Ștefan Baiaram

Ștefan Baiaram
Baiaram with Universitatea Craiova in 2025
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-12-31) 31 December 2002
Place of birth Băilești, Romania
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
 Universitatea Craiova
Number 10
Youth career
2008–2009 FEFS Craiova
2009–2010 Luceafărul Craiova
2010–2014 Casa Bogdan
2014–2019 Universitatea Craiova
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019– Universitatea Craiova 199 (39)
International career‡
2019 Romania U17 2 (0)
2021 Romania U20 4 (1)
2021–2025 Romania U21 15 (2)
2025– Romania 2 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19 March 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 November 2025

Ștefan Baiaram (born 31 December 2002) is a Romanian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga I club Universitatea Craiova and the Romania national team.

Club career

Baiaram made his professional debut for Universitatea Craiova on 11 July 2019, coming on as a late substitute for Bogdan Vătăjelu in the 90th minute of a 3–2 victory over Sabail in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League.[1] Three days later, he made his first Liga I appearance in a 3–2 win against Academica Clinceni.[2] In his first senior season, he made 13 appearances in all competitions without scoring.

On 27 August 2020, Baiaram scored his first goal for the Alb-albaștrii in a 1–2 away defeat to Locomotive Tbilisi in the Europa League.[3] He netted his first Liga I goal on 6 March 2021, securing a 1–0 win over Botoșani.[4] On 15 May the same year, he registered his side's only goal in a 1–3 Liga I loss to defending champions CFR Cluj, and a week later appeared in the 3–2 win over Astra Giurgiu in the Cupa României final.[5]

Ahead of the 2022–23 season, Baiaram was given the club's number 10 shirt.[6] On 28 August 2025, he scored in a 3–1 home victory over İstanbul Başakşehir, helping Craiova qualify for the league phase of a European competition for the first time, with a 5–2 aggregate triumph in the Conference League play-off round.[7]

International career

Ștefan Baiaram has represented Romania at multiple youth levels before making his senior debut in October 2025.

At youth level, Baiaram first appeared for the Romania U17 side in 2019, earning 2 caps. In 2021, he joined the Romania U20 team, where he made 4 appearances and scored 1 goal. Later that same year, he began playing for the Romania U21 team. Between 2021 and 2025, he collected 15 caps and scored 2 goals for the U21s. During his time with the youth national squads, Baiaram was viewed as one of the promising attacking talents coming through Romania’s development pipeline.

In 2025, Baiaram earned his first call-up to the Romania senior national team and made his debut in a friendly against Moldova. Although he did not score in his first appearance, his selection marked an important milestone in his international career.[8]

As of October 2025, he remains part of the national team pool, and observers consider his progression through the youth levels to senior status as an example of Romania’s approach to integrating young talent.

Personal life

Ștefan Baiaram was born in Băilești, Romania, on 31 December 2002. His early years were marked by hardship, as he was abandoned by his biological parents when he was around six months old. After spending a short time in a foster in Craiova, he was taken in by Gheorghe Burticioiu and his wife, who became his adoptive parents and raised him with care and discipline. They offered him the warmth of a real family and supported his education and passion for football from an early age.[9]

Growing up in Craiova, Baiaram often spoke about how football became both an escape and a motivation to overcome his past. Under the guidance of his adoptive parents, he joined local youth teams and gradually developed into one of the most promising young players in the region. In several interviews, he has expressed deep gratitude toward the Burticioiu family, crediting them for giving him a second chance at life and teaching him the values of hard work, humility, and perseverance. His story has often been cited in Romanian media as an inspiring example of resilience and hope.[10]

Career statistics

As of match played 19 March 2026[11]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club League Season Cupa României Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Universitatea Craiova Liga I 2019–20 11 0 1 0 1[a] 0 — 13 0
Liga I 2020–21 31 2 4 0 1[a] 1 — 36 3
Liga I 2021–22 35 8 4 0 0 0 1[b] 0 39 8
Liga I 2022–23 27 3 1 0 6[c] 1 — 34 4
Liga I 2023–24 28 8 3 1 — 0 0 31 9
Liga I 2024–25 38 11 3 1 2[c] 0 — 43 12
Liga I 2025–26 29 7 1 1 11[c] 4 — 41 12
Career total 199 39 17 3 21 6 1 0 238 48
  1. ^ a b Appearance in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearance in Liga I European play-offs
  3. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Conference League

International

As of match played 18 November 2025.
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Romania
2025 2 1
Total 2 1
Scores and results list Romania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Baiaram goal
List of international goals scored by Ștefan Baiaram
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 18 November 2025 Ilie Oană, Ploiești, Romania 2  San Marino 2–1 7–1 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Universitatea Craiova[11]

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Ioniță și Baiaram au debutat într-o victorie europeană" [Ioniță and Baiaram made their debuts in a European victory] (in Romanian). CS Universitatea Craiova. 13 July 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  2. ^ "VIDEO Craiova – Clinceni 3-2. Final nebun de meci în Bănie. Oltenii se impun după un gol fabulos marcat în minutul 95" [VIDEO Craiova - Clinceni 3–2. Crazy end of the match in Bănie. "The Oltenia People" prevailed after a fabulous goal scored in the 95th minute] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 14 July 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Locomotive Tbilisi – Universitatea Craiova 2–1". UEFA.com. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Baiaram inscrie PRIMUL GOL din Liga 1 si aduce VICTORIA Craiovei! Trei meciuri consecutive fara victorie pentru echipa lui Croitoru. Aici ai tot ce s-a intamplat in Craiova 1-0 Botosani" [Baiaram scores his FIRST GOAL in the Liga 1 and brings the VICTORY for Craiova! Three consecutive matches without victory for Croitoru's team. Here you see everything that happened in Craiova 1–0 Botoșani] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Universitatea Craiova a învins Astra și a câștigat Cupa României!" [Universitatea Craiova defeated Astra and won the Romanian Cup!] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Universitatea Craiova are un nou număr 10! Gruparea din Bănie a făcut anunțul" [Universitatea Craiova has a new number 10! The club from Bănie made the announcement] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Video | Universitatea Craiova - Istanbul Bașakșehir 3-1. Calificare! Oltenii sunt în premieră în Conference League" [Video | Universitatea Craiova - Istanbul Başakşehir 3-1. Qualification! The Oltenia People are in the Conference League for the first time] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 28 August 2025. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Cum s-au descurcat cei 4 debutanți ai României cu Moldova". gsp.ro. 9 October 2025.
  9. ^ "Copilăria lui Baiaram". golazo.ro. 9 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Momente emoționante pe "Ion Oblemenco" la Universitatea Craiova - Başakşehir » Părinții adoptivi ai lui Baiaram au plâns la reușita lui Ștefan". gsp.ro. 29 August 2025.
  11. ^ a b Ștefan Baiaram at Soccerway. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  12. ^ "SUPERLIGA – Echipa sezonului 2024-2025". lpf.ro.
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