Ilie Balaci (Romanian pronunciation: [iˈli.e ˈbalatʃʲ]; 13 September 1956 – 21 October 2018) was a Romanian football midfielder and manager. He spent 12 of his 15 years as a professional with Universitatea Craiova, appearing in more than 300 official games with the club and winning seven major titles. Nicknamed Minunea blondă ("the Blonde Wonder"), Balaci is considered one of the greatest Romanian footballers of all time.