Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published on Sunday, 29 March 2026, 22:34 / Updated on Sunday, 29 March 2026 22:34
Mihai Stoica (60 years old), the president of the FCSB Board of Directors, spoke about the next selector who could restore the lost results to the national team, but also about the current generation of the “tricolors”.
The official of the champion of Romania commented on the situation after Romania lost any chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, after the defeat suffered in the semi-final of the qualifying play-off against Turkey, away, score 0-1.
MM Stoica wants Hagi in the national team: “Only he can save”
Mihai Stoica, the official of the FCSB champion, a club that plays in the Superliga play-out, told fanat.ro that only Gică Hagi can give the national team a real and motivational boost:
“Whoever comes to the national team will have a difficult task. If someone can bring out more and at least give a motivational speech before the games, this person is Gica Hagi. Only he can save what remains to be saved.”
In the end, Stoica returned to the concept of the “Soul Generation”, emphasizing that, in his opinion, the expression has too tearful and melodramatic tone for the reality of the team and Romanian football:
“I thought it was a corporate slogan with the 'Soul generation'. This is how old age manifests itself for me: my body lets me climb the stairs to you, but it gives me trouble with these things. This corporate language… It seemed to me a melodramatic thing with “Soul Generation”. The phrase “Generation of the soul” sounds tearful to me.
Gică Hagi, getting closer to becoming a selector // Photo: Imago Images
Gheorghe Hagi, getting closer to the national team
After Mircea Lucescu missed the qualification for the World Cup and encountered health problems, Gică Hagi's name began to be circulated more and more often, especially since he sold the majority shares in Farul Constanța, keeping only 10%.
“The King” had a short term as a selector in 2001. As a player, Hagi collected 124 caps and scored 35 goals, being the all-time top scorer alongside Adrian Mutu. He appeared in six finals between 1984 and 2000, reaching the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup.
