He was the highest scorer in the Romanian league last season with 28 goals, leading to interest from abroad: he eventually signed for Bundesliga side Stuttgart.

His international record is equally impressive with a goal tally standing at seven in only nine appearances, five of these as substitute.

A memorable debut for Romania saw him score twice against Estonia in March 1999 and he repeated this feat in the European qualifier against Liechtenstein, where his two goals ensured a comfortable 3-0 victory.

The tall striker is competing with Moldovan and Illie to become a regular in the starting line up, though coach Jenei tends to rely on Ganea as a substitute to turn games around.