Cristian Neamțu (22 August 1980 – 20 February 2002) was a Romanian football player.
Neamțu was the reserve goalkeeper of the Romanian First Division club FCU Craiova and was considered one of the country's most promising young keepers.
The goalkeeper was pronounced dead after suffering a massive brain bleeding during a training session in Cyprus. Universitatea had been training in Larnaca, Cyprus, ahead of the restart of the Romanian league schedule.
Neamțu had been on a life-support machine at a Nicosia hospital after clashing violently with team-mate Marius Șuleap as he rushed out of his goal to clear from the midfielder. Șuleap's knee accidentally struck the keeper's head, knocking him out. He played first for Universitatea Craiova from 1998 until 2000, later for Electroputere Craiova from 2000 until 2001, next at Rocar București from 2001 until 2002 and in the final he returned to Universitatea Craiova in 2002.
References
- Deceased soccer players – Cristian Neamtu
- Romanian keeper dies
- "Declarații sfâșietoare ale lui Șuleap la 16 ani de la moartea lui Cristi Neamțu: "Nu mai calc prin Craiova! Toți mă consideră un criminal! Totul e un calvar pentru mine"" [Șuleap's heartbreaking statements 16 years after Cristi Neamțu's death: "I'll no longer go in Craiova! Everyone considers me a criminal! Everything is an ordeal for me"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 19 September 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- "Mama lui Cristi Neamțu, declarații tulburătoare la 16 ani de la tragedie: "Șuleap e criminalul fiului meu! Mi-a nenorocit copilul și m-a terminat pe viață! În Cipru a fost ceva necurat"" [Cristi Neamțu's mother, disturbing statements 16 years after the tragedy: "Șuleap killed my son! He ended my child's life and ruined mine! Something was fishy in Cyprus"] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- "Marius Șuleap ar putea fi imprumutat la alta echipa" [Marius Șuleap might be loaned to another team] (in Romanian). Libertatea.ro. 24 February 2002. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- "Șuleap e socat dupa moartea lui Cristi Neamtu" [Suleap is shocked after the death of Cristi Neamțu] (in Romanian). Ziaruldeiasi.ro. 25 February 2002. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- "Povestea tragică a fotbalistului Craiovei care și-a ucis din greseala colegul de echipă! Vezi ce i s-a întâmplat lui Marius Șuleap" [The tragic story of the footballer who accidentally killed his teammate! See what happened to Marius Șuleap] (in Romanian). Cancan.ro. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2020.