Virgil Mărdărescu

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Virgil Mărdărescu

| image = Vintilă Mărdărescu 1965.jpg

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Virgil Vintilă Mărdărescu

| birth_date = {{birth date|1921|7|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bucharest, Romania

| death_date = {{death date and age|2003|6|11|1921|7|15|df=y}}

| death_place = Aliso Viejo, California, United States

| years1 = 1947–1949

| clubs1 = Flacăra București

| caps1 = 5

| goals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1955–1956 | managerclubs1 = Dinamo Brașov

| manageryears2 = 1957–1958 | managerclubs2 = Dinamo Cluj

| manageryears3 = 1958–1959 | managerclubs3 = Universitatea Cluj

| manageryears4 = 1959 | managerclubs4 = Jiul Petroșani

| manageryears5 = 1960–1961 | managerclubs5 = Știința Craiova

| manageryears6 = 1961–1962 | managerclubs6 = Gloria Bistrița

| manageryears7 = 1962–1963 | managerclubs7 = Dinamo Bacău

| manageryears8 = 1963–1965 | managerclubs8 = Argeș Pitești

| manageryears9 = 1965–1968 | managerclubs9 = Farul Constanța

| manageryears10 = 1969–1970 | managerclubs10 = Romania Olympic

| manageryears11 = 1970–1973 | managerclubs11 = Politehnica Iași

| manageryears12 = 1974–1978 | managerclubs12 = Morocco

| manageryears13 = 1980 | managerclubs13 = New York United

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country|{{fb|MAR}}}} (as head coach)

}}

Virgil Vintilă Mărdărescu (also known as "Gil Mărdărescu"; 15 July 1921 – 11 June 2003) was a Romanian football player and manager.

Playing career

Mărdărescu was born on 15 July 1921 in Bucharest, Romania.{{NFT|78459}}{{cite web | url=https://timpul.info/articol/28708/nostalgii-si-incredere-in-viitor-fotbalul-constantean-vii.html | title=Nostalgii și încredere în viitor: Fotbalul constănțean (VII)| publisher=Timpul.info| language=Romanian |trans-title=Nostalgia and confidence in the future: Constanta football (VII)| date=19 May 2023 | access-date=3 January 2025}} He made his Divizia A debut on 8 February 1948, playing for Flacăra București under the guidance of coach Emerich Vogl in a 5–0 home win over UD Reșița.{{cite web | url=https://ploiestiulpatrianoastra.com/2014/07/19/file-de-poveste-perioada-juventus-episodul-xxvi-prima-schimbare-a-numelui/ | title=File de poveste – perioada Juventus! Episodul XXVI – PRIMA SCHIMBARE A NUMELUI| publisher=Ploiestiulpatrianoastra.com| language=Romanian |trans-title=Story files - the Juventus period! Episode XXVI – FIRST CHANGE OF NAME| date=19 July 2014 | access-date=3 January 2025}} He made a total of five appearances in the first league over the course of two seasons spent at Flacăra.{{cite web | url=https://ploiestiulpatrianoastra.com/2014/07/26/file-de-poveste-perioada-juventus-episodul-xxvii-campioana-a-tarii-la-juniori/ | title=File de poveste – perioada Juventus! Episodul XXVII – CAMPIOANĂ A ŢĂRII LA JUNIORI| publisher=Ploiestiulpatrianoastra.com| language=Romanian |trans-title=Story files - the Juventus period! Episode XXVII – JUNIOR CHAMPION OF THE COUNTRY| date=26 July 2014 | access-date=3 January 2025}}
{{cite web | url=https://ploiestiulpatrianoastra.com/2014/08/04/file-de-poveste-perioada-juventus-episodul-xxviii-retrogradare-driblata-in-ultima-etapa/ | title=File de poveste – perioada Juventus! Episodul XXVIII – RETROGRADARE "DRIBLATĂ" ÎN ULTIMA ETAPĂ| publisher=Ploiestiulpatrianoastra.com| language=Romanian |trans-title=Story files - the Juventus period! Episode XXVIII – RETROGRADE "DRIBBLED" IN THE LAST STAGE| date=4 August 2014 | access-date=3 January 2025}}

Managerial career

Mărdărescu started coaching at age 34 in 1955 at Dinamo Brașov, then he went at Dinamo Cluj, afterwards in the 1958–59 season he worked at Universitatea Cluj with whom he finished the season on the 11th place.{{cite web | url=https://www.playsport.ro/povestea-fabuloasa-de-la-cupa-africii-doi-antrenori-bucuresteni-si-au-disputat-trofeul-guineea-vs-maroc-meciul-in-care-s-a-injurat-in-limba-romana-104210 | title=Povestea fabuloasă de la Cupa Africii. Doi antrenori bucureșteni și-au disputat trofeul. Guineea vs Maroc, meciul în care s-a înjurat în limba română | work=Playsport.ro |last=Berceanu|first=Gabriel| language=Romanian |trans-title=The fabulous story from the Africa Cup. Two coaches from Bucharest contested their trophy. Guinea vs Morocco, the match in which it was cussed in Romanian| date=11 December 2022 | access-date=3 January 2025}}{{cite web | url=https://www.playsport.ro/reportaj-succesul-marocului-revelatia-de-la-mondial-a-inceput-cu-un-roman-povestea-selectionerului-bucurestean-care-le-a-adus-africanilor-cel-mai-important-trofeu-din-istorie-219971 | title=Succesul Marocului, revelația de la Mondial, a început cu un român! Povestea selecționerului bucureștean care le-a adus africanilor cel mai important trofeu din istorie |last=Berceanu|first=Gabriel| work=Playsport.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Morocco's success, the revelation from the World Cup, started with a Romanian! The story of the Bucharest coach who brought the Africans the most important trophy in history| date=11 December 2022 | access-date=3 January 2025}}{{cite web | url=https://www.4everucluj.ro/istorie/1958-1959/ | title=Universitatea Cluj 1958–59 season| publisher=4everucluj.ro| language=Romanian}} His following spells were at Jiul Petroșani and Știința Craiova, with the latter being close to earn a promotion to the first league, finishing on the second place in the 1960–61 Divizia B season. After going to Gloria Bistrița and Dinamo Bacău for a few years, he went to work at Argeș Pitești from 1963 until 1965, a period in which the team reached the 1965 Cupa României final which was lost with 2–1 in front of Știința Cluj.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1964_1965.shtml|title=Romanian Cup – Season 1964–1965|publisher=Romaniansoccer.ro|access-date=3 January 2025}} From 1965 until 1968, Mărdărescu coached Farul Constanța with whom he finished on the fourth place in the 1966–67 season.{{cite web | url=https://www.ziuaconstanta.ro/stiri/sport/ce-s-a-ales-din-echipa-de-aur-a-farului-de-acum-45-de-aniamintiri-cu-dumitru-antonescu-despre-fotbal-si-fotbalistii-constanteni-galerie-foto-26709-382684.html| title=Ce s-a ales din echipa de aur Farului de acum 45 de ani| publisher=Ziuaconstanta.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=What happened to Farul's golden team from 45 years ago| date=9 October 2012 | access-date=8 May 2025}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/divizia_a/tables/1966_67.shtml|title=Divizia A – Season 1966–1967|publisher=Romaniansoccer.ro|access-date=3 January 2025}} In 1969 he went to work for Romania Olympic/B and undertook a tour of Israel and Australia.{{cite web|title=Israel Official Games 1970-1979|publisher=RSSSF|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/isra-intres70.html

|access-date=5 August 2014}}
{{cite web|title=South Australia v Romania B|url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/MiscGames/1970SR/70S9.html|publisher=Ozfootball.net|access-date=5 August 2014}} In 1970 he was appointed coach at Politehnica Iași where he made a good impression in his first season as the club finished on the 8th place, then in the following one the team relegated but he stayed with The Copou Squad, helping it promote back to the first league after one year.{{cite web | url=https://www.ziaruldeiasi.ro/stiri/poli-iasi-istorie-sentimentala-amintiri-din-epoca-de-aur--34958.html | title=Poli Iași, istorie sentimentală: amintiri din epoca de aur | publisher=Ziaruldeiasi.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Poli Iași, sentimental history: memories from the golden age| date=31 December 2013 | access-date=3 January 2025}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/divizia_a/tables/1971_72.shtml|title=Divizia A – Season 1971–1972|publisher=Romaniansoccer.ro|access-date=3 January 2025}} He has a total of 273 matches as a manager in the Romanian top-division, Divizia A consisting of 94 victories, 61 draws and 118 losses.{{cite web |url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/divizia_a/top_antrenori.shtml| title= Top 60 antrenori| publisher=RomanianSoccer.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Top 60 coaches|access-date=3 January 2025}}

In 1974, Mărdărescu was hired by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation in order to replace Abderrahmane Mahjoub as the head coach of the national team. He managed to qualify Morocco to the 1976 African Cup of Nations after passing three qualification rounds, eliminating Gambia, Senegal and Ghana. The final tournament was composed of two group stages, he managed to get past the first one after a draw with Sudan, followed by victories with Nigeria and title holders Zaire. At the final group stage, Morocco defeated Egypt and once again Nigeria.{{cite web | url=https://theplaymaker.ro/romanii-care-au-antrenat-echipe-nationale-din-strainatate-inainte-de-90/892/ | title=Românii care au antrenat echipe naționale din străinătate înainte de '90| publisher=Theplaymaker.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Romanians who coached national teams from abroad before the 90's| date=11 January 2018 | access-date=3 January 2025}} The final game of the group was against Guinea which was coached by Mărdărescu's compatriot Petre Moldoveanu, Morocco needing just a draw to win the competition. After Cherif Souleymane opened the score for Guinea in the 33rd minute, Ahmed Makrouh equalized in the last minutes of the game, thus the result being 1–1 and the Moroccan side won its first ever African Cup of Nations tournament, also having forward Ahmed Faras being named the best player of the competition. Afterwards he failed to qualify Morocco to the 1978 World Cup, being eliminated at the penalty shoot-out in the first qualifying round by Tunisia, also he led them at the 1978 African Cup of Nations where they did not pass the group stage as they earned a draw with Tunisia, a win against Congo and a defeat in front of Uganda.{{cite web|title=African Nations Cup 1978|publisher=RSSSF|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/78a.html

|access-date=3 January 2025}} During his time spent with The Atlas Lions he also won the 1976 Pan Arab Games and debuted future Moroccan star Abdelmajid Dolmy.{{cite web|title=5th Pan Arab Games, 1976 (Syria)|publisher=RSSSF|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/arabgam76.html

|access-date=3 January 2025}}

Mărdărescu's last coaching spell was in 1980 in the United States at New York United.

Personal life

His son Mircea "Gil" Mărdărescu played together with Pelé for the New York Cosmos in the NASL, also Virgil coached Mircea at Politehnica Iași.{{cite web | url=https://www.gsp.ro/gsp-special/diverse/imagine-de-colectie-fabuloasa-biografie-a-singurului-roman-care-i-a-fost-coechipier-lui-pele-442038.html | title=Imagine de colecţie + Fabuloasa biografie a singurului român care i-a fost coechipier lui Pele| publisher=Gsp.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Collection image + Fabulous biography of the only Romanian who was a teammate of Pele| date=14 January 2015 | access-date=25 January 2020}}
{{cite web | url=https://www.gsp.ro/international/stranieri/clipe-grele-pentru-singurul-roman-care-a-jucat-cu-pele-rugati-va-pentru-el-si-imbratisati-i-pe-cei-dragi-514718.html | title=Clipe grele pentru singurul român care a jucat cu Pele: "Rugați-vă pentru el și îmbrățișați-i pe cei dragi"| publisher=Gsp.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Hard moments for the only Romanian who played with Pele: "Pray for him and hug your loved ones"| date=28 June 2017 | access-date=25 January 2020}}
{{cite web | url=https://www.libertatea.ro/sport/gil-mardarescu-fotbalistul-roman-care-a-jucat-cu-marele-pele-la-new-york-cosmos-operat-de-cancer-la-prostata-1890688 | title=Marele Pele a dezvăluit ce i-a spus singurul fotbalist român alături de care a jucat. "Replica lui m-a îngrijorat!"| publisher=Adevarul.ro| language=ro |trans-title=The Great Pele revealed what the only Romanian footballer that played with him said. "His reply worried me!"| date=10 October 2015 | access-date=25 January 2020}}
{{cite web | url=https://www.playsport.ro/povestea-de-film-a-romanului-coechipier-cu-pele-am-fost-magulit-dar-cuvintele-lui-m-au-ingrijorat-cine-era-sotia-romanca-a-patronului-de-club-226850 | title=Povestea de film a românului coechipier cu Pele: "Am fost măgulit, dar cuvintele lui m-au îngrijorat". Cine era soția româncă a patronului de club!| publisher=Playsport.ro| language=ro |trans-title=The film story of the Romanian teammate with Pele: "I was flattered, but his words worried me". Who was the Romanian wife of the club owner!| date=30 December 2022 | access-date=3 January 2025}}