Alexandru Mitriță


Alexandru Ionuț Mitriță is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for American club New York City and the Romania national team.
He represented Turnu Severin, Viitorul Constanța and FC Steaua București before moving abroad to Pescara in 2015, aged 20. After two years in Italy, Mitriță returned to his country with Universitatea Craiova, where he became an undisputed starter and won the Cupa României. His good display earned him a transfer to the Major League Soccer, joining New York City in February 2019 as a Designated Player.
At international level, Mitriță earned caps for several youth sides of Romania before making his full debut in March 2018.

Club career

Early years / Viitorul

A native of Craiova, Mitriță started his senior career with Turnu Severin in 2011, and in early 2013 he joined Viitorul Constanța. In September, aged 18, he was loaned by FC Steaua București to play for their UEFA Youth League side; his senior output for the latter club consisted of only one match in the Cupa României, and he returned to Viitorul the following year.
Mitriță played his first match upon his return on 23 February 2014, in a 2–1 away win against Dinamo București. He recorded his first Liga I goal on 21 May that year, in a 1–0 victory over Ceahlăul Piatra Neamț.

Pescara

In July 2015, Mitriță was transferred to Italian club Pescara for an undisclosed fee, rumoured to be around €1 million. He made 20 appearances and scored one goal in all competitions in his debut campaign, as the team achieved promotion to the Serie A.
Mitriță's first goal in the Italian top division came on 22 May 2017, in a 2–0 home defeat of Palermo.

Universitatea Craiova

On 21 July 2017, CS Universitatea Craiova announced that they had reached an agreement for the loan of Mitriță. He made his competitive debut six days later in a 0–1 home loss to A.C. Milan in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League. His first goal came in a domestic league fixture against Astra Giurgiu on 6 August, which ended 1–1. Mitriță scored both goals in a 2–0 win against his former team Viitorul Constanța, on 20 August 2017.
On 16 December, he converted a free kick in a 2–1 league victory over eventual champions CFR Cluj. Only a few days earlier, Italian and Romanian press reported that Craiova had signed him on a permanent basis; the deal was confirmed on 17 January 2018, with the Alb-albaștrii paying a previously-agreed €730,000 to Pescara, which would also be entitled to 15% from a future transfer fee.
Mitriță netted his first goal of 2018 on 10 March, an 82nd-minute winner against Astra Giurgiu. On 14 April, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 4–1 home defeat of Politehnica Iași. In the Cupa României final on 27 May, he scored a goal and was named man of the match as Universitatea Craiova won 2–0 over second division side Hermannstadt. Mitriță finished his first campaign in Craiova with 38 appearances and 16 goals across all competitions, being selected by Liga Profesionistă de Fotbal in the best team of the Liga I championship play-offs.
In July 2018, he gained team captaincy and played the full 90 minutes in the 0–1 Supercupa României loss to CFR Cluj. By the end of the first part of the regular season in late October, Mitriță had netted nine league goals, sharing the top scorer position with FCSB's Harlem Gnohéré. On 9 November, he was sent off in the 57th minute after receiving two yellow cards—both for diving—in an eventual 1–1 draw with Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe. Mitriță also cursed referee Radu Petrescu, but he was only awarded a one-match suspension. Later that month, he was nominated for Gazeta Sporturilor's 2018 Romanian Footballer of the Year award. On 19 December, the last fixture of the calendar year, he scored his fourth doppietta of the campaign in a 2–0 victory against Gaz Metan Mediaș.

New York City

Amid rumours linking Mitriță to a transfer to Major League Soccer side New York City FC, he was left out of the Universitatea Craiova squad to face Viitorul Constanța on 3 February 2019. The following day, he officially joined the American club as a Designated Player. Craiova general manager Marcel Popescu revealed the transfer fee to be US$9.1 million, which supposedly made Mitriță the third-most expensive sale of the Romanian league championship. He made his debut on 8 February, celebrating his birthday by opening the scoring in a friendly game against Swedish team AIK in Abu Dhabi. In the campaign's opener on 2 March, Mitriță assisted captain Alexander Ring's goal in a 2–2 draw with Orlando City. He netted his first competitive New York City goal on the 17th of the same month, in a 2–2 draw with Los Angeles FC.
Mitriță became a regular goalscorer at the club, and on 25 September—his 24th match overall in the starting lineup—managed a hat-trick in a 4–1 defeat of MLS Cup 2018 champions Atlanta United. New York City lost the next and final regular fixture against New England Revolution, but still finished top of the Eastern Conference table. On 23 October, Mitriță played the full 90 minutes in a 1–2 loss to Toronto FC in the Conference Semifinals, and thus ended the year with 32 appearances and thirteen goals all competitions comprised. His individual performances also earned him fourth place in Gazeta Sporturilor's 2019 Romanian Footballer of the Year award.

International career

In March 2018, Mitriță was called up for Romania senior team's friendlies with Israel and Sweden later that month, after reportedly impressing coach Cosmin Contra. He made his debut in the former match on the 24th, and offered an assist to George Țucudean in a 2–1 win in Netanya.
Mitriță scored his first goal at the national team on 12 October 2019, helping to a 3–0 away success against the Faroe Islands after replacing Florinel Coman in the 69th minute. Three days later, he netted again in a 1–1 draw with Norway, also counting for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Style of play

Mitriță is deployed as an attacking midfielder or a winger on either flank, having been noted for pace and technical ability which allow him to take on opponents in one-on-one situations.

Personal life

Mitriță's uncle, Dumitru, was also a professional footballer. He played for several clubs, including Universitatea Craiova and Steaua București.
Mitriță stated that growing up he idolized Lionel Messi and looked to emulate him.
In October 2018, Mitriță tattooed on the back of his neck a piece of advice he was given by two-times Romanian Footballer of the Year winner Ilie Balaci shortly before his passing away.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
112 October 2019Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands82–03–0UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
215 October 2019Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania91–01–1UEFA Euro 2020 qualification

Honours

Club

Universitatea Craiova