Titus Ozon

Titus Ozon (13 May 1927 – 24 November

1996) was a Romanian international Titus Ozon
football striker and manager. He was
considered one of the greatest talents of the
postwar in the Romanian football, famous
for his extraordinary ability to dribble.[4]

Contents
Career
International career
Honours
Club
Individual Personal information
Date of birth 13 May 1927
Notes
Place of birth Bucharest, Romania[1]
References
Date of death 24 November 1996 (aged 69)
External links Place of death Bucharest, Romania
Height 170 cm (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Striker
Career Youth career

He was born in Bucharest, in the Obor 1937–1947 Unirea Tricolor Bucureşti

neighborhood. He started football at Senior career*
Unirea Tricolor Bucureşti at the age of 10, Years Team Apps (Gls)
under the guidance of coach Ștefan 1947–1948 Unirea TricolorBucureşti[a] 22 (21)
Cârjan.[5] In 1948 he came to Dinamo, 1948–1954 Dinamo Bucureşti 94 (55)
from which he was loaned disciplinary to
1951 → Dinamo Braşov (loan) 17 (8)
Dinamo Braşov in 1951.[6] After returning
1955–1958 Progresul Bucureşti[b] 58 (41)
he was the top-goalsocorer of the Divizia
A for two years in a row, in 1952 with 17 1958–1964 Rapid Bucureşti 79 (33)
goals and in 1953 with 12 goals.[7] His Total 270 (158)
other performances include securing the National team
second place three times and the four finals 1952–1962[3] Romania 22 (7)
of the Cupa României he played in 1954
Teams managed
(for Dinamo), 1958 (Progresul), 1961 and
1962 (Rapid).[8] 1964–1966 Progresul Bucureşti
1968–1970 Jiul Petroşani
In 1952, Titus Ozon was part of the 1971 Argeş Piteşti
Divizia A team that played two matches in 1972–1974 Libya
the Soviet Union, with CSKA and 1974–1975 Jiul Petroşani
Dynamo Moscow. Following the 1975–1976 FC Brăila
tournament, the members of this team
1976–1977 Pandurii Târgu Jiu
received poor quality Pobeda watches,
1977–1978 Azotul Slobozia
which they threw away, this being the first 1978–1979 Șoimii Sibiu
incident that aroused dissatisfaction with * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic
the communist regime.[9] league only

In 1953, during a match with Dinamo Tblisi played in Bucharest, Titus Ozon manages to pass the ball
between the legs of Georgian star Avtandil Gogoberidze. After this game he was named "enemy of the
people" by the communist regime, which accused him of making fun of the Soviet people, being sanctioned
with ten percent of his salary and arrested at the garrison for one day.[6]

In 1955 he wants to leave Dinamo, because of the "soldierly atmosphere there", and secretly signs with
Progresul Bucureşti, but he was caught by the Securitate, who wanted to prevent him from submitting a report
by accusing him that he had legionnaire sympathies, because he played at Unirea Tricolor.[8][9] According to
an interview given by Ozon in 1995, he was deported to the Delta to cut reeds, where he was seized in a
cabin, guarded by a security guard.[9] He manages to escape the arrest and arrives at the federation
headquarters, hidden in a car, in time to submit his memory.[6][5] The coach from Progresul, Cornel Drăgușin,
considered him a "conflicting, independent and brilliant player on the field".[9][9]

In 1958, after returning to the country from a Progresul tournament in Albania, he was caught in the customs
with about 3,000 ivory buttons for which he was charged with smuggling and suspended from sports.[5] After
six months, according to the writer George Mihalache, Titus Ozon met with Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej on
Calea Victoriei and asked for his suspension to be lifted, Gheorghiu-Dej agreed with the condition that Ozon
would play for the team that he liked, Rapid.[8][9]

In 1955 he plays in the comedy film Și Ilie face sport (Ilie also does sport), directed by Andrei Călărașu, in
which the lives and morals of the athletes and fans were related. Ozon also played theater, being the star of the
satire show "Bujor 12", which was played at the "Constantin Tănase" theater from Bucharest in 1957.[10]

He retired from football activity in 1964 and became the head coach of several teams in Romania, managing to
train once outside the country at the national side of Libya, due to the good relations between presidents
Nicolae Ceaușescu and Muammar Gaddafi.[10]

A park in Sector 2 of Bucharest bears his name.[5]

International career
Titus Ozon played 22 games and scored 7 goals for Romania. He scored in his debut when he came as a
substitute and replaced Gheorghe Bodo in the 73rd minute of a friendly against Czechoslovakia which ended
with a 3–1 victory.[11][12] He also played matches at the 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifiers and at the
1954 and 1958 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[11] He was also part of Romania's 1952 Summer Olympics squad
in which he played in the 2–1 loss against Hungary.[11][13]

Honours

Club

Unirea Tricolor Bucureşti

Divizia B: 1946–47[2]

Dinamo București
 Cupa României runner-up: 1954[14]

Progresul Bucureşti

Cupa României runner-up: 1957–58[15]

Rapid București

Cupa României runner-up: 1960–61, 1961–62[16][17]

Individual
Divizia A top scorer: 1952, 1953[7]

Notes
a. The Divizia A 1940–41 was the last season before World War II and the Divizia A 1946–47 was
the first one after, so the appearances and goals scored during this period for Unirea Tricolor
Bucureşti are not official, also the statistics for the 1946–47 Divizia B season are unavailable.[2]
b. The 1957 championship called Cupa Primăverii is unofficial, so the appearances and goals
scored at that competition for Progresul București are not official.[2]

References
1. Titus Ozon (https://web.archive.org/web/20200418105943/https://www.sports-reference.com/oly
mpics/athletes/oz/titus-ozon-1.html). sports-reference.com
2. Titus Ozon at RomanianSoccer.ro (http://www.romaniansoccer.ro/players/1478/titus-ozon.htm.ht
m.htm) (in Romanian) and StatisticsFootball.com (http://www.statisticsfootball.com/players/147
8/titus-ozon.htm.htm.htm)
3. "Titus Ozon – International Appearances" (http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/ozon-intl.html).
Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
4. "Regele fentei, rebelul din Obor!" (http://freejournalist.eu/regele-fentei-rebelul-din-obor/).
FreeJournalist.EU. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
5. "16 ani de la moartea lui Ozon. Povestea celui care i-a sfidat pe comunişti şi a fost trimis la tăiat
stuf în Deltă" (https://www.gsp.ro/fotbal/liga-1/16-ani-de-la-moartea-lui-ozon-povestea-celui-car
e-i-a-sfidat-pe-comunisti-si-a-fost-trimis-la-taiat-stuf-in-delta-374443.html) [16 years since the
death of Ozon. The story of the one who defied the communists and was sent to cut reeds in the
Delta] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 14 March 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
6. "Titus Ozon, maestrul driblingului, se răzbună! Nasturi pentru… găină!" (https://www.fanatik.ro/n
asel-14515118) [Titus Ozon, the master of dribbling, takes revenge! Buttons for… chicken!] (in
Romanian). Fanatik.ro. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
7. "Topscorers of Liga 1 1932-2017" (https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/menu_items/topscorers.shtm
l). RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
8. "Aşa s-a scris istoria. După ce a fost deportat în Deltă, marele fotbalist Titus Ozon s-a aşezat în
genunchi în faţa lui Gheorghiu-Dej: "Iartă-mă, te implor!" " (https://adevarul.ro/news/sport/asa-s-
a-scris-istoria-fost-deportat-delta-marele-fotbalist-titus-ozon-s-a-asezat-genunchi-fata-gheorghi
u-dej-iarta-ma-implor-1_57112d0c5ab6550cb8051a47/index.html) [That's how history was
written. After being deported to the Delta, the great footballer Titus Ozon sat on his knees in
front of Gheorghiu-Dej: "Forgive me, I beg you!"] (in Romanian). Adevarul.ro. 17 April 2016.
Retrieved 7 April 2020.
 9. "Drama unui mare fotbalist! A fost terorizat de Securitate pentru că a driblat un rus!" (https://ww
w.prosport.ro/sport-life/special/drama-unui-mare-fotbalist-a-fost-terorizat-de-securitate-pentru-c
a-a-driblat-un-rus-8054536) [The drama of a great footballer! He was terrorized by the Security
for dribbling a Russian!] (in Romanian). Prosport.ro. 14 March 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
10. " "Nas", vrăjitorul din Obor" (https://adevarul.ro/news/sport/nas-vrajitorul-obor-1_50acfb967c42
d5a6638d1319/index.html) ["Nose", the wizard of Obor] (in Romanian). Adevarul.ro. 8 April
2011. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
11. "Titus Ozon" (https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=15813). European Football. Retrieved
7 April 2020.
12. "Romania - Czechoslovakia 3:1" (https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=14265). European
Football. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
13. "Hungary - Romania 2:1" (https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=14291). European Football.
Retrieved 7 April 2020.
14. "Romanian Cup - Season 1954" (https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1954.shtml).
RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
15. "Romanian Cup - Season 1957 - 1958" (https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1957_1
958.shtml). RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
16. "Romanian Cup - Season 1960 - 1961" (https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1960_1
961.shtml). RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
17. "Romanian Cup - Season 1961 - 1962" (https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1961_1
962.shtml). RomanianSoccer. Retrieved 8 April 2020.

External links
Titus Ozon (https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/titus-ozon/) at WorldFootball.net
Titus Ozon (https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/37598.html) at National-Football-
Teams.com
Titus Ozon player profile (http://www.labtof.ro/profil/titus-ozon-2391/) at Labtof.ro
Titus Ozon manager profile (http://www.labtof.ro/profil/titus-ozon-6816/) at Labtof.ro

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