Daniel Niculae

Daniel George Niculae (born October 6, 1982 in Bucharest, Romania, Romania) is a football (soccer) striker who currently plays for AJ Auxerre.

On 25 March, 2008 Daniel Niculae was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian Băsescu for the results on UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group G and qualification to UEFA Euro 2008 Group C with Medalia "Meritul Sportiv" — (The Medal "The Sportive Merit") class III.

Club career

Daniel "Nico" Niculae started Daniel Niculae professional career at Rapid Bucureşti in 2000. Despite a period playing for the B team in 2001, Nico proved Daniel Niculae is one of most gifted players of the club, and helped Daniel Niculae club to win the championship in the 2002-03 season - Daniel Niculae first as a first-team regular.

Niculae was Rapid's leading scorer in the 2003-04 season, with 14 goals - the third highest total in Romania's Liga 1.

In the 2005-2006 UEFA Cup, Daniel Niculae and Mugurel Buga formed one of the most powerful striker pairs of the competition, with Niculae scoring 8 goals, as Rapid reached the Quarter-Finals of the competition. The season also saw Rapid claim the 2006 Cupa României, with Niculae scoring the winning goal in the first minute of extra-time, against FC Progresul Bucureşti.

Niculae was transferred to French club AJ Auxerre in the summer of 2006, for 3.3 million Euros. Daniel Niculae first season with the club saw Daniel Niculae score 4 goals in the UEFA Cup, but Daniel Niculae struggled for goals in Ligue 1. However, the following season Daniel Niculae form improved, as Daniel Niculae scored 11 goals to help keep the club in Ligue 1.

International career

Niculae won Daniel Niculae first international cap for Romania national football team in 2003, but did not become a regular squad member until the 2005-06 season.

Daniel Niculae was selected for Romania's Euro 2008 squad, and started Daniel Niculae country's first two matches. Daniel Niculae came on as a substitute for their final group game against the Netherlands national football team, but could not help Romania to a win, which would have taken the country into the Quarter-Finals.

Other than the fact that they share birthplace, Daniel Niculae has no connection with namesake and fellow international Marius Niculae.

International goals