Răzvan Raț

Romanian footballer

Răzvan Dincă Raț (; born 26 May 1981) is a Romanian former professional footballer who played as a left back. He made a name for himself in Romania at Rapid București, with which he won two national titles, one national cup and one supercup between 1998 and 2003. The latter year, Raț moved to Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine, collecting 15 domestic trophies and one UEFA Cup over the course of ten seasons. In 2009, he came second in voting for the Romanian Footballer of the Year award. He also represented West Ham United, Rayo Vallecano, PAOK and ACS Poli Timișoara before retiring in 2018. Raț made his full debut for the Romania national team in 2002. He participated with the country in two UEFA European Championship and was appointed captain in September 2011. Raț is the fourth most capped Romanian international of all time, earning his 100th match in October 2014.

Born in Piatra Olt, In the summer of 1994, Raț went on a trial with Universitatea Craiova. He impressed coach Anghel Mităchescu and joined the club's youth system at age 13. When Mităchescu found out that he was going to be released from his duties by club president Rodion Cămătaru, he transferred the entire junior squad at the Divizia B side Constructorul Craiova. Raț's career for Constructorul, however, ended shortly after due to the club's financial problems, in 1995. In June 1998, Mircea Lucescu noticed Raț, and he signed his first professional contract with Rapid București on 26 June.

On 21 May 2013, Raț signed for English Premier League club West Ham United on a free transfer on a one year contract, with the option to extend it. His West Ham debut came on 27 August 2013 in a League Cup game against Cheltenham Town in which West Ham won the game 2–1. On 31 January 2014, Raț was released from his contract with West Ham by mutual consent. He had played 20 games in all competitions without scoring.

On 13 February 2014, Raț joined Spanish La Liga side Rayo Vallecano until the end of the 2013–14 season. On 15 June 2014, PAOK announced they had made a verbal agreement with Raț, who signed a two year contract at the Superleague Greece club. On 20 August 2015, Raț returned to Rayo Vallecano after agreeing to a two year deal. On 31 January 2018, after making no appearances during the campaign, he cut ties with the club. On 22 March 2018, Raț returned to Romania with ACS Poli Timișoara, totalling ten games before retiring.

On 8 February 2002, Raț was called up to the Romania national team for the first time. Five days later, he made the starting lineup in his full debut in a Friendly against reigning world and European champions France. Raț played his first official match on 12 October, in a Euro 2004 qualifier match against Norway, playing as a left midfielder. Following the rise of Cristian Chivu in becoming first choice in central defence, Raț became the first choice left back for Romania. On 28 April 2004, Raț scored his first goal for the national squad in a 5–1 win against Germany in the worst away defeat for Germany in the past 65 years. On 31 May 2014, Raț scored only his second goal for Romania, but it was the winning goal in a 1–0 victory against Albania in a match played in Yverdon les Bains, Switzerland. In 2008, Raț made the squad for the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament. He helped Romania to a 0–0 draw against previous FIFA World Cup finalists France and a 1–1 draw against world champions Italy in the so called "group of death". Romania, however, were eliminated after a 2–0 loss to the Netherlands. He is a bronze medalist Cyprus International Football Tournament 2011. Raț earned his 100th cap for Romania on 14 October 2014 in a 2–0 victory away to Finland in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.