Petru Racu (born 17 July 1987) is a Moldovan entrepreneur and former footballer. He is the founder and CEO of VEGETAL, a leading Moldavian company that produces cold pressed oils from different seeds.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 17 July 1987 | ||
Place of birth | Chișinău, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union | ||
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Position(s) | Centre back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2003–2007 | Zimbru Chișinău | 42 | (4) |
2007–2012 | IFK Norrköping | 85 | (11) |
2008 | → MyPa (loan) | 8 | (2) |
2012–2013 | Hjørring | 7 | (0) |
2013–2015 | Veris Chișinău | 39 | (10) |
2015–2017 | Milsami Orhei | 54 | (11) |
2017–2018 | Sheriff Tiraspol | 50 | (3) |
2019 | Neftçi Baku | 3 | (0) |
2019 | Petrolul Ploiești | 3 | (0) |
2020–2021 | Petrocub | 29 | (3) |
2021–2023 | Milsami Orhei | 34 | (1) |
International career‡ | |||
2010–2020 | Moldova | 50[1] | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:16, 1 June 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22 August 2024 |
Racu was a physically strong and aggressive defender who played in countries like Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Azerbaijan, Romania and Moldova. He played 50 matches for the Moldavian national team.
Club career
editZimbru Chișinău
editRacu made his professional debut with Zimbru Chișinău in the Moldovan league in 2003. He won his first trophy in June 2004 at the age of sixteen by helping Zimbru win the Moldovan Cup.
At the end of the 2003–04 season he was named "Best Young Player of the Year" by the Moldovan Football Federation.
IFK Norrköping
editIn February 2007, Racu moved to Swedish club IFK Norrköping, where he played successfully for five years.
During the 2008 season, he was loaned to the Finnish club MYPA and managed to scored a goal on his debut.
FC Hjørring
editIn January 2012, Racu transferred to the Danish club FC Hjørring.[2]
Veris Chișinău
editAfter playing for 6 years in Scandinavia, Racu returned to Moldovan football in 2013, signed with FC Veris Chișinău and become bronze medalist in 2013-14 Moldovan National Division.
In December 2014 he was named "Best Moldovan Defender" by the Moldovan Football Federation.
Milsami Orhei
editIn January 2015, Racu signed with Milsami Orhei and won its first league title 2014-15 Moldovan National Division, becoming the first team to take the title away from the cities of Chișinău and FC Sheriff Tiraspol.
Racu scored the winning goal in the UEFA Champions League qualification match against Ludogorets Razgrad, a game that ended 2–1.
Sheriff Tiraspol
editIn the summer of 2017, Racu moved to fellow Moldovan club Sheriff Tiraspol. He won the Moldovan National Division with Sheriff Tiraspol in 2017 and 2018.
In the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League season, Sheriff Tiraspol reached the group stage and Racu played in all six group matches.[3]
Neftçi Baku
editOn 15 February 2019, Racu joined his old manager Roberto Bordin at Neftçi Baku, signing until the end of the 2018–19 season.[4] At the end of that season Racu became silver medalist with Neftçi Baku.
Petrolul Ploiești
editOn 9 July 2019, Racu signed a contract with Romanian Liga II side Petrolul Ploiești.[5]
Petrocub Hincesti
editIn January 2020, Racu returned to Moldova and joined FC Petrocub Hîncești[6] Racu helped the club to win his first major trophy Moldovan Cup and become silver medalist in Moldovan National Division, best season and performance in club history.[7]
Milsami Orhei
editIn summer 2021, Racu returned to the Red Eagles FC Milsami Orhei and finished his 20-year professional career in the summer of 2023. [8]https://moldfootball.com/ro/news/petru-raku-zavershil-svoju-kar-eru-futbolista
International career
editOn 11 August 2010, Racu debuted in Moldova national football team, in a friendly match 0–0 against Georgia.[9] He played in total 50 games from 2010 to 2020 for Moldova national football team.
Personal life
editRacu was raised in Chișinău in Moldova. He has one sibling, Dorin. He holds two citizenships, of Moldova and of Sweden. He speaks four languages fluently: Romanian, English, Russian and Swedish.
In June 2020, Racu successfully completed the bachelor's exam at the Faculty of International Law of the Free International University of the Republic of Moldova "ULIM". The subject of the dissertation was "Advisory Bodies in the Institutional System of the European Union: Structure and Functions."[10]
In 2008, Racu married Mix Haxholm . They divorced in 2015.
In March 2021, Petru married Elizaveta Zburliuc.[11]
Body art
editPetru has more than 25 tattoos, including one in honour of his mother, Maria, who died in November 2020 of COVID-19; in addition, he also has tattoos of viking, Jason Voorhees, Dovahkiin, wolf, tiger, eagle, grizzly bear, french bulldog, shark, dagger, mace and lots of others.[12]
Business
editIn November 2021, Racu launched the production of Vegetal cold-pressed oils. The factory is located in the village of Ghidighici, Chișinău. In August 2022, Vegetal became first and only company from the Republic of Moldova, in the field, certified ECO according to Regulation EC 834/07 by the International Certifying Body CERES GmbH Germany. In summer 2023 have become ISO Standard Certification 22000 issued in the UK.[13][14][15][16]<ref>"ULEI PRESAT LA RECE (@vegetal.md)". <https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077388236625&mibextid=9R9pXO
Honours
editZimbru Chișinău
edit- Moldovan Cup Winner 2004
- Bronze medalist Moldovan National Division 2004
IFK Norrköping
edit- Champion Swedish Superettan 2007
- Silver medalist Swedish Superettan 2010
Veris Chișinău
edit- Bronze medalist Moldovan National Division 2014
Milsami Orhei
edit- Champion Moldovan National Division 2015
- Bronze medalist Moldovan National Division 2017
Sheriff Tiraspol
edit- Champion Moldovan National Division 2017
- Champion Moldovan National Division 2018
Neftçi Baku
edit- Silver medalist Azerbaijan Premier League 2019
Petrocub Hincesti
edit- Moldovan Cup Winner 2020
- Silver medalist Moldovan National Division 2020
Milsami Orhei
edit- Bronze medalist Moldovan National Division 2022
Individual
edit- Best Moldovan Young Player of the year 2004 by the Moldovan Football Federation
- Best Moldovan Defender of the year 2014 by the Moldovan Football Federation
References
edit- ^ "International appearances of Petru Racu". eu-football.info. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
- ^ "Sporten.dk: Transfer-chok i 1. division". Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
- ^ Internaţionalul moldovean, Petru Racu a părăsit Sheriff-ul Archived 4 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine, publika.md, 6 December 2018
- ^ "Moldova milli komandasının üzvü "Neftçi"də". neftchipfk.com/ (in Azerbaijani). Neftçi PFK. 15 February 2019. Archived from the original on 15 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ "De mâine, în Turcia!" [From tomorrow in Turkey!]. fcpetrolul.ro/ (in Romanian). FC Petrolul Ploiești. 10 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
- ^ Petru Racu a semnat pe 3 ani Archived 8 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine, petrocub.md, 16 January 2020
- ^ "Petrocub a cucerit Cupa Moldovei. Hânceștenii au învins în finală pe Sfântul Gheorghe | PUBLIKA .MD – AICI SUNT ȘTIRILE". July 2020. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ "Petru Racu este asul din mânecă al lui Milsami Orhei înaintea meciurilor cu Elfsborg | PUBLIKA .MD – AICI SUNT ȘTIRILE". 20 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ "Moldova vs. Georgia (0:0)". national-football-teams.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
- ^ "Specialist cu studii superioare! Petru Racu a susţinut cu brio examenul de licență de la ULIM | PUBLIKA .MD – AICI SUNT ȘTIRILE". 12 June 2020. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
- ^ "𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒕𝒂 𝒁𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒖𝒄 (@elizaveta__z)".
- ^ "Jucătorul lui Milsami, Petru Racu, și-a făcut un tatuaj super tare. Vezi cum arată (VIDEO) | PUBLIKA .MD – AICI SUNT ȘTIRILE". 6 April 2016. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ "Пётр Раку. О запуске бизнеса по производству масел и немного о футболе". Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Register". Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022 – via facebook.
- ^ "Wayback Machine has not archived that URL".[dead link]
External links
edit- Official IFK Norrköping profile (in Swedish)
- Petru Racu at Soccerway
- Profile on football-lineups.com