The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) is mourning the death at the age of 57 of Dan Cristea, head of the association's football history and statistics committee and the man responsible for archiving the country's footballing story.

Mr Cristea was active in football for 32 years, first at provincial club FC Corvinul Hunedoara (1979–83), where he also served as president, then after joining the FRF. A graduate of the history and philosophy college at Bucharest University, he became a leading member of the FRF's international department, a function he carried out for more than two decades.

It was in his other role as dedicated football historian that he was responsible for the publishing of the Romanian Football Yearbook as well as the tome The History of Romanian Football, which came out two years ago to mark the national association's centenary.

Dan Cristea had also worked on establishing a Museum of Romanian Football, another initiative close to his heart, at the FRF's National Football Centre in Mogosoaia. The museum is nearing completion.