Cornel Niţescu began his football career as a player with teams in the Romanian city of Sibiu. Niţescu started out as a striker before becoming a goalkeeper. After his brief playing career was over, he moved into officiating matches, making his début as a referee in 1952. For the rest of the decade, he oversaw matches in the Romanian leagues. He became an international referee in 1960 and was named as the best referee in Romania in both 1963 and 1964. Niţescu officiated at several major international tournaments, including the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the 1970–71 European Cup, and the 1970–71 European Cup Winners’ Cup. When he retired, he had refereed in more than 1,000 domestic matches as well as 63 international fixtures.
Romania