Theo Corbeanu

Theodor Alexander Corbeanu (born May 17, 2002) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL League One, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers. He also represents the Canada national team.

Theo Corbeanu
Personal information
Full name Theodor Alexander Corbeanu
Date of birth (2002-05-17) May 17, 2002
Place of birth Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Sheffield Wednesday
(on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Number 23
Youth career
Quinndale Youth Soccer
Mount Hamilton SC
Hamilton Sparta SC
Saltfleet SC
Givona Academy
2016–2018 Toronto FC
2018–2020 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Toronto FC III 5 (2)
2020– Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 (0)
2021– → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 11 (2)
National team‡
2018 Romania U16 5 (2)
2018–2019 Romania U17 8 (0)
2021– Canada 6 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:52, December 11, 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of July 29, 2021

Early life

Corbeanu began playing house league soccer when he was five with Quinndale Youth Soccer[1] in Hamilton as a goalkeeper, but soon switched to forward when he was eight.[2] He moved up to rep teams with Mount Hamilton SC, followed by Hamilton Sparta SC, and then briefly at Saltfleet SC, before following his Saltfleet coach to Givona Academy.[3] In late 2016, he joined the Toronto FC Academy, after attending trials.[4] In 2018, he played for Toronto FC III in League1 Ontario, scoring two goals in a match against Toronto Skillz FC.[5] He scored his first Cup goal on May 27 against Windsor.[6]

In August 2018, he left the TFC Academy to head to England for a trial.[7] He initially tried out for Leicester City academy, but on his agent's advice, tried out for the Wolverhampton Wanderers Academy, who offered him a scholarship for youth-team play.[3] He scored in his debut for the U16 team and soon graduated to the U18 team.[3] In 2019, he joined the first-team on their pre-season trip in China.[8] He joined the U23 (Wolves second team) in 2020.[3]

Club career

After playing only nine games for the Wolves U23 team, in which he scored four goals, Corbeanu was signed to a new contract with the first team in October 2020, making the matchday squad as an unused substitute.[9][10] He subsequently became a regular fixture on the Wolves bench,[7] before eventually making his debut Premier League appearance for Wolves on May 16, 2021, coming on as a second-half substitute in their game away to Tottenham Hotspur, which ended with a 2–0 defeat.[11][12]

On 2 August 2021, Corbeanu would sign a season-long loan with EFL League One team Sheffield Wednesday.[13] He would make his Owls debut in an away defeat against Morecambe on 28 August 2021.[14] On 2 November Corbeanu scored his first professional goal, netting the opener in an eventual 3-0 victory over Sunderland.[15]

International career

After not being selected for the Canadian U15 team, he contacted the Romanian federation, who were aware of his progress and began playing with the Romanian youth teams, scoring twice in his first match with the Romanian U16 team against Ireland.[2][16]

After two years with the Romanian youth teams, he left in 2019, as he wanted to remain eligible for Canada.[3]

He was called up to the Canadian senior team for the first time, for a January training camp,[17] although he later withdrew due to his club commitments with Wolves.[18] He officially joined the senior squad for the first time in March 2021 when he was called up to the Canadian senior national team for the beginning of Canada's 2022 World Cup qualification for matches against Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.[19] He made his debut as a 77th minute substitute against Bermuda on March 25, 2021, scoring four minutes into his debut with Canada's 5th goal in a 5–1 victory.[20][21][22]

In June 2021 Corbeanu was named to Canada's preliminary squad for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[23] On July 1 he was named to the final squad that would participate at the tournament.[24] In December 2021 Corbeanu was named the 2021 Canada Soccer Youth Player of the Year.[25]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played December 11, 2021.
Club Season League Domestic Cup League Cup Other Total
Division AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Toronto FC III 2018[26] League1 Ontario 52—2[lower-alpha 1]1—73
Wolverhampton Wanderers U21s 2020–21 EFL Trophy[27] ———4[lower-alpha 2]040
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2020–21[27] Premier League 100000—10
2021–22[28] Premier League 000000—00
Total 1000000010
Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 2021–22[28] League One 11220003[lower-alpha 2]0162
Career total 174202170285
  1. Appearances in League1 Ontario League Cup
  2. Appearances in EFL Trophy

International
As of match played July 29, 2021[29]
Canada
YearAppsGoals
202162
Total62

International goals

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.March 25, 2021Exploria Stadium, Orlando, United States Bermuda5–15–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.July 11, 2021Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United States Martinique4–14–12021 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Honours

Individual

References
  1. "Theo Corbeanu Soccer Canada profile". Canadian Soccer Association.
  2. "Get to Know Theo Corbeanu". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. June 17, 2020.
  3. Milton, Steve (January 2, 2021). "Theo Corbeanu, just 18, has streaked from Hamilton soccer pitches onto historic Wolverhampton Wanderers' first team". Hamilton Spectator.
  4. Bogos, Vlad (November 13, 2018). "Theodor Corbeanu: "Visez să câștig Cupa Mondială pentru țara mea"" [Theodor Corbeanu: “I dream to win the World Cup for my country”]. Tackle (in Romanian).
  5. Krueger, Adam (May 22, 2018). "Match Recap: Toronto FC III vs. Toronto Skillz FC". Toronto FC.
  6. Barile, Giulia (May 27, 2018). "TFC III Advance In L1OM Cup With 4-1 Win Over Windsor". League1 Ontario.
  7. Reid, Brady (January 4, 2021). "Getting to know the young guns abroad: Dissecting the CanMNT January Camp". Waking the Red.
  8. McClurg, Ian (December 6, 2019). "How to Succeed Playing in Europe – A Profile of Theo Corbeanu". Ian McClurg Learn Perform Coaching.
  9. Dicken, Alex (December 7, 2020). "Who is Theo Corbeanu? The 'outstanding' wonderkid in the Wolves squad for Burnley". Birmingham Mail.
  10. "Corbeanu signs new Wolves contract". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. October 14, 2020.
  11. Sutcliffe, Steve (May 16, 2021). "Tottenham v Wolves: Hosts boost Europa League hopes after comfortable win". BBC Sport.
  12. "Theo Corbeanu, românul care a ales să joace pentru Canada, a debutat în Premier League împotriva lui Bale, Kane & Co" [Theo Corbeanu, the Romanian who chose to play for Canada, made his debut in the Premier League against Bale, Kane & Co.]. Digi Sport (in Romanian). May 16, 2021.
  13. "Owls sign international forward Corbeanu". Sheffield Wednesday FC. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  14. "Report: Morecambe 1-0 Wednesday". Sheffield Wednesday FC. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  15. Howson, Dom (November 2, 2021). "Sheffield Wednesday player ratings: Theo Corbeanu and Florian Kamberi superb in Sunderland win".
  16. "Theo Corbeanu, juniorul român care a ales să joace pentru altă țară! Ce l-a împins să renunțe la "tricolor"" [Theo Corbeanu, the Romanian junior who chose to play for another country! What pushed him to give up the "tricolor"]. Digi Sport (in Romanian). November 19, 2020.
  17. Galindo, Peter (December 23, 2020). "Herdman unveils young Canada roster with 11 debutants for January camp". Sportsnet.
  18. "Player tests positive for COVID-19 at Canada Soccer men's camp". Sportsnet. January 12, 2021.
  19. Edwards, Joe (March 23, 2021). "Wolves' Theo Corbeanu called up by Canada". Express & Star.
  20. Molinaro, John (March 25, 2021). "Davies, Larin lift CanMNT to big win over Bermuda in World Cup qualifying". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  21. Edwards, Joe (March 26, 2021). "Wolves' Theo Corbeanu scores minutes into Canada bow". Express & Star.
  22. "Internationals: Corbeanu Scores Four Minutes into Canada Debut". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. March 26, 2021.
  23. "Davies, David highlight Canada's preliminary roster for Gold Cup". June 18, 2021.
  24. "CANADA SOCCER ANNOUNCES 2021 CONCACAF GOLD CUP ROSTER". July 1, 2021.
  25. "Theo Corbeanu and Jade Rose Named Canada Soccer Youth Players of the Year". Canadian Soccer Association. December 14, 2021.
  26. "2018 Statistics". League 1 Ontario.
  27. "Games played by Theo Corbeanu in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  28. "Games played by Theo Corbeanu in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  29. Theo Corbeanu at National-Football-Teams.com
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