Romanian footballer
Cătălin George Hîldan (3 February 1976 – 5 October 2000) was a Romanian professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder .
Dinamo fans paying homage to Cătălin Hîldan in 2005 Hîldan was born on 3 February 1976 inBrănești, Ilfov , Romania.[ 1] Cristian .[ 2] Dinamo București where he worked with coachIonuț Chirilă , playing alongsideFlorentin Petre ,Mihai Tararache and others.[ 2] Ion Moldovan sent him in the 39th minute to replaceSulejman Demollari in aDivizia A derby againstSteaua București that ended with a 2–0 loss.[ 1] [ 3] Oțelul Târgoviște in thethird league , where Hîldan helped the team win promotion to thesecond division and then to the first.[ 1] [ 2]
He was recalled to Dinamo by coachCornel Dinu .[ 2] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6] 1999–2000 season , under the guidance of Dinu, Hîldan played 29 league games in which he scored one goal, helping Dinamo win the title.[ 1] [ 7] [ 1] [ 8] Cupa României final againstUniversitatea Craiova .[ 1] [ 9] Petrolul Ploiești , having a total of 138 matches with six goals in Divizia A, also totaling 11 matches in European competitions.[ 1]
International career [ edit ] Hîldan was part ofRomania's under-21 side that managed a first-everqualification to a European Championship in 1998, which Romania subsequently hosted.[ 10] [ 11] final tournament that was composed of eight teams, coachVictor Pițurcă used him in all three games which were losses toNetherlands ,Germany andRussia , as they finished in last place.[ 10] [ 11]
Hîldan played eight friendly games and scored one goal forRomania , making his debut on 3 March 1999 when coach Pițurcă introduced him in the 85th minute to replaceGheorghe Popescu in a 2–0 victory againstEstonia .[ 12] [ 13] Georgia .[ 12] Greece .[ 12] Romania 's squad in theEuro 2000 final tournament, but did not play.[ 2] [ 14]
International goals [ edit ] Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Hîldan goal .[ 12] Hîldan died on 5 October 2000, while playing in a friendly match between Dinamo andȘantierul Naval Oltenița , after having astroke in the 74th minute of the game and fell to the ground.[ 2] [ 15] [ 2] [ 16] [ 17] [ 18] [ 19] Dinamo Stadium .[ 2] [ 5] [ 17] [ 18] Stadionul Cătălin Hîldan from his native Brănești is also named after him.[ 5] [ 16] 100 Greatest Romanians in a nationwide poll.[ 20] Unicul căpitan. Cătălin Hîldan, câine până la moarte (The only captain. Cătălin Hîldan, dog until death) .[ 21]
Oțelul Târgoviște
Dinamo București
^a b c d e f g h i j k l Cătălin Hîldan at RomanianSoccer.ro(in Romanian) ^a b c d e f g h "19 ani de la dispariția lui Cătălin Hîldan, "Unicul Căpitan". Zi tristă pentru întreaga suflare dinamovistă" [19 years since the disappearance of Cătălin Hîldan, "The Only Captain". Sad day for the whole Dinamo breath] (in Romanian). Digisport.ro. 5 October 2019. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^ "Dinamo Bucuresti in 1994–95" . RomanianSoccer. Retrieved6 October 2024 .^ "13 ani fără Cătălin Hîldan. Cum şi-l amintesc foştii colegi pe "Unicul Căpitan" [13 years without Cătălin Hîldan. How do former colleagues remember" The Only Captain "] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 4 October 2013. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^a b c "Cătălin Hîldan, o legendă încă vie pentru Dinamo" [Cătălin Hîldan, a legend still alive for Dinamo] (in Romanian). Adevarul.ro. 5 October 2012. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^ "20 de ani fara unicul capitan suflarea dinamovista il comemoreaza astazi pe Catalin Hildan" [20 years without the only captain, the Dinamo supporters commemorates Catalin Hildan today] (in Romanian). Eurosport.ro. 5 October 2020. Retrieved19 November 2021 ."6 declarații despre 6 poze celebre cu regretatul Cătălin Hîldan. 2000-2014: 14 ani de la dispariția "Unicului Căpitan" [6 statements about 6 famous pictures with the late Cătălin Hîldan. 2000-2014: 14 years since the disappearance of the "Single Captain"] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 5 October 2014. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^ "Romania National Champions" . RomanianSoccer. Retrieved14 August 2025 .^ "Dinamo a batut Steaua cu 3-2: super goluri Danciulescu si Mihalcea! VIDEO" [Dinamo beat Steaua 3-2: super goals Danciulescu and Mihalcea! VIDEO] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 16 March 2010. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^ "Romanian Cup – Season 1999–2000" . RomanianSoccer. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^a b "Cătălin Hîldan profile" . 11v11. Retrieved29 October 2025 .^a b "Cum a aratat Romania U21 la Euro 1998! Cine a castigat competitia si cine au fost vedetele acelui turneu final" [How Romania U21 showed at Euro 1998! Who won the competition and who were the stars of that final tournament] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 5 October 2018. Retrieved29 October 2025 ."TRAGERE LA SORTI EURO U21. Duelul capitanilor U21: Lutu 1998 vs. Ionut Radu 2018. "Lutu nu ne tinea discursuri mobilizatoare in vestiar" [EURO U21 DRAW. U21 captains duel: Lutu 1998 vs. Ionut Radu 2018. "Lutu didn't give us mobilizing speeches in the locker room"] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 23 November 2018. Retrieved29 October 2025 ."Mai ții minte? Cum arăta și ce a făcut naționala României U21 la singura calificare la European. 8 fotbaliști din lotul actual nici nu erau născuți!" [Do you remember? How it looked and what the Romanian U21 national team did in the only European qualification. 8 footballers from the current team were not even born!] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 12 September 2018. Retrieved29 October 2025 .^a b c d "Cătălin Hîldan" . European Football. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^ "Romania – Estonia 2:0" . European Football. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^ " ["The Last Dance" for the Golden Generation. 4 hot matches, the only victory in a European + Gică Hagi, eliminated in the last match for the national team] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 9 June 2024. Retrieved14 August 2025 .^ "Povestea morții simbolului lui Dinamo. A simțit Hîldan că i se apropie sfârșitul? "Nu știu ce e cu mine, mă simt obosit, greoi. Nu știu ce bagă ăștia în noi" [The story of Dinamo's symbol death. Did Hildan feel that his end was near? "I don't know what's wrong with me, I feel tired, heavy. I don't know what they give us"] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 5 October 2015. Retrieved19 November 2021 ."10 ani de la moartea lui Catalin Hildan! Toata echipa merge la Branesti!" [10 years since the death of Catalin Hildan! The whole team goes to Branesti!] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 5 October 2010. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^a b "Brănești, comuna blestemată. De la Cătălin Hîldan, de la a cărui moarte se împlinesc 17 ani, la defuncta echipă de fotbal Victoria!" [Branesti, the cursed commune. From Cătălin Hîldan, whose death is 17 years old, to the late Victoria football team!] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 5 October 2017. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^a b "Cătălin Hîldan, unicul căpitan" [Cătălin Hîldan, the only captain] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 7 July 2008. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^a b "Locul lui Cătălin Hîldan, neatins de 21 de ani. Imagine emoționantă din vestiarul lui Dinamo" [Cătălin Hîldan's place, untouched for 21 years. Emotional image from Dinamo's locker room] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 5 October 2021. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^ "Povestea mai puțin știută a scandării "Unicul Căpitan este Cătălin Hîldan": a apărut cu 4 zile înainte de tragedie, într-un context zbuciumat" [The lesser-known story of the chant "The only Captain is Cătălin Hîldan": it appeared 4 days before the tragedy, in a turbulent context] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 21 March 2023. Retrieved31 March 2023 .^ "Domnitorii domina topul celor mai mari 10 romani" [The rulers dominate the top 10 Romanians] (in Romanian). Hotnews.ro. 8 July 2006. Retrieved19 November 2021 .^ "Șoc pe stadionul Cătălin Hîldan! Un reputat cronicar, la un pas de tragedie" [Shock at the Cătălin Hîldan stadium! A renowned chronicler, one step away from tragedy] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 10 May 2015. Retrieved6 October 2024 .
Georgia