium. They put in a better playing field, a modern lighting system, and updated other facilities. All these improvements were finished for the club's 100th anniversary in 2007.

Support

A survey in 2011 showed that CFR Cluj has the fourth-largest number of supporters in Romania. They have many fans in Cluj-Napoca and other parts of the country. The main group of fans is called "Peluza Vișinie." There is also a group of Hungarian fans called KVSK, which is the Hungarian name for CFR.

Rivalries

CFR fans at a home game in 2010

CFR Cluj has a strong rivalry with its local opponent, Universitatea Cluj. Their first match was played on October 13, 1920, where CFR won 8–0.

In recent years, matches between FCSB (formerly FC Steaua București) and CFR Cluj have become very important. This is because both teams often compete for the national title.

CFR Cluj also has smaller rivalries with other teams like Dinamo București, Rapid București, Universitatea Craiova, and Politehnica Timișoara.

Honours

Domestic Titles

Leagues

• Divizia A / Liga I
  • Winners (8): 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
  • Runners-up (2): 2023–24, 2024–25
• Divizia B / Liga II
  • Winners (2): 1968–69, 2003–04
• Divizia C / Liga III
  • Winners (7): 1946–47, 1982–83, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1995–96, 2001–02

Cups

• Cupa României
  • Winners (5): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2015–16, 2024–25
• Supercupa României
  • Winners (4): 2009, 2010, 2018, 2020

European Competitions

• UEFA Intertoto Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2005 (joint runners-up)

European Statistics

Important Wins

Season	Match	Score
UEFA Intertoto Cup
2005	CFR – Athletic Bilbao	1 – 0
UEFA Champions League
2008–09	CFR – AS Roma	2 – 1
2012–13	CFR – Manchester United	1 – 0
UEFA Europa League
2019–20	CFR – Lazio	2 – 1
2019–20	CFR – Celtic Glasgow	2 – 0
UEFA Conference League
2022–23	CFR – Slavia Prague	2 – 0

Players

Current First Team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Rareș Gal 3 DF Aly Abeid 4 DF Léo Bolgado 6 DF Sheriff Sinyan 7 FW Mohammed Kamara 8 MF Alin Fică 9 FW Louis Munteanu 10 MF Ciprian Deac (Vice-captain) 11 MF Adrian Păun (3rd captain) 12 GK Mihai Pînzariu 13 DF Simão Rocha 17 FW Meriton Korenica 18 MF Lindon Emërllahu 19 FW Marko Gjorgjievski 20 DF Alexandru Țîrlea 27 DF Matei Ilie

No. Position Player 28 MF Robert Filip 29 FW Moussa Samaké 44 DF Daniel Dumbrăvanu 45 DF Mário Camora (captain) 49 FW Lorenzo Biliboc 73 MF Karlo Muhar 77 MF Andres Sfait 86 MF Viktor Kun 88 MF Damjan Đoković (4th captain) 89 GK Otto Hindrich 90 MF Răzvan Gligor 93 FW Virgiliu Postolachi 96 FW Béni Nkololo 98 FW David Ciubăncan 99 GK Alessandro Micai

Other Players Under Contract

No. Position Player 15 FW Muhammed Badamosi 22 DF Kenneth Omeruo 23 FW Tudor Cociș 33 DF Antonio Bosec 42 DF Matija Boben

No. Position Player 47 DF Anton Krešić 78 DF Costel Avram MF Drilon Islami FW Emmanuel Mensah

Players Out on Loan

No. Position Player GK Mihai Răcășan (to CSM Slatina until 30 June 2026) GK Adrian Frânculescu (to CSA Steaua București until 30 June 2026) DF Dominik Șoptirean (to Unirea Ungheni until 30 June 2026) DF Mohamed Diomandé (to Olimpia Satu Mare until 30 June 2026)

No. Position Player MF George Leață (to CSM Slatina until 30 June 2026) MF Emmanuel Okoro (to Corvinul Hunedoara until 30 June 2026) FW Muhammed Hayatu (to Corvinul Hunedoara until 30 June 2026) FW Theo Yolou (to Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț until 30 June 2026)

Club Officials

Board of Directors Role Name Owner Ioan Varga Minority Shareholders Ștefan Gadola Marian Băgăcean President Marian Băgăcean Executive President Cristian Balaj Sporting directors Bogdan Mara Marius Bilașco Economic Director Simona Baciu Technical director Mugurel Dan Marketing Director Tudor Pop Team Manager Cristian Panin Scouting Director Răzvan Zamfir Head of Youth Development George Galamaz Director of Youth Development Daniel Huza Sporting Secretary Iustin Balaj Responsible for Order and Safety Augustin Goga Press Officer Oana Sabău Last updated: 9 July 2024 Source:

Current Coaching Staff Role Name Head coach Dan Petrescu Assistant coaches Laurențiu Rus Ovidiu Hoban Goalkeeping coach Mihai Ștețca Fitness coaches Cristian Dragotă Andrei Dăngulea Vasile Demeter Club Doctor Cosmin Traian Physiotherapists Florin Molnar Viorel Boncoi Masseurs Iosif Mureșan Bogdan Rus Last updated: 10 July 2025 Source:

UEFA Club Ranking

Here is CFR Cluj's current ranking among European clubs, based on their performance in UEFA competitions for the 2024–2025 season.

Position Club Coefficient 86 Sturm Graz 19.000 87 CFR Cluj 19.000 88 Lech Poznań 19.000

All Time Records

• Biggest victory: CFR Cluj – Minaur Zlatna 10–0 (October 4, 2003)
• Biggest defeat: CFR București – CFR Cluj 12–2 (April 20, 1949)
• Player with most games in Liga I: Camora (419 games)
• Player with most goals in Liga I: Ciprian Deac (79 goals)
• Biggest European home win: CFR Cluj 5–0 Alashkert (August 16, 2018, UEFA Europa League)
• Biggest European away win: Vėtra 1–4 CFR Cluj (June 26, 2005, UEFA Intertoto Cup)
• Biggest European home defeat: CFR Cluj 0–4 Bayern Munich (October 19, 2010, UEFA Champions League)
• Biggest European away defeat: A.S. Roma 5–0 CFR Cluj (November 5, 2020, UEFA Europa League)

Other Records

• Since the 2012–13 season, CFR Cluj holds the record for the most points earned by any Romanian club in the UEFA Champions League group stages, with 10 points. They had 3 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.
• CFR Cluj also holds the record for most points scored by any Romanian club in the UEFA Europa League group stages, with 12 points. This happened in the 2019–20 season, with 4 wins and 2 losses.

Notable Former Players

The players listed below have played for their national teams. Players whose name is in bold played for their country while at CFR Cluj or had many games and goals for the club.

Notable Former Managers