FC Rapid București facts for kids
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Full name | Fotbal Club Rapid 1923 SA | |||
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Short name | Rapid | |||
Founded | 25 June 1923 as CFR București 2016 (refounded) as Mişcarea Feroviară CFR București |
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Ground | Superbet Arena-Giulești | |||
Capacity | 14,047 | |||
Owners | Dan Șucu (80%) Victor Angelescu (20%) |
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Chairman | Viorel Moldovan | |||
Head coach | Marius Șumudică | |||
League | Liga I | |||
2023–24 | Liga I, 6th of 16 | |||
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Fotbal Club Rapid 1923, known as Rapid București, is a professional football club from Bucharest, Romania. They play in the top Romanian league, Liga I. The club started in 1923, founded by workers from the Grivița workshops. It was first called Asociația Culturală și Sportivă CFR.
Rapid București is one of Romania's most successful football teams. They have won three national titles, 13 Romanian Cups, and four Romanian Supercups. In international games, they reached the quarter-finals of the 1972–73 Cup Winners' Cup and the 2005–06 UEFA Cup. They also made it to the final of the 1940 Mitropa Cup, but this game was never played because of World War II. In 2016, the club faced financial problems and was declared bankrupt. However, it was refounded and returned to the top league in 2021.
Since 1939, Rapid has played its home matches in burgundy and white uniforms. Their stadium was the Valentin Stănescu Stadium. A new stadium, the Rapid-Giulești, replaced it in 2022. The team has strong rivalries with other Bucharest clubs like FCSB, Dinamo București, and Steaua București. They also have a rivalry with Petrolul Ploiești.
Contents
Rapid București: A Club's Journey
Early Days: 1923 to 1932
On June 25, 1923, railway workers from the Grivița area of Bucharest created the CFR Cultural and Sports Association. Teofil Copaci became the first president, and Grigore Grigoriu was the first team captain. The team's first uniforms were made from burgundy fabric at Grigoriu's home.
Their first game was on October 28, 1923, against Unirea Timișoara, which they lost 4–8. They lost their second match against Gloria Arad 1–2. Until 1932, CFR played in the Bucharest Championship. They did not qualify for the national league's final tournament during this time.
Golden Years and Cup Wins: 1932 to 1945
The club joined the top league, Divizia A, in the 1932–33 season. Before World War II, Rapid was one of Romania's best teams. They often won the cup but never the championship, though they came very close. One time, Rapid lost the title because a player was honest. During a key match against Venus București, a Rapid player touched the ball with his hand in the penalty area. The referee did not see it at first. When the crowd protested, he asked the player, who admitted to touching the ball.
Period | Name |
1923–1937 | CFR București |
1937–1945 | Rapid București |
1945–1950 | CFR București |
1950–1958 | Locomotiva București |
1958–2016 | Rapid București |
2016–2017 | Mişcarea Feroviară CFR București |
2017–2018 | Academia Rapid București |
2018–2019 | Fotbal Club R București |
2019–present | Fotbal Club Rapid 1923 |
Venus scored from the penalty kick, making it a 1–1 draw. This allowed Venus to finish first in the league instead of Rapid. In this period, Rapid won seven Romanian Cups, six of them in a row. These wins happened between 1934–35 and 1941–42.
In 1937, the club changed its name from CFR București to Rapid București. They chose this name after the famous Austrian club Rapid Wien. The "railway workers" were still popular and had many fans. Some players were even chosen for the national team. Rapid also won the Bessarabia Cup in 1942. They reached the final of the Mitropa Cup in 1940, which was like an early version of the UEFA Champions League. However, the final was never played due to World War II.
The Railwaymen: A Strong Team (1945–1970)
After World War II, Rapid returned to the Bucharest Championship in 1945–46. The club then went back to its old name, CFR, and joined the 1946–47 Divizia A season. They finished 5th. In the 1948–49 season, "the White and Burgundies" finished 2nd. On March 20, 1949, CFR București had their biggest win ever, beating CFR Cluj 12–2.
In the 1950s, under the new communist government, the club's name changed to Locomotiva. This was similar to the Soviet name Lokomotiv, which was used for all railway teams. Rapid finished 2nd again in the 1950 season. In 1951, they were relegated to Liga II for the first time. They returned to the top league a year later. In 1954, Locomotiva was relegated again. But they came back to Divizia A after just one year.
In 1958, the team changed its name back to Rapid. The 1960s were a great time for Rapid football. In 1961, Rapid reached the Romanian Cup final but lost 1–2 to Arieșul Turda. The next season, Rapid reached the final again but lost 1–5 to Steaua București.
Rapid finished 2nd three years in a row from 1963–64 to 1965–66. This motivated "the Railwaymen" to achieve their best performance yet. At the end of the 1966–67 season, they won their first Divizia A title! The team was coached by Valentin Stănescu and Victor Stănculescu. Ion Ionescu was the top scorer with 15 goals. In the 1967–68 European Cup, Rapid beat the Bulgarian champion, Botev Plovdiv, but then lost to Juventus.
Challenges and Comebacks: 1970 to 1990
Rapid's strong performance continued into the 1970–71 season, where they finished 2nd. Despite some weaker league results, Rapid won the Romanian Cup in 1972. They beat Jiul Petroșani 2–0. In the 1971–72 UEFA Cup, Rapid had impressive results, beating Napoli and Legia Warsaw. They were stopped by Tottenham Hotspur. In the 1972–73 European Cup Winners' Cup, they beat Landskrona BoIS and Rapid Wien. However, they were eliminated by another English team, Leeds United.
In 1973–74, Rapid was relegated for the third time. But they quickly returned to the top league after just one year in the second division. They also won the Romanian Cup in the same season, which was surprising for a second-division team. In the 1974–75 Cupa României campaign, Rapid beat strong teams like Dinamo București and Steaua București. In the final, they faced Universitatea Craiova, the top league champions. Rapid won 2–1 in extra time.
Back in Divizia A, Rapid had two average seasons and was relegated again in 1976–77. This began a difficult period for the club, with six straight seasons in Divizia B. This time also saw a strong rivalry develop with Petrolul Ploiești and Progresul București. A match against Progresul in 1980 had over 50,000 fans, a record for a second-division game. Rapid returned to the first division in 1983, thanks to coaches Valentin Stănescu and Viorel Kraus.
Rapid then had some disappointing seasons in Divizia A. They suffered their biggest loss ever, 0–9 against Corvinul Hunedoara in 1985. They also had their biggest home loss, 2–8 against Steaua București in 1989. After these results, the team was relegated to Liga II for the fifth time. However, they had a good season in the second league and were promoted again.
A Glorious Period: 1990 to 2008
After being promoted back to the top league, Rapid improved over the next two seasons, finishing 7th and then 4th. In 1993, George Copos bought the club, starting a very successful time for "the White and Burgundies."
After finishing 4th in 1993, Rapid returned to European Cups after 18 years. They were eliminated in the first round of the UEFA Cup by Inter Milan. In 1994, they finished 4th again in Divizia A. In the 1994–95 UEFA Cup, they beat Charleroi but were eliminated by Eintracht Frankfurt. In the 1995–96 season, the team finished 3rd, qualifying for the UEFA Cup again. They beat Lokomotiv Sofia but were then eliminated by Karlsruher SC.

With Mircea Lucescu as the new coach, Rapid had a very good 1997–98 season. They finished 2nd in the championship, just two points behind Steaua București. They missed winning the title, their first since 1967. However, Rapid won their 10th Romanian Cup, their first since 1975. In the final, they beat Craiova. This win brought the team back to the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The 1998–99 season was amazing for Rapid. They finished 1st with 89 points, winning their second Romanian championship title! This was a huge achievement for the club.
The 1999–2000 season was also good for Rapid. They finished 2nd in the league. In the UEFA Champions League, they were eliminated by Skonto from Latvia. The 2000–01 season saw changes in coaches. Rapid finished 4th in the league and reached the quarter-finals of the Romanian Cup. The next season, with Viorel Hizo as coach, Rapid finished 3rd in the league. They also won their 11th Romanian Cup, beating Dinamo București 2–1 in the final.
The 2002–03 season was fantastic for the club. They won their third league title, finishing 1st with a 7-point lead over Steaua București. The team was coached by Mircea Rednic.
The 2003–04 season was not as good. Rapid finished 3rd. In the UEFA Champions League, they were eliminated by Anderlecht. The 2004–05 season started with a new coach, Răzvan Lucescu. Rapid finished 3rd again.
The 3rd place finish in the league qualified the club for the 2005–06 UEFA Cup season. Rapid had their best European season ever, reaching the quarter-finals. They beat teams like Sant Julià, Vardar, and Feyenoord. In the group stage, they won against Rennes, Shakhtar Donetsk, and PAOK. They also beat German teams like Hertha and tied with Hamburg. "The Burgundy Eagles" were finally stopped in the quarter-finals by another Romanian team, FCSB. This was a very memorable season for both clubs and Romanian football. Rapid also lost the Romanian title to FCSB but won the Romanian Cup.
In the next two seasons, Rapid finished 4th (2006–07) and 3rd (2007–08). They won another Romanian Cup title in 2007. They also continued to play in the UEFA Cup, reaching the group stage in 2006–07.
Challenges and Rebirth: 2008 to Present
After the 2007–08 season, Rapid faced financial difficulties. The team's performance also declined. They finished in mid-table positions for several years. However, they had a final burst of success in the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons. Under coaches Marius Șumudică, Marian Rada, and Răzvan Lucescu, they finished 4th twice in a row. This led to new appearances in the UEFA Europa League. They reached the group stage in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League season.
On May 10, 2013, the Romanian Football Federation decided not to give the club a license for the 2013–14 season. The club was then sold. After some legal challenges, Rapid was relegated to the second league.
Relegated for the sixth time, Rapid tried to bounce back despite financial problems. Under coach Viorel Moldovan, a former player, "the Burgundy Eagles" had a good season. They finished 2nd in 2013–14, earning promotion back to the first league. However, the Romanian Football Federation again denied them a license for the 2014–15 season. Rapid appealed, and with donations from supporters for the legal fees, they won their appeal and were granted the license.
The club was then bought by Valerii Moraru. But the team had a very weak season, finishing 16th and being relegated back to Liga II for the seventh time. Back in Liga II, Rapid had a solid season despite growing debts. They were promoted in 2015–16, finishing 1st. However, the club could not recover financially. On December 14, 2016, Rapid was officially declared bankrupt.
Rebirth and Return to Top Flight
In summer 2016, with the original club unable to play, supporters and former club members started new teams in lower leagues. Two new clubs emerged: AFC Rapid București and Mişcarea Feroviară CFR. Both teams played well and were promoted to Liga IV.
In summer 2017, the Sector 1 Municipality helped create Academia Rapid București. This club joined the Liga IV – Bucharest series. Former Rapid players like Daniel Niculae (president) and Daniel Pancu (technical director) led this new club. Academia Rapid became very popular with fans, who saw it as the true successor to the original club. Mișcarea Feroviară disappeared around this time.
Academia Rapid had a great season, winning the 2017–18 Liga IV Bucharest title. They also won the Bucharest preliminary rounds of the Romanian Cup. The "phoenix club" of Rapid then qualified for Liga III after winning a play-off match 17–1.
On June 12, 2018, Academia Rapid bought the FC Rapid București brand for €406,800. This officially made them the successor to the original club. Most supporters and club legends already accepted this. A match against Steaua București on April 14 saw 37,000 fans attend, showing huge support.
The 2018–19 season had some challenges for Rapid. Despite being 1st in the league, the team's play was not always strong. Coach Constantin Schumacher was replaced by former player Daniel Pancu. On November 24, Rapid played its last game at the old Giulesti stadium, which was later demolished to build a new, modern stadium. They played future matches at Regie until the new stadium was ready. On May 12, Rapid secured promotion to Liga II. They finished 1st with 75 points.
The 2019–20 season saw Rapid in the Romanian second division. Daniel Pancu was the head coach. After a strong start, the team's performance dropped, and Pancu was replaced by Dan Alexa. Alexa also struggled, and then Adrian Iencsi took over. Finally, Mihai Iosif, the assistant coach, became the head coach. Iosif succeeded in bringing Rapid back to the first Romanian League, Liga I. Rapid started the 2021–22 season in Liga I very well, with five wins in a row and no goals conceded in seven matches, setting a new record in Romania.
Club Identity
Colors
Rapid București's official colors are white and burgundy. These colors are on the club's crest and uniforms. They were chosen by the club's founders: Teofil Copaci, Grigore Grigoriu, Dumitru Constantinescu, Géza Ginzer, Tudor Petre, and Franz Hladt. The very first uniform was made from burgundy fabric at Grigore Grigoriu's house.
Crest
The Rapid Bucharest crest often featured the CFR (Romanian Railways) symbol. During the early communist era, Rapid was forced to use the name CFR Bucharest. In 1950, it became Locomotiva Bucharest, with a red steam locomotive as its symbol. In 1958, the club returned to the name Rapid Bucharest. The current crest, chosen in 2001, is said to be inspired by Benfica Lisbon, a famous Portuguese club with an eagle on its emblem.
Anthem
The Rapid anthem, "We are everywhere at home," was created by Victor Socaciu with lyrics by Adrian Păunescu. It was written in June 1980. The words came quickly to Păunescu, and he wrote them down on a napkin. For the club's 100th anniversary, the club released a music album, and club president Daniel Niculae even sang on it.
Home Grounds
Stadium
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Location | 18 Giulești Way, Giulești, Bucharest Bucharest, Romania |
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Owner | CS Rapid București |
Capacity | 14,047 |
Surface | Grass |
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Broke ground | 26 February 2019 |
Opened | 26 March 2022 |
Architect | Construcții Erbașu |
The history of the Giulești-Valentin Stănescu Stadium began in 1934. CFR started building a football field on Giulești Road. The stadium was officially opened on June 10, 1939. At that time, it was Romania's most modern stadium. It was a smaller copy of Arsenal's Highbury Stadium, with space for 12,160 people. King Carol II and his son, King Michael, attended the opening.
In the mid-1990s, the north stands were finished, increasing the capacity to 19,100 seats. In 2003, the pitch was changed and was considered the best in Romania. Floodlights were added in 2000. In 2001, the stadium was named "Valentin Stănescu" to honor the manager who won Rapid's first championship. However, it is still often called "Giulești Stadium" after the neighborhood.
The old stadium closed on November 24, 2018. It was demolished from January to May 2019 to make way for the new, modern Rapid Arena. The new stadium's construction was funded by the Romanian government and UEFA. Bucharest was one of the host cities for UEFA Euro 2020.
After the Giulești Stadium closed, Rapid temporarily moved to the Regie Stadium. This was the former home of Sportul Studențesc. Before moving, Rapid had to invest in rebuilding the Regie Stadium. After being promoted to Liga I in summer 2021, the team played at the Arena Națională. The new Stadium Rapid-Giulești, also known as Superbet Arena, opened on March 26, 2022. It cost €67 million and can hold up to 14,050 fans.
Training Facilities
The ProRapid sports center is in the north-western part of Bucharest. It was bought by former owner George Copos and opened in 1998. It had four football fields and modern training facilities. Over time, the facility became less maintained. However, in the late 1990s, "Pro Rapid" was considered the most modern training base in Romania.
The facility covers five hectares and includes playgrounds, tennis courts, and an indoor swimming pool. There is a building where players used to train. The main building had living areas for players, medical rooms, changing rooms, and a gym. Another building housed youth team players, a bar, and a restaurant. In June 2016, the company SC FC Rapid SA went bankrupt. The ProRapid base started to decline. Currently, the football team trains at the Coresi training base.
Fan Support
Rapid București is a very popular club. A 2013 survey showed it was the third-most supported club in Romania. About 20% of football fans in Bucharest support Rapid. A special group called the "Aristocratic Club of Rapid" was founded in 2000. Its members are well-known artists who work to protect Rapid's history and traditions.
Originally, Rapid was the railway club, so most of its early supporters were railway workers. New fans started joining in the 1930s. This was when Rapid's legendary team played exciting football and won many Romanian Cups.
In 1967, actor Mihai Ioan taught supporters how to sing chants. He became the first leader of the fan section. Today, Rapid's main fan groups are Peluza Nord and Tribuna II (t2 Rapid). Rapid fans were the first in Romania to start the "ultras" movement in the 1980s. The first ultras groups, like Official Hooligans, Bombardierii, and Ultras Unione, were formed in 1998. Many other groups appeared later.
Rapid supporters have a 30-year friendship with fans of Politehnica Timișoara. This friendship began at the Romanian Cup final in 1981.
Club Rivalries
Bucharest Derby
Rapid's biggest rivalries are against neighboring clubs like FC Steaua București. The two clubs have played over 130 matches. Their first game was Rapid's 1–0 victory on November 4, 1947. Matches between Steaua and Rapid have often led to intense clashes between fans. Both teams are known for being very strong in Romanian football, along with Dinamo. The rivalry became even stronger after Steaua beat Rapid in a Romanian quarter-final match in the 2005–06 UEFA Cup. This rivalry also extends to other sports.
Primvs Derby
Another strong rival for Rapid is Petrolul Ploiești. This is called the Primus Derby, and it is the oldest football derby in Romania. It is a very intense rivalry where fans create amazing displays and cheer loudly for their teams. The rivalry began in the 1965–66 season. Petrolul and Rapid fought for the Romanian championship title, which Petrolul won. A year later, Rapid got their revenge and won their first title.
In the 1973–74 season, both teams were relegated to Division B together. They were both in Division B again from 1978 to 1982. A memorable match between them took place in 1982 at Stadionul Steaua. Rapid won 5–1 in front of 35,000 fans. Another important match was the Romanian Cup final in 1995. Petrolul won their second cup after beating Rapid in a penalty shootout. This rivalry also extends to other sports.
Rapid also had other rivals in Bucharest, such as Dinamo București, Progresul București, and Venus București. They also had derbies against other railway teams like CFR Cluj and CFR Timișoara. Less important rivalries include those with Universitatea Cluj, Farul Constanța, Universitatea Craiova, and UTA Arad.
Club Management and Ownership
Rapid became a joint-stock company in 1992. The club's ownership is currently divided, with Dan Șucu and Victor Angelescu holding most of the shares. After the first bankruptcy, FC Rapid could not sign new contracts. This meant they could not build a team for the 2016–17 season. On December 14, 2016, Rapid was officially declared bankrupt.
Since 1992, businessman George Copos led the club. He sold the club to Nicolae Cristescu in 2013, who then sold it to Valerii Moraru. On June 12, 2018, Academia Rapid bought the Rapid Bucharest brand. This made them the official successor to the original club. On July 26, 2018, Victor Angelescu bought about 40% of the club's shares. In 2022, he became the main shareholder. On May 24, 2022, businessman Dan Sucu bought 50% of the club's shares.
Club Achievements and Records

Rapid has played 69 seasons in Liga I and 15 seasons in Liga II. This places them third for the most appearances in Liga I, after Dinamo București and FCSB.
Rapid has played in 88 editions of the Romanian Cup, winning 13 times. They have also appeared in the Romanian Supercup twelve times, winning four of them. In European competitions, the club has played 95 matches over 22 seasons. They won the Balkan Cup twice (1963–64, 1964–66) and the European Railway Championship in 1968. They were also finalists in the European Railway Championship in 1961 and 1971.
Since the championship began, the team has finished first three times and second 14 times. Their lowest ranking was 16th in 1973–74, which led to relegation. Rapid has often had the best offense in the league and the best defense six times.
Between 1990 and 2012, Rapid achieved its most important recent results. They won two league titles and had good runs in European cups. The player with the most appearances for the team is Nae Stanciu, who played for 12 years. Ion Ionescu is the team's top scorer with 107 goals. Dumitru Macri was captain for 14 years, playing 221 matches. Ilie Greavu is second with 294 games, followed by Constantin Năsturescu with 288 games. Daniel Pancu is the club's second top scorer with 94 goals.
Many coaches have led Rapid. The first was Marin Himer (1923–1925). The longest-serving coach was Valentin Stănescu, who coached for five seasons. He won the first championship in 1967. Mircea Lucescu won the championship in 1999, and Mircea Rednic won it in 2003. Valentin Stănescu is Rapid's most successful coach. He led the team to historical achievements, including two Balkan Cups and the national championship. Ion Motroc spent nine years as a player. As a coach, he caused a big surprise by winning the Romanian Cup while the team was in the Second Division. Razvan Lucescu coached from 2004 to 2007. He led the club to its best European performance, reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.
Honours
Domestic Competitions
Leagues
- Liga I
- Winners (3): 1966–67, 1998–99, 2002–03
- Runners-up (14): 1936–37, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1950, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2005–06
- Liga II
- Winners (6): 1952, 1955, 1974–75, 1982–83, 1989–90, 2015–16
- Runners-up (4): 1979–80, 1981–82, 2013–14, 2020–21
- Liga III
- Winners (1): 2018–19
- Liga IV – Bucharest
- Winners (1): 2017–18
- Liga V – Bucharest (as Mișcarea Feroviară CFR)
- Winners (1): 2016–17
Cups
- Cupa României
- Winners (13): 1934–35, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2006–07
- Runners-up (6): 1960–61, 1961–62, 1967–68, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2011–12
- Supercupa României
- Winners (4): 1999, 2002, 2003, 2007
- Runners-up (2): 1998, 2006
- Cupa României – Bucharest
- Winners (1): 2017–18
- Cupa Ligii
- Winners (1): 1994 (Friendly)
- Cupa Basarabiei
- Winners (1): 1942
- Cupa Primăverii
- Winners (1): 1957
Continental Competitions
- Mitropa Cup
- Finalists (1): 1940
- Balkans Cup
- Winners (2): 1963–64, 1964–66
- European Railways Cup
- Winners (1): 1968
- Runners-up (2): 1961, 1971
Current Players
First Team Squad
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Other Players Under Contract
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Players Out on Loan
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Club Officials
League Performance History
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- As CS Mișcarea CFR București.
Notable Former Players
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Notable Former Managers
Stefan Auer
Iuliu Baratky
Viorel Hizo
Viorel Kraus
Mircea Lucescu
Răzvan Lucescu
Nicolae Lupescu
Bazil Marian
Nicolae Manea
Ion Motroc
Daniel Pancu
Mircea Rădulescu
Mircea Rednic
Ferenc Rónay
Alfréd Schaffer
Valentin Stănescu
Petre Steinbach
Marius Șumudică