Legendary former Romanian player Gheorghe Hagi is set to take over the national team at an important moment for football in the country.
The Romanian Football Federation made the announcement on Monday.
“Negotiations between the federation and Hagi have come to an end, with the former international great being the main option to fill the post left vacant after the death of Mircea Lucescu, who took over the national team in August 2024, ” the federation said.
“It’s a great honor, a great responsibility to once again represent Romania as I did as a player, I hope to do it as a coach. All that matters is to perform, to be successful,” Hagi said.
“After several attempts over the years to have Gica Hagi with us, today we can confirm that Gica Hagi is returning to the national team. We are very confident about this journey that we are starting together, with the best players we have at our disposal, to fulfil our objective. Our first objective is to win the next match.”
Second stint as coach
It’s Hagi’s second stint in charge of the Romanian national team after his first tenure from September 1st to November 27th in 2001.
He was name coach immediately after retiring as a player and only lasted three months as coach, leaving after failing to qualify for the 2002 World Cup after a 1-2 and 1-1 playoff draw with Slovenia.
Hagi, 61, has also managed Bursaspor, Galatasary, Poli Timisoara, Steaua Bucuresti, FC Viitorul Constanta and Farul Constanta. He has two titles (FC Viitorul and Farul), a Romanian Cup (FC Viitorul), a Romanian Super Cup (FC Viitorul) and a Turkish Cup (Galatasaray).
He succeeds Mircea Lucescu, whose contract expired on April 2nd. Lucescu was hospitalised on March 29th after falling ill during a technical session prior to a training session of the national team, having missed out on qualification for the 2026 World Cup after a 1-0 defeat to Turkey on March 26th.
He died on April 7 at the University Hospital in Bucharest aged 80.
