Bogdan Rath (born 28 June 1972) is a Romanian and later Italian water polo player who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics (for Romania) and in the 2004 Summer Olympics (for Italy). In June 2022, he became the coach of the Romanian national polo team and the Steaua Bucharest club team.
Bogdan Rath is the most decorated Romanian water polo player of all time. He was a member of the Romanian national team, with whom he played 250 matches between 1991 and 1999, and later of the Italian national team, with whom he played 125 matches between 2001 and 2005. Since June 2022, he has been the head coach of the Romanian national water polo team and of the club team Steaua Bucharest.
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Playing career
Romania
He began playing water polo at the age of 8 and joined CSS 1 Bucharest in 1980, where he won two Romanian National Championship titles. As a junior, he was selected to represent Romania at the 1989 European Junior Championship.
At the age of 17, he made his debut in the Romanian First Division with Sportul Studențesc Bucharest in 1989. In 1991, he transferred to Steaua Bucharest, where he played until 1996.
Achievements with Romania
5× Romanian National Champion (Steaua Bucharest)
2× Romanian Cup Winner (Steaua Bucharest)
4th place at the 1993 European Championship in Sheffield
Competed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta with the Romanian National Team
In 1996, he moved to Italy and joined Paguros Catania, where he won the COMEN Cup in Cairo in his first season.
Italy – Club Career
Paguros Catania (1996–1998)
COMEN Cup Winner (1996)
Posillipo Napoli (1998–2003)
Major Achievements
2× Italian National Champion (2000, 2001)
LEN Cup Winners’ Cup Champion (2003)
LEN Euro League Bronze Medalist (1999, 2002)
San Ġiljan ASC
2012
League Finalist
Knock-Out Cup Finalist
Italy – National Team Career
After establishing himself in Italy, he became eligible to represent the Italian National Team and enjoyed significant success at the international level.
Major International Achievements
World Championship Silver Medalist (Barcelona, 2003)
European Championship Silver Medalist (Budapest, 2001)
FINA World League Silver Medalist (New York, 2003)
Mediterranean Games Silver Medalist (2001, 2005)
Other Major Results
8th place at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens
4th place at the 2001 FINA World Cup in Belgrade
4th place at the 2001 World Championship in Fukuoka
Career Honours Summary
Club Honours
5× Romanian National Champion
2× Romanian Cup Winner
3× Italian National Champion
1× LEN Cup Winners’ Cup Champion
1× LEN Trophy Winner
Coaching career
Coaching Career As coach of CSA Steaua Bucharest In the 2022–2023 season, he won the Romanian Cup held in Otopeni and the Romanian Super League. In the 2023–2024 season, he won the Romanian Cup held in Oradea and the Romanian Super League. In both seasons, he was named Best Coach. In the current season, he reached the top 8 in the LEN Trophy. In the 2024–2025 season, he won the Romanian Cup held in Târgu Mureș.
Coaching Career as Head Coach with the Romanian National Team
10th place at the 2022 European Championship in Split
Qualified Romania for the 2024 European Championship in Dubrovnik
Qualified Romania, after 13 years, for the 2023 World Cup in Los Angeles, finishing 6th; this marked the first time Romania achieved a victory over Serbia in a major competition under his coaching
Qualified Romania, after more than 10 years, for the 2024 World Championship in Doha
Reached the top 8 at the 2024 European Championship in Zagreb
Qualified Romania for the 2026 European Championship in Belgrade
10th place at the 2024 World Championship in Doha, a result that secured qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games
Qualified Romania for the 2025 World Cup in Bucharest, finishing 10th
Qualified Romania for the 2025 World Championship in Singapore and the 2026 European Championship in Belgrade
At the 2026 European Championship in Belgrade, reaching the top 8, he achieved qualification for the 2027 World Championship in Budapest and the 2028 European Championship
Coaching Career in Malta
San Ġiljan Asc 2012–2014
Assistant Coach, Senior Team
Head Coach, U14 Team
Head Coach, U17 Team
Head Coach, U20 Team
Sirens ASC 2014–2016
Head Coach, Senior Team
Head Coach, U17 Team
Head Coach, U20 Team
Sliema ASC 2016–2017
Head Coach, Senior Team
Head Coach, U20 Team
Valletta United WPC 2017–2019
Head Coach, Senior Team