I got rid of the mud, but I regressed in value! Gică Hagi returns to Ghencea as a selector, the first time after the nightmare with Slovenia
Article by Remus Dinu – Published on Saturday, 06 June 2026, 16:36 / Updated on Saturday, 06 June 2026 16:39
Tonight with WalesGheorghe Hagi returns to Ghencea, as a selector, almost 25 years after the dramatic “barrage” with Slovenia in November 2001. It was the last match of the “King” on the bench of the first representative team. A quarter of a century later, Hagi returns to a modernized Ghencea, with a “billiards” lawn and excellent infrastructure conditions. I just regressed in value!
With Gheorghe Hagi at the helm of the “tricolors”, Romania lost the “barrage” for qualification to the WC 2002 in front of Slovenia, in a “double” of sad memory, which our national team started from the position of great favourites. But Osterc and Rudonja's Slovenia produced the surprise and definitively ended the “Golden Generation” era.
Mlastina and Rudonja left Hagi at home
After 1-2 in the round, in a match in which the national team also suffered due to the refereeing of Kim Milton Nielsen, the tricolor hopes were dashed on the way back, in the “swamp” from Ghencea, the place where Mladen Rudonja's goal saddened an entire generation and millions of microbists.
The Romanian national team was coming after three consecutive World Championship qualifiers and was looking for the fourth – a missed goal.
Romania was then going through a transition between the Golden Generation and a promising team, that of Mutu and Chivu. The picture is much more complicated now. The national team no longer has real leaders, the presence of foreign clubs is rare, and the domestic championship is slow to become an important nursery for the team.
Hagi's team had an enemy of sorts then. The rain turned the land in Ghencea into a full-fledged swamp. (see more images in the photo gallery below)
After the “Slovenian nightmare”, 1-2 in Ljubljana and 1-1 in Bucharest, Gheorghe Hagi left the national team. Mircea Sandu replaced him with Anghel Iordănescu.
Romania – Slovenia 1-1 They scored: Contra (65) / Rudonja (55)
ROMANIA: Lobonț – Contra, Gh. Popescu, Miu (78 Mihalcea), Chivu – Sabău, Ghioane (59 Pancu), D. Munteanu – Mutu (59 I. Ganea), Ad. Elijah – M. Niculae
Coach: George Hagi
Unused reserves: Stelea, Iencsi, Tararache, L. Roșu
SLOVENIA: Simeunovici – Vugdalici, Galici, Milinovici – Gajser, Cech, Pavlin, Novak – Acimovici (63 Sankovici) – Osterc (90+2 Pavlovici), Rudonja
Coach: Strecko Katanec
Stadium: Gencea
Spectators: 30,000
Referee: Hellmut Krug (Germany)
For missing the qualification, I, as a selector, take full responsibility. As the Federation must answer from tomorrow onwards, analyze whether it is worth continuing with me. I don't like the chair. I was chosen for the name, more than anything else. I think few believed in me. Unfortunately, there are only four months, too little to do anything. The conclusions must be drawn by the president of the Federation and the Executive Committee. If I remain a selector, I will also do my analysis.
– Gheorghe Hagi, after the match with Slovenia in 2001
