Ion Nicolaescu

He is the all-time leading goal scorer for his country with 15 goals, and was named Moldovan Footballer of the Year in 2023.

Ion Nicolaescu

Nicolaescu with Heerenveen in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth	(1998-09-07) 7 September 1998 (age 25)
Place of birth	Chișinău, Moldova
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Heerenveen
Number	18
Youth career
2008–2014	Cahul-2005
2014–2016	Zimbru Chișinău
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2017	Zimbru-2 Chișinău	37	(13)
2016–2018	Zimbru Chișinău	25	(5)
2018–2020	Shakhtyor Soligorsk	13	(0)
2020	→ Vitebsk (loan)	18	(9)
2020–2022	DAC Dunajská Streda	39	(5)
2022	→ Maccabi Petah Tikva (loan)	15	(5)
2022–2023	Beitar Jerusalem	27	(15)
2023–	Heerenveen	15	(5)
International career‡
2016	Moldova U19	2	(0)
2018	Moldova U21	1	(0)
2018–	Moldova	43	(15)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 April 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 March 2024

On 20 May 2016, Nicolaescu made his professional debut for Zimbru Chișinău in the Divizia Națională against Academia Chișinău, coming on as a 65th-minute substitute.

DAC Dunajská Streda

Nicolaescu joined DAC Dunajská Streda of Fortuna Liga in September 2020. After mere two days with the club he contributed with two goals to a 5–3 victory over Jablonec, advancing the Slovak side to the Third Round of UEFA Europa League qualifying.

Beitar Jerusalem

Nicolaescu scored 15 league goals and 3 goals in Israel State Cup at the 2022–23 season, helping Beitar Jerusalem win the Israeli State Cup. His three goals in the State Cup games, one against F.C. Kafr Qasim on 11 December 2022, one against Hapoel Afula, on 1 February 2023, during the 4–0 win and another goal at the finals against Maccabi Netanya.

Heerenveen

On 7 August 2023, Dutch side Heerenveen announced they had signed Nicolaescu to a three year contract.

As of 26 March 2024

Scores and results list Moldova's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nicolaescu goal.

List of international goals scored by Ion Nicolaescu

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	3 September 2020	Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma, Italy	Kosovo	1–0	1–1	2020–21 UEFA Nations League C
2	25 March 2021	Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova	Faroe Islands	1–0	1–1	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
3	12 October 2021	Turner Stadium, Be'er Sheva, Israel	Israel	1–2	1–2	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	15 November 2021	Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt, Austria	Austria	1–3	1–4	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	24 March 2022	Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova	Kazakhstan	1–0	1–2	2020–21 UEFA Nations League
6	3 June 2022	Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein	Liechtenstein	1–0	2–0	2022–23 UEFA Nations League
7	10 June 2022	Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova	Latvia	1–0	2–4	2022–23 UEFA Nations League
8	14 June 2022	Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova	Andorra	2–1	2–1	2022–23 UEFA Nations League
9	22 September 2022	Skonto Stadium, Riga, Latvia	Latvia	2–0	2–1	2022–23 UEFA Nations League
10	24 March 2023	Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău, Moldova	Faroe Islands	1–1	1–1	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
11	20 June 2023	Stadionul Zimbru, Chișinău	Poland	1–2	3–2	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
12				2–2
13	12 October 2023	Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden	Sweden	1–2	1–3	Friendly
14	15 October 2023	Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland	Poland	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
15	26 March 2024	Mardan Sports Complex, Antalya, Turkey	Cayman Islands	3–0	4–0	Friendly