Personal information
- Full name: George Cristian Ogăraru
- Date of birth: 21 April 1980 (age 44)
- Place of birth: Bucharest, Romania
- Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
- Playing position: Right-back
Club career
Ogăraru began his youth career at Steaua București, making his senior debut for the club in 1998. During his initial spell, he was loaned out to FCM Reșița and Oțelul Galați to gain experience.
He returned to Steaua București in 2001 and established himself as a key player at right-back. He was part of the team that won consecutive Liga I titles in the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons. His performances attracted interest from abroad.
In 2006, Ogăraru moved to Dutch Eredivisie giant AFC Ajax. He quickly became a regular starter and contributed to Ajax winning the KNVB Cup in 2007 and the Johan Cruyff Shield twice (2006, 2007). He returned to Steaua București for a loan spell in 2008 before finishing his contract with Ajax.
After leaving Ajax, Ogăraru had brief stints with FC Sion in Switzerland (where he won the Swiss Cup in 2009–10) and Universitatea Cluj in Romania, before retiring from professional football in 2011.
International career
Ogăraru represented the Romania national football team, earning 11 caps between 2004 and 2009. He was often called up to the squad but faced strong competition for the right-back position.
Managerial and post-playing career
Following his retirement as a player, Ogăraru embarked on a career in coaching and football administration. He initially worked with the youth academy of Ajax Cape Town, a satellite club of AFC Ajax. He later held various roles at FCSB (formerly Steaua București), including academy director. Ogăraru has been actively involved in developing young talent and providing expert commentary for sports media.
Honours
Player
Steaua București
- Liga I: 2004–05, 2005–06
Ajax
- KNVB Cup: 2006–07
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2006, 2007
FC Sion
- Swiss Cup: 2009–10