Hagi Returns: Romania's Legend Takes Helm Again

Gheorghe Hagi, celebrated as Romania's greatest football player, has once again taken the reins as the national team's coach. This marks his second appointment, following a brief three-month tenure in 2001. His return comes after the recent passing of his predecessor, Mircea Lucescu, who died at the age of 80. Hagi's illustrious playing career included leading Romania to the 1994 World Cup quarterfinals and stints with European giants like Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The No. 56-ranked Romanian team faces the challenge of rebuilding, having missed out on the upcoming World Cup. Hagi has committed to a contract extending through the 2030 World Cup, with a clear mandate from the Romanian Football Federation to restore the team to "the elite of world football." Federation president Răzvan Burleanu noted that securing Hagi's return had been a long-term goal.

Hagi's initial matches will be friendly encounters against Georgia and Wales in June. Following these, Romania will compete in the Nations League starting in September against formidable opponents: Sweden, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Poland. The national team's last World Cup appearance was in 1998, and their most recent major tournament performance was reaching the Round of 16 in the 2024 European Championship.