Former goalkeeper Bogdan Lobonț (48 years old) spoke about Romania's chances of qualifying for the World Championship this summer. The big match in Istanbul is approaching, and Lobonț (85 matches for the national team) has great faith in the selector Mircea Lucescu (80 years old).
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Turkey – Romania will be played on Thursday, March 26, from 19:00, match broadcast by Prima TV. If we win, we play the qualification final against Slovakia/Kosovo on March 31, 2026.
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Gazeta Sporturilur will have 6 experienced reporters in Istanbul, who will send the most important information, reports and a series of multimedia correspondence.
Despite some surprise summonses, Bogdan Lobont he is not surprised by the choices of “Il Luce”.
The former goalkeeper claims that these are the most fit players, and his message for all Romanians is clear: unity and support for the national team.
VIDEO | Bogdan Lobonț, before Turkey – Romania: “The summons surprised only you”
“The Cat” is of the opinion that the whole team must provide safety, not just the goalkeeper, as has been the case over time. Lobonț invites everyone “to play this game”.
“We all want, because this is… this is our will: to participate in a World Championship again. We are convinced that it will not be easy, but at the same time we have only to win.
I think the summons or the names that are on the list surprised you more. Taking into account the experience and expertise that Mircea Lucescu and the entire staff have, they brought for this match, for these two matches, the fittest possible players who are on the market at the moment. So, one does not surprise me.
I think we have a team that can give us security, not just the goalkeeper. Because he doesn't just play goalkeeper. Indeed, we have been used for a while to the goalkeeper being the best player on the pitch in national team matches, but these matches are played together.
And I want to invite everyone to play this game together. And we, those who are in front of the televisions, those who are in the stands, the Romanians from Istanbul… let's play this match together. Let's be with these wonderful boys with our energy, because we are Romanians and we can convey this to them.
From the point of view of energy and morale, the presence of all Romanians matters. Because those who are part of the Golden Generation are also Romanians. That doesn't mean there has to be extra pressure on our players' shoulders.
So I invite everyone to play this game together. At least the first match… after that there is one more,” explained Bogdan Lobonț.
Romania's lot for the dam with Turkey
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porter: Ionut RADU (Celta de Vigo | Spain, 7/0), Marian AIOANI (FC Rapid 1923, 0/0), Mihai POPA (CFR Cluj, 0/0);
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defense: Andrei RAțIU (Rayo Vallecano | Spain, 36/2), Deian SORESCU (Gaziantep FK | Turkey, 23/0), Radu DRĂGUȘIN (Tottenham | England, 27/1), Andrei BURCĂ (Yunnan Yukun | China, 44/1), Virgil GHIȚ (Hannover 96 | Germany, 8/1), Adrian RUS (Universitatea Craiova, 22/1), Andrei COUBIȘ (Cluj University, 0/0), Nicușor BANCU (Craiova University, 50/2), Kevin CIUBOTARU (Hermannstadt, 1/0);
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midfielders: Vladimir SCRECIU (Universitatea Craiova, 6/0), Vlad DRAGOMIR (Pafos | Cyprus, 5/0), Răzvan MARIN (AEK Athens | Greece, 72/12), Nicolae STANCIU (Dalian Yingbo | China, 84/15), Florin TĂNASE (FCSB, 26/5), Ianis HAGI (Alanyaspor | Turkey, 51/8), Dennis MAN (PSV | Netherlands, 43/11), Alexandru DOBRE (FC Rapid 1923, 5/0), Valentin MIHĂILĂ (Caykur Rizespor | Turkey, 33/5), Claudiu PETRILA (FC Rapid 1923, 2/0), Ștefan BAIARAM (Universitatea Craiova, 2/1);
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ATTACKERS: Daniel BÎRLIGEA (FCSB, 7/2), David MICULESCU (FCSB, 6/0), Marius COMAN (UTA Arad, 0/0).
