Edward Iordănescu

Iordănescu's link with Steaua București began in early 1984, aged six, when his father Anghel, who was an assistant coach at the time, would take him along to attend games at the Ghencea Stadium. He frequently sat alongside Alin Stoica, also the son of a club legend, and began playing together during warm-ups and halftime breaks. After progressing through Steaua's youth ranks, Iordănescu made his debut for the first team in 1996, alongside Stoica. In 1997, after failing to impose himself at the Roș-albaștrii, Iordănescu left for Sportul Studențesc. Throughout his career, he played for various clubs in Romania—Unirea Focșani, Rapid București, Rocar București, Petrolul Ploiești, and Vaslui. He also had spells abroad in Greece and Cyprus with Panionios and Alki Larnaca, respectively.

Iordănescu ended his playing career in 2004 to pursue managerial studies, undertaking courses in Italy, Spain, and England. In 2010, following Ilie Dumitrescu's resignation as manager of Steaua București, he assumed the role of interim coach. Iordănescu served in minor assistant or caretaker roles at Steaua and Vaslui, before securing his first contract as a head coach at Fortuna Brazi in 2013.

Romanian clubs

On 20 June 2013, Iordănescu signed a contract with second division team ASA Târgu Mureș, with the explicit objective of promoting to the Liga I; he resigned from the position in October 2013. In December 2014, he was named the head coach of top flight club Pandurii Târgu Jiu. Under his guidance, the team reached the final of the 2014–15 Cupa Ligii.

CSKA Sofia

On 24 August 2016, Iordănescu was announced as the new head coach of Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, after also attracting the interest of Lech Poznań. On 27 November 2016, after a 1–1 home draw against Vereya, he resigned from his position.

Back to Romania

On 8 June 2017, Iordănescu signed a deal with Liga I club Astra Giurgiu. On 2 April 2018, his contract with the club was terminated through a mutual agreement. On 13 June 2018, Iordănescu signed a three-year contract with CFR Cluj, taking over from Dan Petrescu, who left for Guizhou Hengfeng. He won his first managerial trophy on 15 July that year, as his new side defeated Universitatea Craiova 1–0 in the 2018 Supercupa României. He…

Iordănescu dated Romanian singer-songwriter Delia Matache from 2005 to 2006. He is now married to a woman with whom he has three children. Iordănescu and his father Anghel, as well as Mircea Lucescu and his son Răzvan, are the only known father–son pairings in football history in which both members have managed the same national team.

Player

Steaua București

Divizia A: 1995–96 Cupa României: 1995–96 Petrolul Ploiești

Divizia B: 2002–03

Coach

Pandurii Târgu Jiu

Cupa Ligii runner-up: 2014–15 CFR Cluj

Liga I: 2020–21 Supercupa României: 2018, 2020 Legia Warsaw

Polish Super Cup: 2025 Individual

Gazeta Sporturilor Romania Coach of the Year: 2023, 2024 Gala Fotbalului Românesc Romanian Coach of the Year: 2021 Gazeta Sporturilor Romania Coach of the Month: November 2023