Cosmin Olăroiu

As a player, Olăroiu's best-known clubs he played for are Universitatea Craiova and Naţional București. However, he also played with success in K League for Suwon Samsung Bluewings where he helped the club to win two K League titles in 1998 and 1999. He also won the Korean League Cup and twice the Super Cup. He finished his playing career with JEF United Ichihara in 2000.

Early years

He started his coaching career during the 2000–01 season at Naţional București, leading them to a respectable 7th place in his first season. During the following season, he guided the club to a second-place finish in the league, finishing above clubs such as Steaua and Rapid București. In the summer 2002, Olăroiu signed for Steaua București. He resigned after only seven league games, blaming the decision on a lack of support from the board and players. The club president Viorel Păunescu re-appointed Victor Piţurcă, former manager before 2002 who wanted to return to head-coaching and was still highly regarded by the players. After leaving Steaua București, Olăroiu returned to Național București, this time as a general manager. In 2003, he was named head coach again, replacing Walter Zenga. In the winter of 2004, Olăroiu joined FCU Poli Timişoara and brought with him the best players from Național București. He led them to a near historical fourth-place finish in Divizia A, but in November 2005 he was sacked by the club's owner Marian Iancu.

Steaua Bucharest

Just some days after, Olăroiu was appointed manager by Gigi Becali, the new president, and this time owner, of Steaua București, to replace Oleh Protasov. His first championship title as coach came in June 2006 and then one month later, he led the club to the conquest of the Supercupa României. In May 2006, Olăroiu's side reached the semi-finals of the 2005–06 UEFA Cup. He also helped Steaua…

Player

Suwon Samsung Bluewings

K League: 1998, 1999 Korean League Cup: 1999, 2000 Korean Super Cup: 1999, 2000 Daehan Fire Insurance Cup: 1999 Asian Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1997–98

Manager

Steaua București

Divizia A: 2005–06 Supercupa României: 2006 Al Hilal

Saudi Pro League: 2007–08 Saudi Crown Prince Cup: 2007–08, 2008–09 Al Sadd

Qatari Stars Cup: 2010 Al Ain

UAE Pro League: 2011–12, 2012–13 UAE Super Cup: 2012 Shabab Al Ahli

UAE Pro League: 2013–14, 2015–16 UAE President's Cup runner-up: 2013–14, 2014–15 UAE League Cup: 2013–14, 2016–17 UAE Super Cup: 2013, 2014, 2016 AFC Champions League runner-up: 2015 Jiangsu Suning

Chinese Super League: 2020 Chinese FA Cup runner-up: 2020 Sharjah

UAE President's Cup: 2021–22, 2022–23 UAE League Cup: 2022–23 UAE Super Cup: 2022 AFC Champions League Two: 2024–25

Individual

Gazeta Sporturilor Romania Coach of the Year: 2006, 2020 (joint with Răzvan Lucescu) AGL Coach of the Year: 2014, 2016, 2017 Ahdaaf Middle East Coach of the Year: 2015