Nearly three decades have passed since a 16-year-old stepped on the turf of CSM Resita, one of Romania's lesser-heralded teams. But a story that began somewhere far from the cream of Romanian football's crop was to unfold rapidly, punctuated by both glorious and dramatic moments.
The most recent instalment has seen Cristian Chivu face his first big challenge as a manager: not only has he made his debut in the Italian top flight, which in itself can be a turning point in any coach's career, but it is also the first time he has coached a senior team.
A manager for the future
Having only just returned to Serie A, Parma find themselves in immediate danger of dropping into Italy's second tier of football.
Once one of Serie A's powerhouses, the club have been relegated three times in this century, so many fear the current Serie A comeback will not last long.
Fans had hoped the team would enter a new era under Fabio Pecchia, the coach with whom they won promotion last season, but he didn't seem able to instil the same confidence in the team in Serie A.
The arrival of Cristian Chivu made an immediate impact. The first game with the Romanian on the bench also marked his first win, a 2-0 victory over Bologna, and Parma moved out of the relegation zone.
Of the coaches in Parma's history, only three have won on their Serie A debuts: Carlo Ancelotti in 1996, Pietro Carmignani in 2001 and now Chivu.
A narrow 1-0 defeat to Udinese followed, which was a blow to hopes of survival, but Parma's leaders have signalled that bringing in Chivu is more about the future, not necessarily the current season.
If the goal had been to stay in Serie A at all costs, owner Kyle Krause would probably have gone for the much safer hand of an experienced coach, not a rookie, but the American's vision is more about nurturing young players, and that is where Chivu excels.
The general opinion is that Parma are securing their long-term future; even if the team is eventually relegated, there's a good chance Chivu will stay, especially if he proves capable of helping to mould young talent.
"I don't like mediocrity. I want a team where me and the club are partners. Because I'm committed body and soul. I know how to develop players, I can also win with them," Chivu said of his coaching qualities shortly before signing for Parma.
From Romania to Italy via Amsterdam
Chivu played just two seasons in Romania. His talent was spotted immediately by Ajax, who promptly transferred him in 1999 after a period of intense scouting.
Not even two years later, in 2001, the Romanian was appointed captain of Ajax, a position from which he led his team to the title.
His arrival in Serie A followed, first at Roma and then the most successful period of his life, Inter Milan, with whom he won the Champions League in 2010, coached by Jose Mourinho.
A tragedy and a historic treble
But not all was rosy for Chivu. He experienced a watershed moment that not only jeopardised his football career but even his life.
In 2010, while playing for Inter Milan, the Romanian international experienced a serious blow to the head, suffering a fractured skull in a match against Chievo Verona.
Chivu was rushed to hospital and underwent brain surgery.
Despite the doubts of many, Chivu returned to the pitch and won the Champions League with Inter. In the same year, he was part of the team that achieved a historic treble, winning the Serie A title and the Italian Cup.
"I was fortunate to be in a city, Verona, where there was a cutting-edge neurosurgery centre, which was a lifesaver for me at the time. I had to learn from scratch to walk, to run... I was falling. It became very complicated to head the ball," Chivu said.
Becoming a coach
The former captain of the Romanian national team has said over the years that he had no intention of becoming a coach after his playing career ended.
It was all totally by chance: he was an observer at Champions League matches and noticed that he was the only one without a coaching education. He says he felt ashamed and enrolled in courses in 2020.
"I was working as a UEFA observer, going to a lot of Champions League games and getting to sit round the table with the likes of Alex Ferguson and David Moyes. I was the only unqualified one in a group of huge coaches. Out of respect and shame, I decided to go to school at Coverciano," he said.
"I liked being on the pitch with the players from the start, I made myself understood. What also probably helped was my playing career, it gave me credibility."
Success with Inter's youth
Chivu got his coaching licence in Italy in 2017. Just a year after receiving his diploma, in the 2018/2019 season, he coached Inter's under-17 team, having previously coached the club's under-14 side.
On 16 September 2020, the former Romanian international obtained his UEFA Pro licence, graduating from the Coverciano coaching school. He then took over Inter's Primavera team from July 2021, with whom he won the title in his very first year in charge.
In 2023, the Italian press mentioned Chivu as a possible replacement for Simone Inzaghi, who was not going through the best of times on the Inter bench, but Ajax also saw in him a coach with potential.
They reportedly offered him a three-year contract, with the first two years as an assistant before a promotion to the top job, but the offer was rejected.
A big challenge
Chivu faces a huge challenge at Parma, who are fighting to avoid relegation from Serie A.
The Romanian has taken over a team in bad shape, with morale in the doldrums and major defensive problems. When Fabio Pecchia was sacked, they had suffered four consecutive defeats and were without a win for almost two months.
The Parmegians kept just two clean sheets under Pecchia, the fewest in the league, and conceded 45 goals in 25 matches.
Chivu will have to quickly adapt the team to his favoured 4-3-3 system, which is different to the 4-2-3-1 used by the Crusaders until now.
"Everyone must participate in both phases," he said at his first press conference.
"In the defensive phase, we must defend with 11, not three or four. Everyone is responsible, both in attack and defence. Everyone has to participate on both phases," Chivu explained.
But even if the mission to quickly turn the team around seems difficult, the Romanian coach has the material he is used to at his disposal. With an average age of 23.6, Parma are the youngest team in Serie A.
Their leading scorer this season, Frenchman Ange-Yoan Bonny (five goals, two assists), is just 21, while in midfield, Swiss Simon Sohm (23) has also contributed four goals.
In addition, Chivu also has the more familiar faces of compatriots Valentin Mihaila (25) and Dennis Man (26), the latter of whom with four goals and four assists is one of Parma's main offensive weapons.
True, he lacks experience, but if Chivu can quickly put the pieces of the yellow-and-blue jigsaw together, the reliability that has characterised him throughout his playing career could lay the foundations for an equally prodigious career on the bench.