Vlad Chiriches

Vlad Iulian Chiricheș (Romanian pronunciation: ; born 14 November 1989) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays for Liga I club FCSB and the Romania national team. Primarily a centre-back, he can also be deployed as a right-back or a defensive midfielder.

Chiricheș spent the first part of his senior career in Romania with Internațional Curtea de Argeș, Pandurii Târgu Jiu, and Steaua București. He helped the latter to a Liga I title and a Supercupa României, before transferring to Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 in a then Romanian record sale of €9.5 million (£8.5 million). Chiricheș relocated to Italy after two years in the Premier League, representing Serie A clubs Napoli, Sassuolo, and Cremonese over the course of eight seasons. In 2023, he returned to Romania by re-signing for FCSB.

A full international for Romania since September 2011, Chiricheș has earned over 70 caps for his country and represented it in the UEFA Euro 2016.

On 2 September 2011, Chiricheș made his senior debut for Romania in a 2–0 away victory over Luxembourg counting for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying. On 14 August 2013, he served as captain for the first time in a 1–1 friendly draw with Slovakia. His competitive debut as captain came on 6 September that year, in a 3–0 FIFA World Cup qualifier victory over Hungary.

On 5 October 2017, Chiricheș reached his 50th cap for the national team in a 3–1 home defeat of Kazakhstan.