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Cristina Neagu

Romanian handball player (born 1988)

Summary

Romanian handball player (born 1988)

FieldValue
nameCristina Neagu
fullnameCristina Georgiana Neagu
image20170613 Handball AUT-ROU Cristina Neagu 8446 .jpg
captionNeagu in 2017
image_size200px
birth_date
birth_placeBucharest, Romania
nationalityRomanian
height1.80 m
positionLeft back
youthclubs1CSŞ 5 București
years1–2006
clubs1HC Activ Ploiești
years22006–2009
clubs2CS Rulmentul Brașov
years32009–2013
clubs3CS Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea
years42013–2017
clubs4ŽRK Budućnost
years52017–2025
clubs5CSM București
nationalyears12006–2023
nationalteam1Romania
nationalcaps1221
nationalgoals1972
ntupdate4 November 2023

Cristina Georgiana Neagu (; born 26 August 1988) is a Romanian former professional handballer.

Often considered the best player in the world and rated by many in the sport as the greatest of all time, Neagu is the only female handball player in history to win four IHF World Player of the Year awards (in 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2018). She also won the EHF Player of the Year award in 2017 and 2018 (a record). She has been selected to the All-EHF Champions League All-Star Team seven times (2015–18 and 2020–22).

A prolific goalscorer, Neagu is the European Championship's all-time leader in goals scored (303). She was the 2015 World Championship top-scorer and was named MVP of the tournament. She also finished as the top scorer of the EHF Champions League in the 2014–15, 2017–18 and 2021–22 seasons.

Neagu was given the award of Cetățean de onoare ("Honorary Citizen") of the city of Bucharest in 2017.

Early life

Cristina Neagu is the daughter of Vasilica and Constantin Neagu. She was born in Bucharest, Romania, and grew up in Ghencea district, being the youngest of three siblings. Maria Covaci, local middle school coach, introduced her to handball when she was 12 years old.

Professional career

Injury

During the 2010–11 season, her right shoulder cartilage was damaged. On 10 October 2012, Neagu returned to play in the Romanian Women's Handball League, 605 days (approximately 1 year and 7 months) after suffering the injury and after she received long-term treatment in the United States.

She got seriously injured again during a training session in January 2013. Neagu was out for six months after undergoing surgery on her left knee after rupturing her cruciate ligaments.

Comeback and later career

After nearly two-and-a-half years of injuries, Neagu again reached the final stage of the Champions League, this time in 2014 with Montenegrin side Budućnost.

On 21 December 2014, she was awarded best left back of the 2014 European Championship. She was also among the tournament top goalscorers, ranking second.

After an outstanding 2013–14 season, she got nominated again for the IHF World Player of the Year Award, but this time she lost to Eduarda Amorim being named second best player in the world with 25.8% of the votes.

Neagu won her first Champions League trophy in 2015 after an outstanding season, topping the goalscorers list alongside Andrea Penezić and being voted the best left back of the competition.

She was named MVP player at the 2015 World Championship in Denmark, where she scored 63 goals – being the top goalscorer in the competition.

Neagu reached the final stage of the Champions League three times (in 2010, 2014 and 2015). She has been a member of the European Championship All-Star Team three times (2010, 2014 and 2016). She received a bronze medal at the 2010 European Championship, being also the top scorer of the competition and having the most assists.

A bad injury sidelined Neagu once again in the final main round match against Hungary at the 2018 European Championship when she was in a commanding position to finish as top scorer. She tore her ACL and had to undergo surgery on her right knee.

During Neagu's final professional match in Bucharest on 8 June 2025, Romanian president Nicușor Dan made an appearance, praising her career.

Personal life

Neagu is a huge football fan and a big supporter of local team FCSB, and attends their matches at the Arena Națională stadium.

Achievements

National

  • Romanian National League:
    • Winner: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2021, 2023
    • Silver Medalist: 2007, 2008, 2019, 2022
  • Romanian Cup:
    • Winner: 2011, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
    • Finalist: 2007, 2020, 2021
  • Romanian Supercup:
    • Winner: 2011, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023
    • Finalist: 2007, 2018, 2020, 2021
  • Montenegrin Championship:
    • Winner: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
  • Montenegrin Cup:
    • Winner: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

International

  • EHF Champions League:
  • EHF Cup Winners' Cup:
    • Finalist: 2008
  • World Championship:
    • Bronze Medalist: 2015
  • European Championship:
    • Bronze Medalist: 2010
  • World Youth Championship:
    • Bronze Medalist: 2006
  • European Youth Championship:
    • Silver Medalist: 2005
  • European Junior Championship:
    • Bronze Medalist: 2007

Individual

;IHF

  • 4× IHF World Player of the Year: 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018
  • IHF World Rookie of the Year: 2009
  • World Championship Most Valuable Player: 2015
  • World Championship Top Scorer: 2015
  • World Championship All-Star Team Left Back: 2015
  • World Youth Championship Most Valuable Player: 2006

;EHF

  • 2× EHF Player of the Year: 2017, 2018
  • European Championship All-Time Top Scorer (303 goals)
  • European Championship Top Scorer: 2010
  • European Championship Most Assists: 2010
  • 4× European Championship All-Star Team Left Back: 2010, 2014, 2016, 2022
  • European Youth Championship Most Valuable Player: 2005
  • European Junior Championship All-Star Team Left Back: 2007
  • Cup Winners' Cup Top Scorer: 2008
  • 3× Champions League Top Scorer: 2015, 2018, 2022
  • 7× Champions League All-Star Team Left Back: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022
  • EHF Excellence Awards Best left back of the season: 2022/23

;National

  • 6× Romanian Player of the Year: 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • Romanian Sportsperson of the Year: 2015
  • Brașov County Sportsperson of the Year: 2008
  • Top Scorer of the Liga Națională: 2022
  • All-Star Left Back of the Liga Națională: 2021
  • 2× Most Valuable Player of the Liga Națională: 2020, 2021
  • 3× Liga Națională Best Romanian Player: 2017, 2018, 2019
  • Cupa României Final Four Most Valuable Player: 2018
  • 3× Pro Sport Most Valuable Player of the Liga Națională: 2018, 2020 2021
  • 3× Pro Sport All-Star Team Left Back of the Liga Națională: 2018, 2020 2021

;Other

  • 3× Handball-Planet World Player of the Year: 2015, 2016, 2018
  • 6× Handball-Planet All-Star Team Left Back: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 2020
  • TV 2 Norway World Player of the Year: 2018
  • TV 2 Norway All-Star Team Left Back: 2018
  • TV 2 Norway All-Star Team Left Back of the European Championship: 2018
  • 2× World Cup Most Valuable Player: 2009, 2010
  • 2× Carpathian Trophy Most Valuable Player: 2017, 2018
  • 2× Carpathian Trophy Top Scorer: 2006, 2015
  • 2× Bucharest Trophy All-Star Team Left Back: 2014, 2015

References

References

  1. [https://www.eurohandball.com/en/player/dj5eq22bt9y-vhAge7x1Fg/cristina-georgiana-neagu/ EHF profile]
  2. "Cristina Neagu Fapte și Statistici".
  3. Giuclea, Andreea. (20 September 2019). "Cristina Neagu: Un 8 de Neoprit, documentarul unei cariere unice în handbal".
  4. "World's first female handball player to win three Player of the Year awards: Cristina Neagu sets world record". World Record Academy.
  5. Ulmeanu, Ioana. (4 December 2018). "Interviu EXCLUSIV: 100% Cristina Neagu – golgheterul all-time al Campionatului European de handbal".
  6. (20 December 2015). "La Roumaine Cristina Neagu désignée MVP du Mondial féminin". [[L'Équipe]].
  7. (31 August 2017). "Cristina Neagu becomes 'Honorary Citizen of Bucharest'". Handball Planet.
  8. (16 December 2010). "Acasa la Cristina Neagu: "Mami, ce medalie imi aduci?"". [[Evenimentul Zilei]].
  9. (16 December 2010). "Prima antrenoare a Cristinei Neagu îi face o caracterizare inedită". [[Libertatea]].
  10. Ursescu, Marian. (11 October 2012). "Revenire după 605 zile " Cristina Neagu a jucat din nou pentru Oltchim". [[Gazeta Sporturilor]].
  11. (30 January 2013). "Cristina Neagu six months out!". Handball Planet.
  12. (25 February 2015). "Karabatic and Amorim – Grundfos World Handball Players of the Year". IHF.info.
  13. Ursescu, Marian. (4 November 2019). "Cristina Neagu, lungul drum al suferinței! Cum au arătat cele 326 de zile de calvar, de la operație până la revenire".
  14. Mazilu, Cornelia. (8 June 2025). "Nicușor Dan a executat o aruncare de la 7 metri în meciul de retragere al Cristinei Neagu". [[Adevărul]].
  15. Nicolae, Răzvan. (15 February 2018). "Cristina Neagu îi susţine pe stelişti! "O iubire roş-albastră!"".
  16. (18 March 2019). "Neagu and Hansen named 2018 World Players of the Year". International Handball Federation.
  17. (14 May 2010). "Neagu, "World's best Rookie of the Year 2009"". [[Nine O'Clock]].
  18. (5 December 2018). "Passing the top-scorer crown: Farkas to Neagu". fra2018.ehf-euro.com.
  19. "2010 Women's European Championship". [[European Handball Federation]].
  20. "MVP Reistad leads EHF EURO 2022 All-Star Team". European Handball Federation.
  21. (14 January 2011). "5 lucruri pe care nu le ştiai despre cea mai bună handbalistă a lumii, Cristina Neagu!".
  22. "Cristina Neagu".
  23. "Cei mai buni jucători ai anului 2018".
  24. (28 May 2021). "Fan favourite Oftedal leads Györ quartet in All-star Team". [[European Handball Federation]].
  25. (3 June 2022). "Györ quintet headline EHF Champions League All-star Team". [[European Handball Federation]].
  26. "Golden players make the team of the season".
  27. "Cristina Neagu, cea mai bună jucătoare de handbal din lume, pentru a patra oară!".
  28. Constantinescu, Andrei. "Simona Halep și Horia Tecău, învinși de Cristina Neagu și Andreea Chițu".
  29. "Cristina Neagu, sportivul anului în Braşov".
  30. Ursescu, Marian. (2 March 2021). "Cristina şi Kristina, cele mai valoroase jucătoare din handbalul românesc! Vor fi adversare în optimile Ligii, 2021 Campionilor".
  31. Ursescu, Marian. "Premii pentru Crina Pintea și Mihai Popescu " Federația Română de Handbal a desemnat cei mai buni handbaliști ai anului".
  32. "Primul trofeu al sezonului pentru CSM București. "Tigroaicele" au câștigat Cupa României".
  33. Huțu, Marius. (21 May 2018). "Cristina Neagu, cea mai bună handbalistă din Liga Naţională în sezonul 2017–2018. Cum arată echipa ideală a campionatului, după voturile exprimate de antrenori".
  34. Huțu, Marius. (25 May 2020). "Echipa sezonului în Liga Florilor și topul celor mai bune cinci handbaliste. Cristina Neagu este MVP-ul în 2020! ProSport a discutat cu toți antrenorii și a definitivat "superlativele"".
  35. Huțu, Marius. (4 June 2021). "Cristina Neagu este MVP-ul sezonului 2020-2021 în Liga Florilor. Cum arată topul celor mai bune jucătoare în ancheta ProSport".
  36. (31 January 2019). "Cristina Neagu is NBSC World Handball Female Player 2018!". Handball-Planet.
  37. (7 January 2015). "WOMEN'S HANDBALL "BEST 8" IN 2014". Handball-Planet.
  38. (7 January 2016). "MIZUNO FEMALE WORLD HANDBALL TEAM 2015 – BEST 8". Handball-Planet.
  39. (11 January 2017). "HANDBALL WORLD UNITED: Over 35.000 votes for the best handball girls in 2016". Handball-Planet.
  40. (8 February 2018). "WORLD FEMALE HANDBALL BEST 8 IN 2017". Handball-Planet.
  41. (31 January 2019). "WORLD FEMALE HANDBALL BEST 8 IN 2018". Handball-Planet.
  42. link. Handball-Planet
  43. (5 December 2018). "Umulig ikke å sette henne øverst". [[TV 2 (Norway).
  44. (27 September 2010). "Handbalistele au luat Cupa Mondială pentru a doua oară consecutiv! " Hora de la Aarhus!". [[Gazeta Sporturilor]].
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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