Wanted in the Super League, Daniel Popa reveals his plan for 2026: “That's what I'm thinking about” » Why he left Turkey and what he says about the experience at FCSB: “We have to be fair”

Football player with Dinamo and FCSB in his CV and with a title in his record, with the red-blue formation, Daniel Popa is now free of contract. He parted ways with Genclerbirligi on 10 September after the transfer window closed, so he could not sign with another team. He trained with his former band, Chindia, and now he is ready for a new adventure.

Daniel Popa: “The coach and management changed and that's why I left Turkey”

– Daniel, how was the year 2025 for you?
– I say it was a good year. I passed in Turkey. I can say that I also won the championship in Romania, that I have a few matches for FCSB. It's been a good year, less so in the last few months because I terminated the contract. And I was left without a team because there were no other options.

– How did you feel the transition to Turkey?
– It was very good. I adapted quickly. We had a united group and that made the difference. That helped us get promoted, although there were other very good teams. I played well, I say. I also scored some goals. I can say that I shouldered the promotion. They were on the 7th when I came, then I finished on the 2nd.

– In the first league, after promotion, how was it?
– I started the preparations, I did a week of training, then I had a problem with my leg. After that, I trained for a few days and went in and played about 70 minutes. And I say I played well. Then the coach, management and sports director changed. And they brought in other players. New people came and brought valuable players, for a lot of money. So we came to a common denominator and terminated the contract. They wanted to take me off the list. In Turkey this is done every year. Elections are held for the president.

– So you terminated after the transfer period.
– Yes, about 3-4 days after. I could still go to Greece or Arabia, from League 2. I was wanted, but I said I'd rather stay at home. There was also the small child and I preferred to stay at home and train at Chindia. It was hard not to play. But family is more important. The child was very small and I was able to enjoy his growth, I was also a help at home. If it wasn't for the kid, I'd sign with another team. Or I would stay there, they would take me off the list and I would sit there. My termination came very late and there were only 2–3 countries available where I could have signed. If I had known ahead of time, I would have definitely signed elsewhere.

– How is football in Turkey?
– I liked it a lot. That's where I felt the best. A football to my liking, on the contrary. Always a lot of people at the stadiums, life is beautiful. I liked it very much. I got along very well with everyone.

– So you would come back.
– Yes. There are some options there, from the second league. But they transfer on the last hundred meters. I have to wait a little longer to see what comes out. I am still training with Chindia. I really felt very good, even from there I have some good offers. I felt good there and very appreciated.

– Were there financial problems?
– There are always problems in Turkey with money. But you get them. It was OK for me. They gave me what I talked about. We knew from the beginning that it would be like this. It's something normal. It shouldn't be like this, but it's normal. Europeans are given the money after about 3 months. But there were Turks in my team who had delays of 4-5 months, even 6 months. I think that I was late for a maximum of two and a half months. You receive the money immediately upon signing, and the salary comes in 2-3 months. But if you're important and you play well, I don't think it's a FIFA lawsuit. You get paid.

– What are your plans?
– I have some offers. But more from abroad. That's what I'm thinking about, a transfer abroad. There are also some offers from Romania, but the priority is to go abroad. I told the people at Chindia, with whom I train, that if I don't find something good in the first league or abroad, I would come to them. If I don't find something really good, I'll come and stay at home for 6 months, help Chindia promote. But now I want a transfer abroad. I have some options. Basically Turkey, the second league. And Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Greece. Let's see what will happen. The Turks, for example, do not have such a long break and move quickly in January.

– It was always written that you had offers from the Super League.
– There are a few teams from Romania as well, including Hermannstadt and Petrolul, but I can't give them an answer until I know something for sure if I'm going to go abroad or not. I will also discuss with these teams if something does not materialize from abroad. I want more from my career, you know. And where I go, to play as well as possible, score goals and help the team.

“I have nothing to reproach the people at FCSB. That's all I could do. I don't regret going there”

– How do you like the Super League season?
– There are good teams ahead, Dinamo, Rapid, Craiova. I really feel sorry for the University that they are out of the Conference, they had a good game in Athens. FCSB, if they enter the play-offs, have a very good chance at the championship. Dinamo has a good team, with a very good coach.

– How was the period at FCSB?
– It wasn't a bad time. It was good for me and my career. I played in the European Cups, which I had never done before.

– High pressure?
– Not necessarily. They were high quality players. Everyone got their chance. If you played well, you played. It was the same for me. I can't say that I played the best matches and that I didn't play better. On the contrary, I actually caught matches. He didn't even criticize me (no – Gigi Becali). Let's be fair. That was all I could do at that time. That's life. A lot can happen in the life of a footballer. In some matches you play well, in others not. I knew from the beginning that the transfer to FCSB was a round trip. But it did me good, not bad! I played for a very good team and it looks good to have Dinamo and FCSB in your CV. That's it. In life you have to accept the bad moments.

– Did you regret not signing?
– Yes. It was a good option. She was the champion of Romania. He could not refuse. I could have said no, but I said I'm going to see what happens. I didn't play good matches, but not very bad either. So it was to be. We shook hands and left. I am correct. I can't say I played well when I didn't. There is a lot of quality at FCSB. The best players in Romania go there. And Gigi buys whoever he wants. Put money in and transfer. Pays money to players. Who else pays players that much? I have nothing to reproach Becali, because he didn't say anything to me when I didn't play well. If I had a very good season and it didn't bother me, I would say. But so, what can I say? What can I do? To contradict football? I can't say I played well when I didn't. That I didn't have achievements, I can't blame anyone, because, after all, the main fault was with me because I didn't manage to impose myself. I don't regret going there, on the contrary, I really thanked them for having the chance to play at such a big club!

– From the above, you also have FC Botoșani in your CV.
– And when I was there, the team was in first place. But in the winter many left and finished lower.

– You can have four former teams in the play-off: Dinamo, FC Botoșani, U Cluj and FCSB.
– Yes, yes. I would be happy if U Cluj also enters the play-off. I have friends there, it's a stable club that respects its players.

– How was the experience at Dinamo?
– The first period was better. I played, I was paid on time. In the end, things went wrong. I left right before the Spaniards came.

– You can say that you won.
– Yes, I won a lot. I still had about 3 years of contract. If I stayed, I certainly couldn't quit. At the end I canceled and escaped. Otherwise, Dinamo is a big club. He was always fighting for the front seats. We got good players, good managers, good coaches.

Turkey has players in strong teams, but Romania doesn't have a bad team either. We will fight on equal footing with them. And we also have a great coach. People still criticize him, but you don't really have anything to say. If you tackle him, it means the end of football. We have our chance. In football, anything is possible. Yes, there will be a lot of people at the stadium. But it will be round trip. Sometimes the fans also put pressure on the home team. I really want us to qualify.

– Daniel Popa