Article by Alexandru Tomuțiu – Published Monday, March 23, 2026 7:29 p.m. / Updated Monday, March 23, 2026 9:11 p.m.
Adrian Mutu (47 years old) said who, in his opinion, was the most technical player in the history of Romania.
Nicolae Dobrin's technique put Adrian Mutu on his back, and the “Brilliant” declared that the “Prince of Trivale” was better in this chapter than he and Gică Hagi combined. Mutu also said what advice he received from Dobrin during the time he was trained by him at FC Argeș.
Adrian Mutu: “Gicu Dobrin was much more technical than me, and than Gică Hagi combined”
“Gicu Dobrin was much more technical than me, and than Gică Hagi combined. He was a different kind of footballer, meaning he used precision and not force.
He played tennis with his foot. He also had leg problems and could not run. But at foot tennis he was a specialist and a master even at 60 years old, as he was then. That's why I say. We were technicians, but Dobrin took the technique to another level.
Nicolae Dobrin won two Romanian championship titles with FC Argeș. First in 1971-1972 season, second in 1978-1979
I mean, when I say that he used precision and not force, for example, when he knocked on the goal, he never knocked hard. Always placed. When he escaped alone with the goalkeeper, that taught me too, that I don't have to hit hard, I just have to pass him, that is, just be precise. Which makes sense”, said Adrian Mutu, according to digisport.ro.
We are outsiders, indeed. Turkey is a team that can cause problems, I think at this moment, for any national team. So, of course, we are also among them, even if the record is on our side. At least in my time, as many times as I played with Turkey, I never lost.
So I hope that this tradition and this track record goes forward. Along these lines, I will be present at the match, I hope to see a Romanian victory live.
– Adrian Mutu, about Turkey – Romania
