Gil Mărdărescu Explained
Mircea "Gil" Mărdărescu (born 12 April 1952, in Săcele) is a retired Romanian-American football (soccer) player.
Career
Gil Mărdărescu started playing football in 1970 at Politehnica Iași under the guidance of his father, Virgil, making 28 appearances in the Romanian top-division, Divizia A.[1] [2] [3] From 1973 until 1975 he played in Morocco at Wydad Casablanca.[1] [2]
In 1975, he joined the New York Cosmos as a midfielder in the North American Soccer League, where he played alongside three-time World Cup winner Pelé.[1] [2] [4] According to Pelé's autobiography, when Mărdărescu first saw him he made the sign of the cross, then grabbed his hand, telling him:"I always dreamed that I would shake your hand. But playing alongside you is a miracle!".[1] [2] In the same year he moved on to the Rochester Lancers, where he was coached by Ted Dumitru.[5] [6] In 1980, he signed with the New York United football team of the American Soccer League.[7] [8]
Personal life
His father Virgil Mărdărescu coached the Morocco to the 1976 African Cup of Nations title.[9] [10]
He currently lives in California with his wife Stephanie. Gil and Stephanie have two children together, Natalie and Nathan. Mardaresco has three grown children from a previous marriage.[9] [11]
Honours
Politehnica Iași
1972–73
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Un singur român a fost coechipier cu Pelé: "Am visat mereu că îți voi strânge mâna". Gsp.ro. Romanian . Only one Romanian was a teammate with Pelé: "I always dreamed that I would shake your hand". 29 December 2022 . 2 April 2024.
- Web site: Unicul fotbalist român care a fost coleg cu Pele: "Și-a făcut semnul crucii". Ce scria legenda braziliană în autobiografia sa. Prosport.ro. Romanian . The only Romanian footballer who was a colleague of Pele: "He made the sign of the cross". What the Brazilian legend wrote in his autobiography. 30 December 2022 . 2 April 2024.
- Web site: Mircea Mardarescu. Labtof.ro. Romanian . https://web.archive.org/web/20200124233044/http://www.labtof.ro/profil/mircea-mardarescu-3847/. 24 January 2020.
- Web site: Curtain call for a legend. Sports Illustrated. English . 23 June 1975 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080602074613/http://www.romani-adevarati.ro/dr-traian-georgescu-a-murit-chirurgul/. 14 April 2013. 2 June 2008.
- Web site: Gil Mardarescu. Soccer-almanac.com. English . https://web.archive.org/web/20180820005900/http://www.soccer-almanac.com/players/M/mardagi01/. 20 August 2018.
- Web site: Imagine de colecţie + Fabuloasa biografie a singurului român care i-a fost coechipier lui Pele. Gsp.ro. Romanian . Collection image + Fabulous biography of the only Romanian who was a teammate of Pele. 14 January 2015 . 25 January 2020.
- Web site: New York United shines in 3 - 0 Big Apple debut. Gannett Westchester Newspapers. 29 May 1980.
- Web site: Gil Mărdărescu. Nasljerseys.com. English . 2 April 2024.
- Web site: Clipe grele pentru singurul român care a jucat cu Pele: "Rugați-vă pentru el și îmbrățișați-i pe cei dragi". Gsp.ro. Romanian . Hard moments for the only Romanian who played with Pele: "Pray for him and hug your loved ones". 28 June 2017 . 25 January 2020.
- Web site: Marele Pele a dezvăluit ce i-a spus singurul fotbalist român alături de care a jucat. "Replica lui m-a îngrijorat!". Adevarul.ro. Romanian . The Great Pele revealed what the only Romanian footballer that played with him said. "His reply worried me!". 10 October 2015 . 25 January 2020.
- Web site: Gil Mărdărescu, fotbalistul român care a jucat cu marele Pele la New York Cosmos, operat de cancer la prostată. Libertatea.ro. Romanian . Gil Mărdărescu, the Romanian footballer who played with the great Pele at New York Cosmos, operated on prostate cancer. 29 June 2017 . 25 January 2020.
