The members of the “Golden Generation” went to Turkey to join the “tricolors” in the semi-final of the barrage for the qualification to the World Championship. They will not participate in official trainingbut they will be present at Beşiktaş's stadium in the hope that the national team of Mircea Lucescu (80 years old) will take a huge first step towards the final tournament.
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Turkey – Romania will be played on March 26, from 19:00, match broadcast by Prima TV. If we win, we play the World Cup qualification final against Slovakia/Kosovo on March 31, 2026.
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Gazeta Sporturilor has 6 experienced reporters in Istanbul who will send the most important information, the best reports and a series of multimedia correspondence
Some of them left this morning. It is about Gică Hagi, Gică Popescu, Adrian Ilie, Tibor Selymes and Florin Răducioiu. They came with their wives, children, with smiles on their faces and optimistic that we can achieve an important result.
Asked about taking over the national team, Hagi he did not want to comment too much on the subject because “it is disrespectful to Mircea Lucescu”.
VIDEO + PHOTO | The Golden Generation, on departure for Istanbul
Hagi expects qualification, although he recognizes the individual value of the Turks. “The King” relies on the experience gained by Mircea Lucescu's students at Euro 2024.
Asked about a possible success of his son, Ianis, Hagi stated that the collective value is the most important, and the game will come out as long as the players understand that group unity is extremely important.
“And us and the boys, we all have to be optimistic, have courage and, of course, a lot of confidence. We're going to win! Right? Guys have a good day. Everyone there, the staff and everyone else, Mircea Lucescu be inspired and, above all, the players on the field.
We meet a very good team, very talented, but we are also talented just like them. And I think that if, as I said, if we defend well, I say we will have chances.
First of all, we are interested in winning, that is our thoughts: to win and of course to support the boys. They are good teams. From here on, everyone has to prove which one is better. Unfortunately for me, I fell with Turkey, which clearly…
(Will the heart split?) No, it cannot be shared, because it is impossible, but someone will cry at the end or be sad. For the rest, we are talking about a match, I think, of rhythm and of a very good intensity.
I think that they will have an advantage, the minimum that they have, is only related to their home field, where the supporters are, as they say in football, the 12th player. Of course they have it, but the boys have to be connected, very intelligent to get past this thing, because they have played in Europe, they have experience.
(Radu in goal?) These are… ask… we'll see, the staff will stay and see. Yes, of course, if he is healthy, it is clear that he is also in very good shape.
(Will you see the players at work with different eyes for a future team?) No, there's no point in talking about it. It is, first of all, disrespect towards Mircea Lucescu. So we better shut up“, said Hagi, at the airport.
“Now Gică Popescu has the pressure”
The “king” also spoke about the topic of the moment in the Superliga, the transfer of the majority stake to Gică Popescu. He claims that he will get involved in another project, and the pressure shifts to Popescu's shoulders.
“But this is what I wanted to do anyway. I told you for I don't know how many years that I would do this thing. I, when I am yours, when I tell you something, I keep my word. So I didn't do anything special except that everything I told you, that I wanted to stay with 10%, I stayed.
And I gave them to Gică (Popescu). Now Gica has the pressure, he has the pressure, I no longer have it. And I see my job, the thing I like the most: coaching, being in the technical side. Which I have always told you, that I like the technical part on the field”, added Hagi.
My motto is that the team wins the match, brings trophies, the player makes the difference. So basically someone from the team… if we play well collectively, both offensively and defensively, we will do well in both phases, for sure it will be from the boys, that it will be from the defense, from the middle, from the attack, it will stand out.
It's clear, because football, to win, you have to score. So, like it or not, you have to have conviction, you have to believe in what you're doing and go score goals. Of course, and the second phase, to defend yourself very well.
– Gica Hagiat the airport, before Turkey – Romania
