Gheorghe Hagi Returns as Romania's Coach with Ambitious Goals
Gheorghe Hagi has officially taken the reins as the manager of the Romanian national team for the second time, unveiling his ambitious targets during a press conference in Bucharest. Hagi, a former star player with Barcelona, declared, “Our goal is to win every game. Our goal is to win the Nations League. Our goal is to qualify for the European Championship [in 2028].” At 61, Hagi, known as the “Maradona of the Carpathians,” emphasized his deep desire to achieve success rather than merely exist in the role. Having signed a four-year contract, Hagi described the position as an honor and a great responsibility, acknowledging the challenge it poses in bringing joy to the nation and its supporters. This appointment marks his return to coaching the national team over two decades after a brief tenure in 2001 that lasted less than three months. Reflecting on his earlier days, Hagi noted, “I was young and restless then. I’m different now. More experienced, more of a coach in every way.” Hagi succeeds Mircea Lucescu, who passed away at the age of 80 earlier this month. Lucescu had a significant impact on Hagi's early career, giving him his international debut at 18 and later promoting him to captain at 20. Hagi revealed, “He wanted me to take over as coach.” During his illustrious playing career, Hagi made 124 appearances for Romania and led the team to the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup. Despite his impressive legacy, Romania has not qualified for the World Cup since 1998, with their latest attempt ending in disappointment when Turkey defeated them 1-0 in the playoff semi-final at the end of March. “We’re going to try to be the best. It might seem like a tall order, but you know I like to set myself pretty ambitious goals. I love to win,” Hagi concluded, setting a clear and determined tone for his new chapter as manager.
Source: The Guardian Sport - 2026-04-20