Marcel Sabou (born 22 August 1965) is a Romanian retired footballer who played for amongst others, Romanian side Dinamo București, Spanish sides CD Tenerife, Racing Santander and Sporting de Gijón, and Portuguese side Desportivo Chaves.[1][2] In 2013 he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 August 1965 | ||
| Place of birth | Timișoara, Romania | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Politehnica Timișoara | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1985–1986 | Politehnica Timișoara | 46 | (9) |
| 1986–1989 | Dinamo București | 48 | (0) |
| 1989–1990 | Real Madrid Castilla | 7 | (0) |
| 1990–1991 | Tenerife | 20 | (0) |
| 1991–1993 | Racing Santander | 66 | (9) |
| 1993–1996 | Sporting Gijón | 72 | (6) |
| 1996–1998 | Desportivo Chaves | 59 | (10) |
| Total | 318 | (34) | |
| International career | |||
| 1986–1987 | Romania U-21 | 7 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Escape from Communist Romania
editSabou is one of the few footballers who managed to escape from Romania's communist regime, at that time defection from the country being illegal.[4][5][6]
His escape was in 1989 while he was playing for Dinamo București in a friendly tournament held in Madrid, Spain.[5] Together with teammate Gheorghe Viscreanu, he sneaked out of the hotel and went to the airport.[6] They bought tickets to Frankfurt where Sabou said he had a friend who would help them, but when they arrived they didn't have an entrance visa so they were sent back to Madrid.[5] When they got back at the airport from Madrid, they found out that their visa for Spain was no longer available.[5] A police commissioner from the airport understood their situation and allowed them to stay in the airport for two days and introduced them to some people he knew from Rayo Vallecano.[5] They signed three-year contracts with Rayo, but did not play in the first one because in those times there was a rule that every footballer who ran away from the communist bloc would be suspended for one year before being allowed to play again.[4][5] Viscreanu and Sabou made an agreement that they would not sign a contract one without the other, but Sabou did not respect this pact as he signed with Real Madrid Castilla without thinking of Viscreanu's situation, a fact that ruined their friendship.[6]
Honours
editPolitehnica Timișoara
References
edit- ^ "E pe locul 4 în topul românilor cu cele mai multe meciuri în Primera! "Am bătut şi Barça, şi Realul!" [He is ranked 4th in the Romanians top with most matches in Primera! "I beat both Barça and Real!"] (in Romanian). prosport.ro. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "Marcel Sabou: "Cred ca stie mult mai multa lume de mine in Spania decat in Romania."" [Marcel Sabou: "I think that more people know about me in Spain than in Romania."] (in Romanian). sptfm.ro. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "REPORTAJ EMOȚIONANT – Povestea tulburătoare a lui Marcel Sabou: de la transferul la Real Madrid la 6 ani în vârtejul ALS, o boală incurabilă" [EXCITING REPORT – Marcel Sabou's disturbing story: from the transfer to Real Madrid to 6 years in the whirlwind of ALS, an incurable disease] (in Romanian). Sptfm.ro. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ a b "Gheorghe Viscreanu, singurul fotbalist roman care a fugit de doua ori din tara, in comunism: "Vorbeam de doua ori pe saptamana cu Hagi, dupa ce a venit la Madrid"" [Gheorghe Viscreanu, the only Romanian footballer who fled the country twice, during communism: "I used to talk twice a week with Hagi, after he came to Madrid"] (in Romanian). Sptfm.ro. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f "Gheorghe Viscreanu, fost jucător la Steaua și Dinamo, face o incursiune răscolitoare prin viața sa: "Australia m-a extrădat în baza unui pact secret cu Ceaușescu"" [Gheorghe Viscreanu, former player at Steaua and Dinamo, makes a tumultuous foray through his life: "Australia extradited me on the basis of a secret pact with Ceausescu"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ a b c "A doua parte a confesiunilor lui Gheorghe Viscreanu: "Chef de pomină cu colegi de la Dinamo, Steaua și 22 de balerine" + "Am spart banii la cazinou ca să nu-i împart cu soția la divorț"" [The second part of Gheorghe Viscreanu's confessions: "Party with colleagues from Dinamo, Steaua and 22 ballerinas" + "I broke the money at the casino so as not to share it with my wife at divorce"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ^ Marcel Sabou at RomanianSoccer.ro (in Romanian)
External links
edit- Marcel Sabou at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- Marcel Sabou at BDFutbol
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