Mihai Alexandru Bălașa (born 14 January 1995) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays for Liga I side Sepsi OSK as a defender.
![]() Bălașa captaining FCSB in 2017 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Mihai Alexandru Bălașa[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1995-01-14) 14 January 1995 (age 27) | ||
Place of birth | Târgoviște, Romania | ||
Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Sepsi OSK | ||
Number | 44 | ||
Youth career | |||
2004–2006 | FCM Târgoviște | ||
2006–2007 | Concordia Chiajna | ||
2007–2009 | CSȘ Târgoviște | ||
2009–2012 | Gheorghe Hagi Academy | ||
2013–2014 | Roma | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2012–2013 | Viitorul Constanța | 23 | (1) |
2014–2017 | Roma | 0 | (0) |
2014–2016 | → Crotone (loan) | 53 | (2) |
2016–2017 | → Trapani (loan) | 8 | (0) |
2017–2019 | FCSB | 61 | (0) |
2019–2022 | Universitatea Craiova | 57 | (3) |
2022– | Sepsi OSK | 11 | (1) |
National team‡ | |||
2011–2012 | Romania U17 | 3 | (0) |
2012–2013 | Romania U18 | 10 | (0) |
2012–2014 | Romania U19 | 11 | (1) |
2013–2015 | Romania U21 | 9 | (2) |
2017– | Romania | 8 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 November 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 October 2020 |
Bălașa made his professional debut for Viitorul Constanța on 20 August 2012, in a Liga I game against Gaz Metan Mediaș.[2]
In August 2014, Bălașa was transferred by Italian club Roma, joining a growing Romanian contingent at the club.[3] He was part of the squad for the 2014 International Champions Cup, featuring as a second-half substitute against Internazionale.[4]
On 22 August 2014, Bălașa signed for Crotone on loan.[5] He made his debut in the 0–2 defeat to Ternana on 30 August 2014.
Bălașa joined Trapani on a season-long loan on 16 July 2016.[6]
Bălașa returned to Romania in January 2017, signing a five-year contract with FCSB for an undisclosed transfer fee.[7]
On 2 August 2017, he scored the opener from a free kick in a Champions League third qualifying round 4–1 away win over Viktoria Plzeň.[8]
Bălașa has represented Romania on many occasions at youth level.
He earned his first cap for the senior side in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Denmark on 8 October 2017, playing the full 90 minutes in the 1–1 away draw.[9]
Bălașa's father Cristian was also a professional footballer. He played as a midfielder and scored 26 goals in 224 Divizia A matches for Chindia Târgoviște, Argeș Pitești and Farul Constanța combined.[10][11][12][13]
Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Viitorul Constanța | 2012–13 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 23 | 1 | ||||
2013–14 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||||||
Total | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 24 | 1 | |||||
Crotone (loan) | 2014–15 | 24 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 24 | 0 | |||||
2015–16 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 31 | 2 | |||||
Total | 53 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 55 | 2 | |||||
Trapani (loan) | 2016–17 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 10 | 0 | ||||
FCSB | 2016–17 | 14 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 0 | ||||
2017–18 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 9 | 1 | – | 33 | 1 | ||||
2018–19 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | – | 25 | 0 | ||||
2019–20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | ||||
Total | 61 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 1 | – | 78 | 1 | |||
Universitatea Craiova | 2019–20 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 23 | 3 | |||
2020–21 | 27 | 0 | 5 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 32 | 1 | ||||
2021–22 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |||
Total | 57 | 3 | 8 | 2 | – | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 5 | |||
Sepsi OSK | 2021–22 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | 9 | 1 | ||||
2022–23 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |||
Total | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 | |||
Career total | 213 | 7 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 253 | 10 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Romania | |||
2017 | 2 | 0 | |
2018 | 4 | 0 | |
2019 | 0 | 0 | |
2020 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 8 | 0 |
Universitatea Craiova
Sepsi OSK
Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe – current squad | |
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