Gheorghe Hagi appointed Romania head coach | OneFootball

The Romanian Football Federation announced on that Gheorghe Hagi will be the new national team coach – the former player therefore returns to lead the national side, 25 years on.

"It is an honour and a huge responsibility to represent Romania," the coach said on his appointment.

The federation's president, Razvan Burleanu, also highlighted the appointment: "After several attempts over time to bring Hagi back with us, today we can confirm his return to the national team. We are very confident in this new path we are starting, with the best available players, to achieve our objectives. The first is to win the next match."

This will be the 61-year-old coach's second spell in charge of the Romanian national team, after previously leading it in 2001. During his coaching career, he has managed clubs such as Galatasaray, Bursaspor, FCSB, FC Viitorul Constanta, and Farul.

Hagi succeeds Mircea Lucescu, who held the position before his passing.

Romania failed to qualify for this summer's World Cup after losing 1-0 to Turkey in the qualifying play-off.