Did you know Titus Ozon was more than just a name? He was a football legend. The Titus Ozon Statue commemorates this iconic Romanian striker and manager.
He was born in Bucharest. The Obor neighborhood was his home. Titus Ozon began his football journey at Unirea Tricolor București at the age of ten. Ștefan Cârjan guided him.
In 1948, Titus Ozon joined Dinamo. He was loaned to Dinamo Brașov in 1951. Upon his return, he became the top goalscorer in Divizia A for two years straight. This happened in 1952 with 17 goals and in 1953 with 12 goals.
But Ozon’s career had its controversies. In 1952, he played matches in the USSR. The players received Pobeda watches. Ozon considered them unsightly and threw his away. This upset the Soviets.
In 1953, during a match against Dinamo Tbilisi, Ozon dribbled the ball between Avtandil Gogoberidze’s legs. The communist regime labeled him an enemy. They accused him of mocking the Soviets. He faced salary cuts and a day’s arrest.
Titus Ozon wanted to leave Dinamo in 1955. He signed with Progresul București secretly. The Securitate caught him. They accused him of legionnaire sympathies. Ozon was deported to the Delta to cut reeds. He escaped and reported his experience.
In 1958, customs officials caught him with ivory buttons. He was charged with smuggling. After six months, Titus Ozon met Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej. He asked for his suspension to be lifted. Gheorghiu-Dej agreed. Ozon had to play for Rapid.
Ozon also ventured into acting. In 1955, he appeared in the comedy film “…Și Ilie face sport”. He was also the star of the satire show “Bujor 12” in 1957.
He retired from football in 1964. Titus Ozon coached several teams. He even managed the national side of Libya.
Ozon played 22 games for Romania. He scored seven goals. His debut goal came against Czechoslovakia in 1952. He also participated in the 1964 European Nations’ Cup qualifiers. In addition, he played in the 1954 and 1958 World Cup qualifiers.
Titus Ozon was part of Romania’s 1952 Summer Olympics squad.
This statue stands as a testament to Titus Ozon. He was a remarkable player. He was a controversial figure. But he was forever a legend in Romanian football. A park in Sector 2 memorializes him.