Mihai Popa

Mihai Popa came to attention in July 2020, in a goalless draw between Rapid București and Petrolul Ploiești. Twice he came off his line to stop a penalty, and each time he was shown a yellow card. Petrolul missed the third attempt. He was on loan at Rapid from Astra Giurgiu at the time.

Popa came through the Gheorghe Hagi Academy in his home city, where he spent nine years, and made his senior debut on loan at Farul Constanța in 2018–19. His career took shape at FC Voluntari, which he joined in August 2021. Astra kept half of his rights. He was named in the Liga I Team of the Season in his first year there. Voluntari also reached the 2022 Cupa României final, where they lost to Sepsi OSK. In 2022–23 he kept 13 clean sheets, the joint-most in the league.

That form took him to Torino on a free transfer in June 2023. He did not play an official match for the Italian club. Vanja Milinković-Savić and Luca Gemello were ahead of him in the goalkeeping order.

In January 2024 he went on loan to CFR Cluj. In 2024–25 he was part of the side that beat FC Hermannstadt 3–2 in the Cupa României final. In January 2026 Cluj made the deal permanent for €100,000, with Torino keeping 50% of any future resale rights.

Popa has played for Romania at youth level: two matches at the Olympic Games held in 2021 and nine for the under-21 side at the 2023 European Championship. He was in the squad for the March 2026 World Cup play-off against Turkey, but has not yet won a senior cap.