Gheorghe Gornea

Gheorghe Gornea (2 August 1944 – 2005) was a Romanian football goalkeeper.

Club career Gornea was born on 2 August 1944 in Sinaia, Romania and began playing football at local club Carpați. He was transferred to Steaua București where he made his Divizia A debut on 30 August 1964 under coach Ilie Savu in a 4–0 away victory against Știința Craiova. In his second season spent at Steaua he won the Cupa României.

Afterwards he went to play for UTA Arad where in his five years spent at the club he won two consecutive titles in the 1968–69 and 1969–70 seasons. Coach Nicolae Dumitrescu used him in 30 games in the first one and in 29 matches in the second.

In 1971, Gornea went to play for one season in Divizia B at Minerul Baia Mare. He made his debut on 27 October 1968, when he came on as a substitute at halftime and replaced Narcis Coman in a 3–0 away loss to Portugal in the 1970 World Cup qualifiers, where he conceded one goal from Jacinto Santos. His following game was a 0–0 friendly draw against England, followed by a 2–0 victory over Switzerland in the 1970 World Cup qualifiers.

Death After he retired, Gornea struggled with alcoholism and had both of his legs amputated, dying in 2005 in his native town, Sinaia.

Honours Steaua București Cupa României: 1965–66 UTA Arad Divizia A: 1968–69, 1969–70 Individual Romanian Footballer of the Year (fourth place): 1968