| Alexandru Epureanu | |
| Birth Date: | 1986 9, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Chișinău, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Height: | 1.89 m[1] |
| Position: | Centre-back |
| Youthyears1: | 1995–1998 |
| Youthclubs1: | Hoverla Uzhhorod |
| Youthyears2: | 1998–2002 |
| Youthclubs2: | Zimbru Chișinău |
| Years1: | 2002–2004 |
| Clubs1: | Zimbru Chișinău |
| Caps1: | 29 |
| Goals1: | 2 |
| Years2: | 2004–2006 |
| Clubs2: | Sheriff Tiraspol |
| Caps2: | 66 |
| Goals2: | 3 |
| Years3: | 2007–2009 |
| Clubs3: | Moscow |
| Caps3: | 72 |
| Goals3: | 3 |
| Years4: | 2010–2014 |
| Clubs4: | Dynamo Moscow |
| Caps4: | 44 |
| Goals4: | 3 |
| Years5: | 2012 |
| Clubs5: | → Krylia Sovetov (loan) |
| Caps5: | 17 |
| Goals5: | 1 |
| Years6: | 2013 |
| Clubs6: | → Anzhi Makhachkala (loan) |
| Caps6: | 7 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 2014 |
| Clubs7: | Anzhi Makhachkala |
| Caps7: | 10 |
| Goals7: | 2 |
| Years8: | 2014–2023 |
| Clubs8: | İstanbul Başakşehir |
| Caps8: | 214 |
| Goals8: | 14 |
| Years9: | 2023 |
| Clubs9: | Ümraniyespor |
| Caps9: | 13 |
| Goals9: | 0 |
| Totalcaps: | 469 |
| Totalgoals: | 28 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2002–2005 |
| Nationalteam1: | Moldova U19 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2005–2007 |
| Nationalteam2: | Moldova U21 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 18 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2006–2022 |
| Nationalteam3: | Moldova |
| Nationalcaps3: | 100 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 7 |
| Pcupdate: | 7 June 2023 |
| Ntupdate: | 25 March 2024 |
Alexandru Epureanu (born 27 September 1986) is a Moldovan former professional footballer who played as a centre-back for the Moldova national team.
Born in Chișinau, Epureanu joined FC Sheriff Tiraspol in summer 2004.[2]
He has won Moldovan Footballer of the Year in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2018. Since playing for FC Sheriff Tiraspol, he has gone on to play for Dinamo Moscow.
On 2 July 2014, Epureanu signed for İstanbul Başakşehir.[3] He made his league debut for the club on 30 August 2014 in a 1–1 home draw with Kasımpaşa, playing all ninety minutes of the match.[4] He scored his first league goal for the club on 5 October 2014 in a 4–0 home victory over Akhisarspor. His goal, scored in the sixth minute, made the score 1–0 to İstanbul BB.[5]
In January 2023, Epureanu departed Başakşehir[6] and subsequently joined Ümraniyespor until the end of the season.[7] On 25 March 2024, he confirmed that he retired from football.[8]
Epureanu made his international debut in a 2–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying loss against Norway on 6 September 2006, and has since been a regular in the national team, wearing the captain's armband on several occasions.[9] In September 2019, Epureanu retired from the national team due to a knee injury.[10] However, he returned in August 2020.[11] He ranks first in terms of all-time appearances for Moldova.[12] On 31 March 2021, he made his 100th and last appearance for Moldova in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Israel.[13]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Zimbru Chișinău | 2002–03 | Moldovan National Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 2003–04 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 27 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||||||
| Sheriff Tiraspol | 2004–05 | Moldovan National Division | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | ||||
| 2005–06 | 27 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | 31 | 4 | ||||||
| 2006–07 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 66 | 3 | 8 | 2 | — | 74 | 5 | ||||||
| FC Moscow | 2007 | Russian Premier League | 23 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | |||||
| 2008 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 29 | 2 | ||||
| 2009 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 72 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 78 | 4 | ||||
| Dynamo Moscow | 2010 | Russian Premier League | 23 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 2 | |||
| 2011–12 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||||
| 2012–13 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 44 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 49 | 3 | |||||
| Krylia Sovetov (loan) | 2012–13 | Russian Premier League | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 19 | 2 | |||
| Anzhi Makhachkala (loan) | 2013–14 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 12 | 1 | |||
| Anzhi Makhachkala | 2013–14 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 14 | 2 | |||
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2014–15 | Süper Lig | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 4 | |||
| 2015–16 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 30 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 40 | 1 | ||||
| 2017–18 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 42 | 6 | ||||
| 2018–19 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 25 | 3 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 34 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 0 | |||
| 2021-22 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | |||
| 2022-23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 211 | 14 | 21 | 1 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 262 | 15 | |||
| Career total | 456 | 28 | 32 | 3 | 48 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 540 | 34 | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moldova | 2006 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 9 | 1 | ||
| 2008 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | 8 | 1 | ||
| 2010 | 7 | 1 | ||
| 2011 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2012 | 6 | 1 | ||
| 2013 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2014 | 8 | 3 | ||
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2017 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2018 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2020 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 100 | 7 | ||
Scores and results list Moldova's goal tally first.[9]
| 1 | 24 March 2007 | 1–1 | 1–1 | Euro 2008 qualifier | |||
| 2 | 12 August 2009 | 4–1 | 4–1 | Friendly | |||
| 3 | 3 March 2010 | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | |||
| 4 | 16 October 2012 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2014 World Cup qualifier | |||
| 5 | 5 March 2014 | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |||
| 6 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 7 | 12 October 2014 | 1–1 | 1–1 | Euro 2016 qualifier |
Note: Some sources have credited Epureanu with scoring the second goal in a 4–0 victory over Saudi Arabia in 2014, however this was a penalty converted by Igor Picușceac.[14]
Zimbru Chișinău
2003–04
Sheriff Tiraspol
2004–05, 2005–06
2005–06
2005
Dynamo Moscow
İstanbul Başakşehir
2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018
2018–19[16]