Rapid reborn: How a furniture millionaire is crafting a brighter future for Romanian football
IMAGO | Rapid Bucharest co-owner Dan Şucu (R) during a match against CFR Cluj at the Rapid Giulesti Stadium in Bucharest.
After going bust in 2016, new owners have revived Romania’s most historic club, Rapid Bucharest – with a new stadium, investment in squad and facilities.
Majority shareholder Dan Şucu is melding business acumen with values-driven leadership to revitalise Rapid and Romanian grassroots football. Rapid gave Off The Pitch all areas access to tell the behind-the-scenes story.
Why it matters: Şucu is one of a new generation of highly experienced and savvy investors that see the business potential of football clubs outside the main European leagues.
The perspective: Football had all but collapsed in Romania a decade ago, with owners and corrupt officials jailed, and some of the biggest clubs put out of business.
16 October 2023 - 3:11 PM
In April 2018 an extraordinary match took place in Bucharest’s national stadium. 36,277 fans turned out to watch Steaua Bucharest, the 1986 European Champions, take on their city rivals, Rapid Bucharest in one of the city’s derby matches.
There was nothing especially unusual in that – there have been several Bucharest derbies played each year since the late-1940s – but the competition setting was unique.
Here, buried in the fourth tier of Romanian football, were the countr
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