 | ||||
| Full name | Fotbal Club Viitorul Constanța[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames |
| |||
| Short name | Viitorul | |||
| Founded | 2009; 16 years ago (2009) | |||
| Dissolved | 2021 (merged withFarul Constanța) | |||
| Ground | Viitorul | |||
| Capacity | 4,500 | |||
| 2020–21 | Liga I, 10th of 16 | |||
 Current season | ||||
Fotbal Club Viitorul Constanța (Romanian pronunciation:[vi.iˈtorulkonˈstantsa]), commonly known asViitorul Constanța or simplyViitorul, was a Romanian professionalfootballclub based inOvidiu,Constanța County. They last played their home matches in blue and blackkits at theStadionul Viitorul, situated a few kilometres north of the city ofConstanța.
Founded in 2009 byGheorghe Hagi, the team was particularly known for promoting young talents from itsacademy,[2] which earned them the nickname "Hagi's Kids". With the formerRomanian international also acting as a coach, Viitorul Constanța had its first major success in the2016–17 campaign, when it became the first side from the region ofDobruja to win the national title.[3] Two years later, it also won theRomanian Cup and theRomanian Supercup.
In June 2021, owner Gheorghe Hagi, chairmanGheorghe Popescu andFarul Constanța ownerCiprian Marica announced in a press conference that their two clubs have merged;second division club Farul Constanța therefore took Viitorul's berth in the first league from the2021–22 Liga I season.
Viitorul Constanța was founded in the summer of 2009 and enrolled in theLiga III, the third tier of theRomanian football league system, after acquiring the playing rights ofCSO Ovidiu. It has been owned since its creation by former Romanian internationalGheorghe Hagi.[2][4]
During the team's first season in Romanian football, they achieved promotion to the2010–11Liga II in round 33 after a fierce battle withACS Berceni towards the end of the campaign. In the2011–12 Liga II, Viitorul finished second in the standings and were promoted to thetop-flight the following season.
In the2012–13 season, Viitorul made its first appearance inLiga I in the club's history. With 8 victories, 12 draws, and 13 defeats, it finished in 13th place with 36 points thereby avoiding relegation. Viitorul had notable victories, but was ever-present in relegation battles for the following two campaigns.
In2016, Viitorul finished in 5th place, earning a spot in the third qualifying round of theUEFA Europa League. Drawn against Belgian sideGent in their first European match, Viitorul was defeated 0–5 at theGhelamco Arena.
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On 13 May 2017, Viitorul managed to win theLiga I after a 1–0 home victory overCFR Cluj. It was the first major trophy in the club's history and ensured qualification for theUEFA Champions League.[3] With an average age of 22.2 years, "Hagi's Kids" were the season's youngest league champion inEurope.[5][6] In thethird qualifying round of the Champions League, after a 1–0 win againstAPOEL at home, Viitorul once again suffered a harsh away defeat (0–4a.e.t.).
On 21 June 2021,Gheorghe Hagi, owner and founder of Viitorul,Gheorghe Popescu, chairman of Viitorul, andCiprian Marica, owner ofFarul Constanța, announced in a press conference that their two clubs fromConstanța County have merged. Farul took Viitorul's place in the Liga I, while Viitorul virtually disappeared in the process of the merger. With theFarul Stadium in an advanced state of degradation, the new entity moved to theViitorul Stadium in Ovidiu.[7][8][9]
Viitorul Constanța was known for developing young players in Romania and having some of the best facilities in the country.[10] The academy was inherited by Farul Constanța following the 2021 merger.
Viitorul returned to the newly expandedStadionul Viitorul inOvidiu in the summer of 2015, on which it played until the club's disappearance in 2021.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | UEFA Europa League | 3Q |  Gent | 0–0 | 0–5 | 0–5 |
| 2017–18 | UEFA Champions League | 3Q |  APOEL | 1–0 | 0–4(a.e.t.) | 1–4 |
| UEFA Europa League | PO |  Red Bull Salzburg | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–7 | |
| 2018–19 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  Racing FC | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| 2Q |  Vitesse Arnhem | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–5 | ||
| 2019–20 | UEFA Europa League | 2Q | Gent | 2–1 | 3–6 | 5–7 |
| Competition | S | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Europa League | 4 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 24 | −13 |
| UEFA Champions League | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
| Total | 5 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 28 | −16 |
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FC Viitorul SA changes its name to Fotbal Club Viitorul Constanța SA.
