Denis Drăguș

Viitorul Constanța

Born in Bucharest, Drăguș joined the academy of Viitorul Constanța in 2014. He made his senior debut for the club on 29 October 2015, aged 16, coming on as a 85th-minute substitute for Adnan Aganović in a 1–0 Cupa României win over Botoșani. Drăguș recorded his debut in European competitions on 24 August 2017, replacing George Țucudean in the 24th minute of a 0–4 away loss to Red Bull Salzburg counting for the UEFA Europa League play-off round. Three days later, he played his first Liga I game, also coming off the bench in a 1–2 loss to Concordia Chiajna. On 28 November 2017, Drăguș scored his first career goal in a 2–3 away defeat to Botoșani in the national cup. He netted his first Europa League goal on 12 July 2018, opening a 2–0 away victory over Racing FC in the first qualifying round. On the 26th that month, he scored both goals in a 2–2 second qualifying round draw with Vitesse, and one week later scored again in a 1–3 away loss at the GelreDome. Drăguș became a regular starter at Viitorul Constanța in the 2018–19 season, during which he amassed 31 matches and seven goals in the league championship.

Standard Liège

On 7 August 2019, Drăguș joined Belgian team Standard Liège in a deal reportedly worth €2 million plus 30% interest on a future transfer. He recorded his debut for Les Rouches on 1 September 2019, in a 0–1 loss to rivals Anderlecht at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. On 15 September 2020, Drăguș agreed to a one-season…

Drăguș made his senior debut for the Romania national team on 10 September 2018, appearing in a 2–2 UEFA Nations League draw with Serbia. The following year, he was set to represent the under-21 side at the 2019 European Championship, but was ruled out due to a calcaneus fracture. Drăguș scored his first senior international goal on 17 November 2022, in a 1–2 friendly defeat to Slovenia at Cluj Arena, and three days later added another in a 5–0 win away to Moldova. In June 2024, Drăguș was named in Romania's squad for Euro 2024. At the tournament, he scored in the 3–0 victory over Ukraine in their opening group match, helping secure the country's first European Championship win in 24 years. He featured in all four of Romania's matches, as the team topped its group before being eliminated by the Netherlands in the round of 16. In 2025, Drăguș was involved in Romania's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, notably scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes of a 2–2 draw with Cyprus on 9 September, and being sent off one minute after coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 15 November. Romania ultimately finished third in their group but advanced to the second round via their Nations League ranking, where they were eliminated by Turkey.

Drăguș is a dynamic and versatile forward, beginning his career as a winger but also performing proficiently as a main striker. According to his Trabzonspor coach Şenol Güneş, he possesses a combination of talent, physical strength, and speed, which makes him a constant threat to opposing defences. Güneş also noted that while Drăguș excels in one-on-one situations and frequently finds himself in goalscoring opportunities, his finishing can be inconsistent.

Drăguș's father, Mihai, was also a professional footballer, playing in Romania, South Korea and Russia. Drăguș and his wife, Vanessa, have two children. They have been together since childhood and married in Ciolpani on 10 July 2024, with national teammate Marius Marin as their godfather. The couple has also been noted for acting as godparents to and providing financial support for several orphaned and abandoned children. Drăguș was estranged from his parents for five years, reportedly following their initial disapproval of his decision to start a family at a young age. His parents were absent from his wedding in 2024, but the estrangement ended in November 2024 when they attended Romania's 4–1 victory over Cyprus at the Arena Națională and reconciled with their son.