Alexandru Maxim

Alexandru Maxim

Maxim with VfB Stuttgart
Personal information
Full name	Alexandru Iulian Maxim
Date of birth	8 July 1990
Place of birth	Piatra Neamț, Romania
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 ^1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team	VfB Stuttgart
Number	44
Youth career
2000–2004	Olimpia Piatra Neamț
2004–2007	Ardealul Cluj
2007–2009	Espanyol
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2009–2011	Espanyol B	26	(0)
2010–2011	→ Badalona (loan)	5	(0)
2011–2013	Pandurii Târgu Jiu	44	(9)
2013–	VfB Stuttgart	98	(12)
National team^‡
2011–2012	Romania U21	3	(0)
2012–	Romania	26	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 March 2016. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 November 2015

Alexandru Iulian Maxim (born 8 July 1990 in Piatra Neamț) is a Romanian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for German Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart and the Romania national team.

Club career

Maxim started his football career with local side Olimpia Piatra Neamţ before moving to Ardealul Cluj in 2004, where he played alongside Mihai Răduț and Vlad Chiricheș.^[1]

He then played for RCD Espanyol B in the 2009–10 Segunda División B. For the 2010–11 season Maxim was loaned out to CF Badalona. He transferred to CS Pandurii Târgu Jiu in 2011.^[2]

VfB Stuttgart

On 31 January 2013, Maxim joined VfB Stuttgart for a fee of €1.5 million. He later signed a four-and-a-half year contract.^[3][4]

Maxim made his debut for Stuttgart on 14 February 2013 during the Round of 32 of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League knockout phase against K.R.C. Genk.^[5] On 23 February 2013, he made his Bundesliga debut against 1. FC Nuremberg. On 30 March 2013, Maxim scored his first goal for VfB Stuttgart, in a game against reigning champions Borussia Dortmund, to equalise in an eventual 2–1 loss due to Robert Lewandowski's late goal.^[6]

On September 1, 2013, Maxim scored his first double for the club while also offering two assists in the 6–2 thrashing of Hoffenheim, to give Stuttgart the first Bundesliga win of the season after four match-days.^[7] He continued with his good form by scoring an assist in the next Bundesliga match against Hertha BSC in their 1–0 away victory.^[8] He scored 9 goals in 26 matches in the 2013–14 Bundesliga, also contributing 11 assists.^[9]

On 11 August 2015 Maxim extended his contract with VfB Stuttgart until June 2019.^[10]

International career

Maxim made his debut for the national team on 30 May 2012, in a friendly game against Switzerland.^[11] On 11 September 2012, he became the second Romanian player born after Romanian Revolution to score with the national team, after Gheorghe Grozav.

International

As of 11 October 2015.^[12][13]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Romania	2012	5	2
	2013	8	0
	2014	7	0
	2015	6	1
Total		26	3

International goals

Scores and results lists Romania's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	September 11, 2012	Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania	Andorra	4–0	4–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	October 11, 2015	Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands	Faroe Islands	3–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification

Statistics

Club

(correct as of 5 March 2016)^[14]

Club	Season	League		Cup		Europe		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Espanyol B
	2009–10	26	0	0	0	0	0	26	0
Total		26	0	0	0	0	0	26	0
Badalona
	2010–11	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Total		5	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Pandurii Târgu Jiu
	2011–12	25	4	3	0	0	0	28	4
	2012–13	19	5	1	0	0	0	20	5
Total		44	9	4	0	0	0	48	9
VfB Stuttgart
	2012–13	11	1	2	0	3	0	16	1
	2013–14	29	7	2	0	3	0	34	7
	2014–15	26	2	1	0	0	0	27	2
	2015–16	19	1	2	1	0	0	21	2
Total		85	11	7	1	6	0	98	12
Career total		160	20	11	1	6	0	177	21

Honours

Club

Espanyol

• Copa de Campeones Juvenil: 2007–08

VfB Stuttgart

• DFB-Pokal Runner-up: 2012–13

Individual

• Romanian Footballer of the Year Runner-up: 2013

References

1. "Lista jucatorilor promovati" (in Romanian). Fotbal Club Ardealul. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
2. "Alexandru Maxim a semnat un contract pentru un an cu Pandurii Târgu Jiu" (in Romanian). CS Pandurii Târgu Jiu. 9 August 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
3. "VfB sign Alexandru Maxim". vfb.de. VfB Stuttgart. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
4. "UPDATE Alexandru Maxim a fost prezentat oficial la Stuttgart. Ce număr va purta și ce a declarat la Dolce" (in Romanian). Dolce Sport. 31 January 2013.
5. "Last-gasp Genk denies Stuttgart win". uefa.com. UEFA. 14 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
6. "Stuttgart - Dortmund 1-2, Maxim a înscris golul gazdelor!". Gazeta Sporturilor. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
7. "O scoate pe Stuttgart din criză". Gazeta Sporturilor. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
8. "Maxim, rol important în victoria lui Stuttgart la Berlin!". Gazeta Sporturilor. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
9. "Scorer" [Goal + assist] (in German). DFL. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
10. "Baumgartl and Maxim sign long-term deals". vfb.de. VfB Stuttgart. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
11. "Elveția - România 0–1" (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
12. "Alexandru Iulian Maxim". RomanianSoccer.ro. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
13. "Alexandru Maxim". National Football Teams. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
14. "A. MAXIM at soccerway.com". soccerway.com. Retrieved 26 October 2014.

External links

• Alexandru Maxim – UEFA competition record
• Alexandru Iulian Maxim at BDFutbol.com
• Alexandru Iulian Maxim at Soccerway.com
• Alexandru Iulian Maxim at Romaniansoccer.ro