FCSB has officially appointed Octavian Popescu to wear the coveted number 7 jersey for the 2026-2027 season. According to the official roster released by the Liga Profesionistă de Fotbal, the 23-year-old has changed his jersey number once again, stepping into one of the most iconic shirts in the club’s history.
The last player to don this number was Denis Alibec, who parted ways with the team shortly after returning.
Octavian Popescu’s Journey with FCSB
Since his debut at FCSB, Popescu has worn several numbers. He started with number 37 during the 2020-2021 season, transitioned to number 9, briefly wore number 11, and has been the team’s number 10 since autumn 2022. He reverted to number 37 at the beginning of last season but will now sport the number 7, as confirmed by the LPF’s official list.
The number 7 carries significant weight at FCSB, having been worn by notable players such as Denis Alibec, Florin Tănase, Florinel Coman, Dennis Man, Alexandru Chipciu, Janos Szekely, Erik Bicfalvi, and Daniel Oprița in recent years.
Popescu is the only player in the squad to change his number ahead of the new season. Meanwhile, new signings Ronny Labonne and Eddy Gnahore have chosen the numbers 97 and 8, respectively, for the upcoming campaign.
The number 97 returns to the FCSB roster after a 12-year absence, the last player to wear it being Robert Vîlceanu. The number 8 remains vacant following the departure of Adrian Șut, the last player to have worn that number for the team.
Mihai Stoica’s Confidence in Popescu
Mihai Stoica, the President of FCSB’s Board of Directors, expressed strong belief in Octavian Popescu’s potential for a stellar season. He noted that the player’s change in attitude has been evident since the training camp in the Netherlands.
“So far, the player I think is eager to truly prove who he is this year, and without a doubt the number one in training, is Octavian Popescu. We have great confidence in him and have agreed to work together in Bucharest. He will be much better this season.
He has had discussions with the staff and teammates, realizing that life and football must be taken seriously; mere talent is not enough. We were aware of his qualities, but his commitment is different now, and I believe he can transform into a top player, without any exaggeration,” Stoica stated.
