Edward Iordanescu has led Romania back to the top
Image: Keystone
Like his father, Ianis Hagi is a defining figure of the national team
Image: Keystone
Edward Iordanescu has led Romania back to the top
Image: Keystone
Like his father, Ianis Hagi is a defining figure of the national team
Image: Keystone
Romania has disappeared into mediocrity in the meantime. Now coach Edward Iordanescu's team is dreaming of a European Championship quarter-final.
Anyone looking for Romanian fans at this European Championship can keep their ears open for a song that was also playing on a continuous loop in Switzerland 20 years ago. "Dragostea din tei" by Moldovan pop group O-Zone was a summer hit that was at the top of the charts for weeks.
In Germany, it is the anthem of thousands of Romanian supporters. As they gather on the steps of Cologne Cathedral before the second group game against Belgium, the reverent silence of the imposing Gothic cathedral mixes with the exuberant cheerfulness of the Romanians, who have arrived in the hope that the national football team will finally have another successful tournament.
Low point in the Nations League
After all, recent memories of a European Championship in the Eastern European country are not very positive. The "Tricolorii" either failed in the preliminary round or did not even make it to the finals. In 2016, Romania finished bottom of their group against France, Switzerland and Albania. Three years ago, the Romanians missed out on the pan-European tournament. In 2022, they were relegated to the third-tier C group of the Nations League. "Disappeared into mediocrity", wrote Romanian media.
In this respect, it is surprising how this national team has developed in recent years. The Romanians came out on top of their group in qualifying for this European Championship against a Switzerland that had been flagging for a long time. In doing so, they showed that they can hold their own in continental competition.
Reproaches at the end of the group stage
Edward Iordanescu has played a key role in the revitalization of the Romanian national team. The 46-year-old has been coach of the team for two and a half years. He was therefore already in charge at the supposed low point, the relegation to League C of the Nations League, when the Romanians were outplayed by Finland, among others.
Now, however, he has clearly managed to lift the Romanian football nation out of insignificance. "I would like to thank all the Romanians in the world. I don't think we've ever felt as much support as we do now," he said after the impressive and surprising 3-0 win over Ukraine to open the tournament. "Those who doubted us hopefully now see that we are a good team."
The Romanians did not march through their group afterwards. However, they did end up as group winners, tied on points with all the other teams but with the best goal difference. After the final 1-1 draw against Slovakia, which was enough for both teams to progress, there were some voices saying that this result had been agreed to the detriment of the eliminated Ukrainians. "It's a disgrace to question our dignity and our work ethic," said Iordanescu. "Both teams wanted to win."
Hagi's academy
The reaction shows just how passionate the coach is. It is important to Iordanescu that the work of everyone involved is perceived as such. This is also because he has a name that carries weight in Romania. His father Anghel Iordanescu was coach of the national team three times. Including at the last European Championship in France in 2016. But above all during the 1994 World Cup in the USA, when Romania advanced to the quarter-finals.
The players from back then, including Gheorghe Hagi, are commonly referred to in Romania as the "golden generation". And Hagi still jokes today that the team was only eliminated back then so that a later generation would have the opportunity to do better. Today, his son Ianis plays where he used to provide ideas in attacking midfield.
However, the 59-year-old is happy to talk about having more children in the team. Hagi has built up a football academy in his home town of Constanta in the south-east of the country. More than a third of the current national squad once laced up their football boots there.
Iordanescu and Hagi - two formative names in the history of Romanian football. In the European Championship round of 16 against the Netherlands in Munich on Tuesday (6pm), two sons will have the chance to step out of their fathers' long shadows.
SDA
