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Hagi Returns to Manage Romania 25 Years After His First Spell
The former Romania great returns after 25 years and will lead the team through the Euro 2028 and 2030 World Cup cycles, the federation said.
- On Monday, April 20, 2026, the Romania Football Federation appointed Gheorghe Hagi as national team head coach on a four-year contract, marking his return 25 years after his initial managerial stint.
- Hagi succeeds Mircea Lucescu, who resigned earlier this month following Romania's World Cup playoff loss to Turkey; the 80-year-old former manager died five days after stepping down.
- Widely recognized as Romania's greatest player, the 61-year-old former Steaua Bucharest, Barcelona, and Real Madrid midfielder made 124 appearances and shares the 35-goal record with Adrian Mutu, earning the nickname "Maradona of the Carpathians."
- Hagi's four-year deal encompasses the Euro 2028 and World Cup 2030 qualification cycles; he told reporters, "It is an honour and a great responsibility to represent Romania once again."
- Romania will play summer friendlies against Georgia and Wales before beginning the Nations League campaign in September, with Hagi's first home match in Bucharest scheduled for June 6.
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Romania great Gheorghe Hagi returns for second stint as national team coach after Lucescu's death - The Morning Sun
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania great Gheorghe Hagi has been hired as national team coach for the second time. He was appointed to replace Mircea Lucescu, who died two weeks ago. The 61-year-old Hagi is widely regarded as Romania’s greatest ever soccer player, having led the country to the World Cup quarterfinals in 1994. He also played for Barcelona and Real Madrid as a creative attacking midfielder. His first stint as Romania coach was in 20…
The Romanian national football team has appointed 61-year-old Gheorghe Hag as its new head coach.
Mircea Lucescu had died a few days after his resignation as a Romanian national coach. Now there is a well-known successor.
Mircea Lucescu had died a few days after his resignation as a Romanian national coach. Now there is a well-known successor.
Former world football star Gheorghe Hagi, now 61, is the new coach of Romania. He succeeds the recently deceased Mircea Lucescu, who had led the national team since 2024.
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