Clubs: FC Rapid Bucureşti, FCM Bacău (loan), FC Shakhtar Donetsk

UEFA honours
UEFA Cup: winner 2009

• Raţ began his career under Mircea Lucescu at Rapid; returned from a six-month loan at Bacău to win the Romanian Cup with Rapid in 2002, playing all of the final – a 2-1 win against FC Dinamo Bucureşti.

• The 2002/03 campaign proved to be his breakthrough season as his sterling contributions to Rapid's title triumph (28 starts, two goals) earned him a regular place in the Romanian national team – following a debut against France in February 2002 − plus a five-year contract with Shakhtar.

• Won the Ukrainian Cup in his debut season and went on to add four Premier League titles − 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 − as he made the left-back position his own in a Shakhtar team coached by compatriot and former mentor Lucescu.

• Scored his first international goal in an unforgettable 5-1 win against Germany on 28 April 2004 and started all three matches for his country at UEFA EURO 2008 – his first major tournament.

• Amassed considerable European experience with Shakhtar, winning the UEFA Cup in 2009 and being ever-present in a successful 2010/11 group stage campaign; reached 70 caps for Romania in November 2010 after starting his country's first three UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers.