Gică Hagi's first message, after the national team missed the World Cup, came at the airport » Romania's “resuscitation” plan

Ashley Davis27/03/2026

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Turkey – Romania 1-0. On Friday at noon, after being present in Istanbul, at Beşiktaş's stadium, at the match on which the Romanians' hopes for qualifying for this summer's World Cup were tied, the members of the “Golden Generation” returned to the country. Directly from Otopeni, Gică Hagi (61 years old) drew the first conclusions, extremely disappointed by the outcome.

Unavoidably asked about the situation of the technical bank, in the context in which he is expected to take over the reins from Mircea Lucescu, Hagi avoided giving an answer. He only said that, at the moment, there should be no construction of the national team, but only the rooting of a winning mentality.

VIDEO. Gică Hagi, directly from the airport: “It's a big disappointment for everyone”

“The most important thing when we talk about football is that everything takes one day. Unfortunately we didn't make it. We all have disappointment, but that's how it is in football. We have to start from the beginning. From today, from tomorrow, everyone should load up and give their best. Let's move forward, let's be much better than before.

It's not frustration, I don't use that word. It's a disappointment, that's all. It's great for everyone, especially for the players and Mircea, but also for the rest of us, from the side, for all of Romania. But you can build something very strong if you analyze things and you have to move forward”, said Gică Hagi, shortly after landing on Otopeni.

“Are you saving the national team?”, he was then asked, who refused to address the subject.

“It's not a topic to talk about now, I was just in the stands, I watched the match, we'll see, we never know. We don't need to build the national team, but a mentality, if you want to talk about a construction. We need a winning mentality!”, Hagi said.