Article by Eduard Apostol, Maria Olteanu – published on Saturday, April 05, 2025, 17:17 / Updated on Saturday, April 5, 20:18
Laszlo Balint (46 years old), the new coach of Otelul Galatianalyzed Romania's chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Championship. Despite the beginning, the coach is of the opinion that the national led by Mircea Lucescu will eventually qualify for the final tournament next summer.
Only 3 points out of six possible in the first two stages of the campaign for the CM preliminaries of 2026. Romania did not have the best possible start, losing at home, 0-1 with Bosnia, a painful failure that could weigh.
Laszlo Balint took over the steel, with which he struggles to save himself from relegation. The Danube technician said that he is part of the group who believe in qualification after the preliminary campaign.
It relies on the huge experience of the coach and it is optimistic that the national will recover and even manages to win the next duel, the one in June, with Austria, the favorite of group H. After the first two matches, Romania has three points, obtained from the movement from Serravalle, with San Marino, where 5-1 was imposed.
VIDEO. Laszlo Balint sees Romania at the World Cup
– What chances do you think we still have qualification at the World Championship, in the perspective of the 0-1 match with Bosnia?
– I think the match in Austria has become very important in what this qualification campaign means the World Championship. I have great confidence in the experience of the coach, because if neither Mr. Mircea Lucescu would manage to manage this moment then no one would succeed. There are premises that a victory can be achieved there, the national team has shown that it can be beaten with real chances against teams that, at least on paper, are better quoted. I personally are optimistic and I think we have a chance to win in Austria.
– Even Mircea Lucescu began to be challenged by some specialists, supporters ….
– That I think should not surprise anyone, because I do not think there was a coach who will go through the mandate without being challenged. We, as coaches, have to accept this more unpleasant part of our job. We go through moments and moments. We cannot have a linear, ascending course, there are also times when the results are not the expected ones. Automatically intervene critics, voices that challenge, but resilience think they must be one of the strengths of a coach in order to overcome these moments and remain concentrated. No matter what the world thinks and we are people and we are influenced, affected by these criticisms. Let us remember that Edi Iordănescu, a coach, has crossed a harsh period in terms of critics, voices that challenged him very strong and from all directions. He remained in position and managed to make a very beautiful figure, to qualify the team at the European, after a long time, and there to have appreciated evolutions and quite good results.
Romania's program in the preliminaries CM 2026
June 7
16:00 – Bosnia and Herzegovina – San Marino
21:45 – Austria – Romania
June 10
21:45 – Romania – Cyprus
21:45 – San Marino – Austria
September 6
21:45 – Austria – Cyprus
21:45 – San Marino – Bosnia and Herzegovina
September 9th
21:45 – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Austria
21:45 – Cyprus – Romania
October 9th
21:45 – Austria – San Marino
21:45 – Cyprus – Bosnia and Herzegovina
October 12
16:00 – San Marino – Cyprus
21:45 – Romania – Austria
November 15
19:00 – Cyprus – Austria
21:45 – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Romania
November 18
21:45 – Austria – Bosnia and Herzegovina
21:45 – Romania – San Marino
The ranking in the Romanian group
