Pavel Cebanu

Nationality: Moldovan
Date of birth: 28 March 1955
Association president since: 1997

• Born in Reni, in what is now Ukraine, Pavel Cebanu spent his entire career with FC Nistru Chişinău (now FC Zimbru Chişinău), as a midfielder and captain; from 1972-86 he scored 45 goals in 341 league games and was named as Moldova's Golden Player as part of UEFA's Jubilee celebrations in 2002.

• Having graduated from a Moscow coaching school, he honed his skills at a number of Moldovan and Romanian clubs before being elected as general secretary of the Football Association of Moldova (FMF) in December 1995; he became president in February 1997. In January 2017, Cebanu was re-elected for a seventh term of office. 

• Under Cebanu, footballing infrastructure has been revitalised while the standard of the national team and the nations' clubs is rising. "I'm certain that Moldovan is moving in the right direction," said Cebanu. "We are implementing important projects and upgrading infrastructure so we are full of hope, and can look ahead with optimism."