| István Birtalan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Birtalan in the 1970s-80s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
(1948-09-25)25 September 1948 Zalău, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died |
27 May 2024(2024-05-27) (aged 75) Bucharest, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Romanian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Left back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior clubs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1964–1966 | Rapid CFR Jibou | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1967–1970 | Minerul Baia Mare | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1985 | Steaua Bucharest | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1986 | Tuscany Follonica | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1982 | Romania | 231 | (993) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1994 | Steaua Bucharest (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1999 | Qatar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2002 | Steaua Bucharest | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Ştefan Birtalan (25 September 1948 – 27 May 2024) was a Romanian handball player, coach and sports official.
Birtalan was one of the best players of his time and was named the World Player of the Year in 1974, 1976 and 1977. He spent most of his club career with Steaua București, winning with them 12 Romanian championships and the European Champions Cup in 1977. He also won the world title in 1970 and 1974, becoming the top scorer at the 1974 tournament with 43 goals. He participated in the 1972, 1976 and 1980 Olympics winning one silver and 2 bronze medals.
Biography
Birtalan was of Hungarian descent through his parents István and Valeria.
As a teenager he trained in handball, volleyball, basketball and athletics. He debuted in handball aged 16 with the team Rapid CFR Jibou. In 1966, he moved to Baia Mare to study civil engineering. There he first played volleyball and in 1967 changed to handball. From 1970 to 1985 he competed for Steaua Bucharest, with an interruption between 1981 and 1983. With Steaua he won the 1977 EHF Champions League title, finishing second in 1971, and 12 national titles. In 1966, he was included to the junior and in 1968 to the senior national handball team.
At the end of his career Birtalan spent one year in Italy as player-coach in 1985–86. After returning to Romania he worked with the national junior team, and in 1991–1994 was head coach at Steaua. In 1994 he accepted a coaching position in Qatar. Between 1999 and 2002 he again coached Steaua, bringing it to the national titles in 2000 and 2001. In 2002 he retired from coaching due to health problems, and became a sport administrator.
Birtalan died on 27 May 2024, at the age of 75.
International achievements
- EHF Champions League:
- World Championship:
- Summer Olympics:
- World University Championship:
- Gold Medalist: 1973, 1975
National achievements
Player
- Steaua București
- Romanian National League:
- Winner: 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985
- Romanian Cup:
- Winner: 1981, 1985
Manager
- Steaua București
- Romanian National League:
- Winner: 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2000, 2001
- Romanian Cup:
- Winner: 1990, 2000, 2001
Individual awards and honours
- IHF
- 3× IHF World Player of the Year: 1974, 1976, 1977
- World Championship Top Scorer: 1974
- Summer Olympics Top Scorer: 1976
- National
- 3× Romanian Sportsman of the Year: 1974, 1976, 1977
References
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ştefan Birtalan". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2 December 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
- "Handball legend amazed by CL final". European Handball Federation. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ Ştefan Birtalan. cosr.ro
- "INTERVIU Ştefan Birtalan, fost campion mondial la handbal" (in Romanian). Adevărul. 23 April 2016.
- "Legendarul Ștefan Birtalan a murit, la 75 de ani". Digisport. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
External links
- Stefan Birtalan at databaseOlympics.com (archived)
- Ștefan Birtalan at Olympedia (archive)
- Stefan Birtalan at Olympics.com
- Stefan Birtalan at the Comitetul Olimpic și Sportiv Român (in Romanian) (archive)
| IHF World Player of the Year – Men | |
|---|---|
| |
| Rankings before 1988: Ștefan Birtalan (1974, 1976, 1977) Best Player of All Time: Gheorghe Gruia (1992) Player of the 20th Century: Magnus Wislander (2000) IHF Best Player in History: Ivano Balić (2010) |
- 1948 births
- 2024 deaths
- People from Jibou
- Romanian male handball players
- Romanian handball coaches
- CSA Steaua București (handball) players
- Handball players at the 1972 Summer Olympics
- Handball players at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- Handball players at the 1980 Summer Olympics
- Olympic handball players for Romania
- Olympic silver medalists for Romania
- Olympic bronze medalists for Romania
- Olympic medalists in handball
- Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics
- Romanian sportspeople of Hungarian descent
- Sportspeople from Sălaj County
- Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Romanian expatriate handball players
- Expatriate handball coaches
- Romanian expatriate sportspeople in Qatar
- 20th-century Romanian sportsmen