Mihai Neșu

Mihai Mircea Neșu (born 19 February 1983) is a Romanian former professional footballer and philanthropist.

A left-back, Neșu played as a senior for Steaua București and Dutch club FC Utrecht, as well as being capped eight times for the Romania national team. His footballing career ended at age 28, when he suffered a severe neck injury that left him paralysed.

After his accident, Neșu started a personal foundation dedicated to children with motor disorders, at the same time receiving treatment for his paralysis from which he did not make a full recovery.

Club career

Steaua București Neșu, who was nicknamed Bișonul (Romanian for "the Bichon"), was born on 19 February 1983 in Oradea, Romania and began playing junior-level football at local club Bihor. He was transferred to Steaua București in 2001 for $6,000 and made his Divizia A debut on 21 April 2002, when head coach Victor Pițurcă used him in a 1–1 draw against Petrolul Ploiești.

During his time in the capital, Neșu aided the club in winning the national title in the 2004–05 and the 2005–06 seasons. He played 86 Eredivisie matches and scored two goals during his stint, and in 2008 was named the best left-back of the competition. His FC Utrecht contract expired in July 2012, formally ending his footballing career. He also played in a 1–0 away victory against the Faroe Islands in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. His last game for the national team was a friendly which ended in a 0–2 loss to Israel, on 3 March 2010.

Personal life Neșu's father, Mircea, was a footballer, referee, and doctor. His nephew, Nikos Barboudis, was also a football player.

On 29 March 2006, Neșu was decorated by the President of Romania, Traian Băsescu, with the Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" (Order of "Sporting Merit"), Class II, for his contribution to reaching the 2005–06 UEFA Cup quarter-finals with Steaua București.

Neșu married Maria Laura Gherman in June 2006, they divorced after six years.

Philanthropy In the 2012–13 season, Steaua București honoured Neșu by displaying the logo of his namesake foundation on the club's kit in the UEFA Europa League matches against Ekranas, Ajax and Chelsea.

As of January 2022, Neșu manages the construction of a new and larger rehabilitation centre in Oradea for children with motor disorders.

Career statistics

Honours Steaua București Divizia A: 2004–05, 2005–06 Supercupa României: 2001, 2006