‘It Still Hurts’ – Tottenham Hotspur Star Makes Personal Admission | OneFootball

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has admitted that Romania’s failure to qualify for the World Cup this summer remains a painful memory for him.

Romania faced Turkey in the World Cup playoff semi-final in March as they looked to end a 28-year absence from football’s biggest stage, with Dragusin insisting beforehand that his side would not be intimidated by the occasion.

However, a solitary Turkish goal brought those ambitions to an abrupt halt, extending Romania’s wait for a return to the World Cup.

Dragusin completed the full 90 minutes on the night, but was ultimately unable to prevent the disappointment that happened.

Following the passing of Mircea Lucescu, Romania appointed Gheorghe Hagi as manager and are now preparing for June friendlies against Georgia and Wales.

Dragusin has once again been included in the squad as Romania attempt to move forward from the heartbreak of missing out on World Cup qualification.

The centre-back admitted that the pain of failing to reach the tournament has not completely faded, even as attention turns towards future targets.

Dragusin pointed towards the reaction among the squad following the disappointment of missing out on qualification, with unity remaining one of the group’s biggest strengths.

He also highlighted that the mood around the camp remains positive and that there is a collective determination to produce stronger displays moving forward, with the squad determined to give fans something to cheer about.

Dragusin was quoted as saying by Romanian outlet Fanatik: “It still hurts that we are not at the World Cup.

“It is a new beginning and we are looking at the next goals: the Nations League and the next final tournaments.”

The Tottenham defender added: “We came and found a very united group, especially after missing out on qualification.

“We know it was disappointing and we want to give as much joy to our fans as possible.

“We are a united, motivated, enthusiastic group and we look forward with a good feeling, a feeling that we will manage to build and have as solid performances as possible in the future.

The 24-year-old made only ten Premier League appearances this season due to a serious knee injury and continues to face uncertainty over his long-term future in north London.

But he was still able to play his part on the final day of the campaign, emerging from the bench in the closing minutes as Spurs preserved their Premier League status with a 1-0 win over Everton.

Dragusin still has four years to run on his Tottenham contract, but a summer move cannot be ruled out after his agent visited RB Leipzig in April amid their interest in the centre-back.

He also remains on the radar of Juventus, while Fiorentina’s sporting director is keen on him as a potential return to Serie A continues to be discussed.

Romania’s Nations League campaign gets under way in September and Dragusin will hope to use the international stage to help guide his country towards a brighter chapter.