Theodor Alexander Corbeanu (born 17 May 2002) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Blackpool on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Canada national team.
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Theodor Alexander Corbeanu | ||
Date of birth | (2002-05-17) 17 May 2002 (age 20) | ||
Place of birth | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | ||
Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team |
Blackpool (on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers) | ||
Number | 25 | ||
Youth career | |||
Quinndale Youth Soccer | |||
Mount Hamilton SC | |||
Hamilton Sparta SC | |||
Saltfleet SC | |||
Givova Academy | |||
2016–2018 | Toronto FC | ||
2018–2021 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2018 | Toronto FC III | 5 | (2) |
2021– | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1 | (0) |
2021–2022 | → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 13 | (2) |
2022 | → Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | 16 | (1) |
2022– | → Blackpool (loan) | 17 | (3) |
National team‡ | |||
2018 | Romania U16 | 5 | (2) |
2018–2019 | Romania U17 | 8 | (0) |
2021– | Canada | 7 | (2) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 November 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 September 2022 |
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Corbeanu began playing house league soccer at the age of five with local club Quinndale Youth Soccer[2] as a goalkeeper, but soon switched to a forward role.[3] At youth level, he later played for local clubs Mount Hamilton SC, Hamilton Sparta SC, Saltfleet SC and Givova Academy.[4]
In late 2016, after a successful trial, Corbeanu joined the academy of Toronto FC.[5] In 2018, he played for the club's senior academy side, Toronto FC III, in League1 Ontario, scoring two goals in a 6–1 victory over Toronto Skillz FC on 21 May 2018.[6]
Having left Toronto FC in August 2018, Corbeanu was unsuccessful in a trial for English club Leicester City,[7] but was later offered a scholarship with the academy of Wolverhampton Wanderers, in which he represented the club's U16 and U18 sides.[4] In the summer of 2019, he joined the first team on their pre-season trip in China,[8] before joining the club's U23 development squad in 2020.[4]
After playing nine games for the Wolves U23 team, in which he scored four goals, Corbeanu signed a professional contract with the senior team in October 2020. He subsequently became a regular fixture on the Wolves bench,[7][9][10] eventually making his Premier League debut appearance for the club on 16 May 2021, coming on as a second-half substitute in their game away to Tottenham Hotspur, which ended with a 2–0 defeat.[11][12]
On 2 August 2021, Corbeanu joined EFL League One club Sheffield Wednesday on a season-long loan.[13] He made his Owls debut in a single-goal defeat at Morecambe on 28 August.[14] On 2 November, Corbeanu scored his first senior professional goal, with the opener in a 3–0 victory over Sunderland.[15]
On 6 January 2022, Corbeanu was recalled from his loan early by Wolves and sent back out on loan to another League One club, Milton Keynes Dons, for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.[16] He made his debut on 11 January in a 1–0 home win over rivals AFC Wimbledon,[17] and four days later scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 away win over Portsmouth.[18] Corbeanu went on to make 17 appearances for MK Dons as the club secured a third-placed play-off finish.[19]
On 28 July 2022, Corbeanu joined EFL Championship club Blackpool on loan for the duration of the 2022–23 season.[20] He made his debut for the club as second-half substitute in a single-goal victory over Reading at Bloomfield Road on 29 July.[21]
After not being selected for the Canadian U15 team, Corbeanu contacted the Romanian federation, who were aware of his progress. He began playing for Romania at U16 and U17 level, scoring twice in his first match with the U16 side against the Republic of Ireland.[3][22] After two years with the Romanian youth teams, he left in 2019, wanting to remain eligible for Canada at senior level.[4]
He was called up to the Canadian senior team for the first time in December 2020, for a January training camp,[23] but later withdrew due to club commitments with Wolves.[24] He officially joined the senior squad for the first time in March 2021, when he was called up ahead of Canada's 2022 World Cup qualification matches against Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.[25] He made his debut as a 77th-minute substitute against Bermuda on 25 March 2021, scoring four minutes into his debut with Canada's fifth goal in a 5–1 victory.[26][27][28]
In June 2021, Corbeanu was named in Canada's preliminary squad for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[29] On 1 July 2021, he was named in the final squad that would participate at the tournament.[30] In December 2021, Corbeanu was named the 2021 Canada Soccer Youth Player of the Year.[31]
Club | Season | League | Domestic Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Toronto FC III | 2018[32] | League1 Ontario | 5 | 2 | — | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | — | 7 | 3 | ||
Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s | 2020–21 EFL Trophy[33] | — | — | — | 4[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||||
Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2020–21[33] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
2021–22[34] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 2021–22[34] | League One | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 18 | 2 |
Milton Keynes Dons (loan) | 2021–22[34] | League One | 16 | 1 | — | — | 1[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
Blackpool (loan) | 2022–23 | EFL Championship | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 |
Career total | 52 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 65 | 9 |
Canada | ||
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Year | Apps | Goals |
2021 | 6 | 2 |
2022 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 7 | 2 |
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
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1. | 25 March 2021 | Exploria Stadium, Orlando, United States | ![]() | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
2. | 11 July 2021 | Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United States | ![]() | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
Individual
Blackpool F.C. – current squad | |
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Canada squad – 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finalists | ||
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Canadian Youth Players of the Year | |
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Men's | |
Women |