Gheorghe Hagi, who is considered one of Romania’s greatest ever players, has been appointed the men’s national team coach for a second time. The 61-year-old has signed a contract with the Romanian Football Federation that runs for two qualifying cycles until the FIFA World Cup 2030™.
Hagi replaces Mircea Lucescu, who passed away aged 80 early this month. Lucescu had been in his second stint as Romania coach before falling ill during a training session. Three days prior, he was on the touchline when they were defeated by Türkiye in the European play-offs for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
“It is an honour and a great responsibility to represent Romania once again, as I did as a player. I hope to do it as a coach too, because all that matters is to perform, to be successful,” Hagi said. “That is why I came to the national team, I am convinced that we can achieve beautiful things. I hope that the performances I had as a player, I will also have as a coach. I am convinced that we can become the best.”
Hagi briefly coached Romania in 2001 in what was his first managerial role after an iconic playing career which included star turns at three World Cups — Italy 1990, USA 1994 and France 1998. It was Lucescu who gave Hagi his international debut aged 18 and then promoted him to captain at just 20.
The former Real Madrid and Barcelona playmaker’s other coaching stints include spells with Galatasaray, Steaua Bucharest and, most recently, Farul Constanta. Romania have not qualified for the World Cup since France 1998.
