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Romania national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Romania women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Romania
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Tricolorii (The Tricolours)
Association Romanian Football Federation (FRF)
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Mircea Lucescu
Captain Nicolae Stanciu
Most caps Dorinel Munteanu (134)
Top scorer Adrian Mutu
Gheorghe Hagi (35)
Home stadium Various
FIFA code ROU
First colours
Second colours
Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current 25 Decrease 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest 3 (September 1997)
Lowest 57 (February 2011, September 2012)
Elo ranking
Current 33 Increase 13 (3 March 2019)
Highest 5 (June 1990)
Lowest 49 (10 June 2017)
First international
 Kingdom of SCS 1–2 Romania 
(Belgrade, Kingdom of SCS; 8 June 1922)
Biggest win
 Romania 9–0 Finland 
(Bucharest, Romania; 14 October 1973)
Biggest defeat
 Hungary 9–0 Romania 
(Budapest, Hungary; 6 June 1948)
World Cup
Appearances 7 (first in 1930)
Best result Quarter-finals (1994)
European Championship
Appearances 6 (first in 1984)
Best result Quarter-finals (2000)
Medal record
Balkan Cup
Gold 1929–31 Team
Gold 1933 Romania Team
Gold 1936 Romania Team
Gold 1980 Turkey Team
Silver 1976 Romania Team
Bronze 1932 Yugoslavia Team
Bronze 1934–35 Greece Team
Bronze 1946 Albania Team
Bronze 1947 Team

The Romania national football team represents Romania in men's international football. The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) manages the team. They are often called Tricolorii, which means "the Tricolours."

Romania is one of only four European teams to play in the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. The others were Belgium, France, and Yugoslavia. Romania has played in seven World Cups, with their last appearance in 1998. Their best World Cup performance was in 1994. Led by star player Gheorghe Hagi, they beat Argentina 3–2. They were then knocked out by Sweden in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals.

At the European Championships, Romania's best result was reaching the quarter-finals in 2000. They advanced from a tough group with Germany, Portugal, and England. They then lost to Italy, who were runners-up in that tournament. Romania has played in six European Championships in total.

History of Romanian Football

The Early Years

The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) started in October 1909 in Bucharest. Romania played their first international game on 8 June 1922. They won 2–1 against Yugoslavia in Belgrade.

Romania had some good times in the 1930s. Their manager, Costel Rădulescu, led them to the first three FIFA World Cup tournaments. Only Brazil, Belgium, and France have also done this.

World Cups in the 1930s

At the 1930 World Cup, Romania won their first match 3–1 against Peru. Goals came from Adalbert Deșu, Constantin Stanciu, and Nicolae Kovács. Later, they lost 4–0 to the host team and winners, Uruguay.

Perurumania1930
Romania playing against Peru at the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.

Romania qualified for the 1934 World Cup by beating Yugoslavia 2–1. In the finals, Romania played one game in a new knockout style. They lost 2–1 to Czechoslovakia. Ștefan Dobay scored their only goal.

For the 1938 World Cup, Romania qualified easily because Egypt pulled out. But they had a surprising loss in France. They lost to Cuba, who also qualified due to another team pulling out. The first game ended 3–3 after extra time. Cuba won the replay 2–1.

1970 World Cup

Romania qualified for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. They were in a very tough group with England, Brazil, and Czechoslovakia.

England won 1–0 against Romania in their first match. Romania then beat the Czechs 2–1. They needed to beat Brazil to reach the quarter-finals. Brazil played very well and won 3–2. Pelé scored twice for Brazil. Romania fought hard, with goals from Florea Dumitrache and Emerich Dembrowski, but they were out of the tournament.

1972 to 1978

Romania failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup. They lost to East Germany and despite a big 9–0 win over Finland, it wasn't enough.

Oefenwedstrijd WK voetbal, Nederland tegen Roemenië 0-0 Piet Keizer in actie, Bestanddeelnr 927-2330
Romania and the Netherlands drawing 0-0 in 1974.

They also struggled in the UEFA European Championship qualifiers. For the 1976 European Championship, they were beaten by Spain. Romania drew too many games, including twice with Scotland and Spain.

Romania again lost to Spain for a spot in the 1978 World Cup. After winning 1–0 at home, Romania lost a home game to Yugoslavia 6–4. Spain then won in Belgrade to qualify.

1984 European Championship

Romania's only successful qualification between 1970 and 1990 was for the European Championships in 1984. In France, Romania was in a group with Spain, West Germany, and Portugal.

Their first game was a 1–1 draw with Spain. Francisco José Carrasco scored for Spain, and Laszlo Bölöni equalized for Romania. Against Germany, Marcel Coraș scored, but Rudi Völler scored twice for Germany to win 2–1. Romania needed a win against Portugal in their last match, but Portugal won 1–0. This meant Romania was out.

Romania struggled for the rest of the 1980s. But a stronger team at the end of the decade helped them qualify for their fifth World Cup in 1990. A win over Denmark in their last game sent them to the finals after 20 years.

The Golden Team Era

1990 World Cup

Romania's team in 1990 was made up of players from their home country. Key players included Ilie Dumitrescu, Florin Răducioiu, and Gheorghe Hagi. After Argentina lost their first game, Romania won 2–0 against the Soviet Union. Marius Lăcătuș scored both goals.

Romania then lost to Cameroon, with Roger Milla scoring twice. Romania needed a point against Argentina in their last group game. Pedro Monzón scored for Argentina, but Gavril Balint quickly equalized, and Romania held on to reach the next round.

In the Round of 16, they played Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland. The game went to a penalty shootout. Daniel Timofte missed his kick, and Romania was eliminated.

1994 World Cup

ROM 1994 MiNr4992 pm B002
1994 FIFA World Cup stamp issued by Poșta Română.

Romania missed out on Euro 1992. They needed to win their last game against Bulgaria but drew 0–0, allowing Scotland to qualify.

However, Romania qualified for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. In their last qualifying match against Wales, they needed a win. Goals from Gheorghe Hagi and Dean Saunders made it 1–1. Wales then got a penalty, but Paul Bodin missed it. Romania went on to win 2–1, and they qualified.

In the finals, Romania was one of the most exciting teams. They beat Colombia 3–1. Răducioiu scored first, then Hagi scored a spectacular goal from far out. Colombia scored one back, but Răducioiu scored again to seal the win.

In their next game, Switzerland beat Romania 4–1. Romania then bounced back, beating the hosts USA 1–0 with an early goal from Dan Petrescu.

In the Round of 16, they faced Argentina, who were without Diego Maradona. Ilie Dumitrescu scored twice in the first 20 minutes. Argentina scored a penalty, but Hagi scored a third goal for Romania. Argentina scored again, but Romania held on for a surprising win.

Romania faced Sweden in the quarter-finals. Sweden scored late through Tomas Brolin. But Răducioiu equalized for Romania. In extra time, Răducioiu scored again after a mistake, but Sweden scored a late equalizer. The game went to a penalty shootout. Dan Petrescu and Miodrag Belodedici missed their kicks, and Sweden won.

Euro 1996

At Euro 1996 in England, Romania had a tough time. They lost their first game to France 1–0. Then, they lost 1–0 to Bulgaria. A shot from Dorinel Munteanu seemed to cross the line, but the referee didn't give the goal. This loss meant Romania was out of the tournament. In their last game, they lost 2–1 to Spain, finishing with no points.

1998 World Cup

Despite their poor Euro 1996 performance, Romania did very well in qualifying for the 1998 World Cup. They finished ten points ahead of the Republic of Ireland.

Adrian Ilie scored the only goal in their first match against Colombia. In their next game against England, Viorel Moldovan scored first. Michael Owen equalized for England, but Dan Petrescu scored a wonderful late goal to give Romania the win.

Their last group match was against Tunisia. Romania needed a draw to win the group and avoid Argentina in the next round. Tunisia scored an early penalty. Moldovan scored a late equalizer, and the game ended 1–1. In the Round of 16, Romania lost 1–0 to Croatia after Davor Šuker scored a penalty.

Euro 2000

ENG-ROU 2000-06-20
Line-ups for Romania versus England at the UEFA Euro 2000.

Romania had a strong qualifying campaign for Euro 2000. They won a tough group, including a big win against Portugal.

At the tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands, Romania was in a very difficult group with Germany, England, and Portugal. Many thought Romania had little chance to qualify.

Romania started well, with Viorel Moldovan scoring against Germany for a 1–1 draw. They then lost 1–0 to Portugal. In their final group match against England, Romania had to win. Cristian Chivu scored early for Romania. England then scored two quick goals to lead at halftime. But Romania fought back. Dorinel Munteanu equalized, and Ioan Ganea scored a penalty in the 89th minute to give Romania a 3–2 win. This meant Romania qualified for the quarter-finals.

In the quarter-finals, they faced Italy. Italy won 2–0. Francesco Totti and Filippo Inzaghi scored. Gheorghe Hagi, playing in his last international tournament, was sent off. Romania's tournament ended.

2000s – World Cup Dry Spell

Romania did not qualify for the next three major tournaments. They played Slovenia in a playoff for the 2002 World Cup. Romania lost the first leg 2–1. In the second leg, Slovenia scored first. Cosmin Contra equalized, but Romania couldn't find another goal and lost, missing out on the World Cup.

Euro 2004

Romania hoped to qualify for Euro 2004. They started well with a 3–0 win in Bosnia. But they then lost at home to Norway and were beaten 5–2 by Denmark. They drew 2–2 with Denmark in their last game, which meant they missed out on qualification.

2006 World Cup

Romania was in a tough group for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. The Netherlands and the Czech Republic were the top teams. Despite winning eight games, Romania finished third in their group and did not qualify.

Euro 2008

Romania had a good qualifying campaign for Euro 2008. They lost only one game and beat the Netherlands 1–0 at home. On 17 October 2007, Romania qualified for Euro 2008, their first major tournament since Euro 2000.

In the tournament, Romania was in a very difficult group with the Netherlands, Italy, and France. They started with a 0–0 draw against France. In their next match against Italy, Adrian Mutu scored for Romania, but Italy quickly equalized. Mutu then missed a penalty. Romania lost 2–0 to the Netherlands in their final group game and finished third in the group.

2010 World Cup

Stamps of Romania, 2011-75
Arena Națională, opened in 2011, the national stadium of Romania, as seen on a Romanian stamp (2011).
Romanian fans
Romanian fans at the new Arena Națională in June 2013.

Romania had a very bad qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup. They finished fifth in their group, only above the Faroe Islands. They lost 3–0 at home to Lithuania and 5–0 to Serbia. Coach Victor Pițurcă resigned and was replaced by Răzvan Lucescu.

Euro 2012

In Euro 2012 qualifying, Romania started poorly with draws and losses. However, they improved and won against Luxembourg and Bosnia and Herzegovina. They drew 0–0 with France but finished third in their group and did not qualify.

2014 World Cup

Romania started their 2014 World Cup qualifying well with away wins in Estonia and Turkey. They also beat Andorra 4–0. They lost both games to the Netherlands and drew with Hungary. Romania secured a play-off spot with wins against Andorra and Estonia. They played Greece in the play-off, losing 3–1 away and drawing 1–1 at home, which meant they did not qualify for the World Cup.

Euro 2016

Euro 2016 stade de France France-Roumanie (27307532960)
France's 2–1 win over Romania at the Stade de France opened the UEFA Euro 2016.

Romania had a successful qualifying campaign for Euro 2016. They started with a win over Greece and a draw with Hungary. Coach Victor Pițurcă left, and Anghel Iordănescu returned to coach the team.

Under Iordănescu, Romania beat Northern Ireland and the Faroe Islands. They finished second in their group, undefeated with five wins and five draws. They had the best defense in the qualifiers, only letting in two goals.

At Euro 2016, Romania was in Group A with hosts France. In the opening match, Romania almost scored early. France scored first with a header from Olivier Giroud. Eight minutes later, Romania got a penalty, and Bogdan Stancu scored to make it 1–1. But Dimitri Payet scored a late goal for France to win 2–1.

In their second match, Romania faced Switzerland. Romania got another penalty, and Bogdan Stancu scored again. Switzerland equalized in the 57th minute, and the game ended 1–1.

Romania needed to beat Albania in their final group match to have a chance to qualify. But Albania scored in the 43rd minute. Romania could not score and lost 1–0. This meant Romania finished last in their group with only one point. They scored two goals (both penalties) and conceded four. Anghel Iordănescu resigned after the tournament.

2018 World Cup

For the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, Romania was in Group E. They started with a 1–1 home draw against Montenegro. They then won 5–0 away against Armenia. But they drew 0–0 with Kazakhstan and lost 3–0 to Poland. Romania finished fourth in their group and did not qualify. Coach Christoph Daum was replaced by Cosmin Contra.

2018–19 Nations League

Romania played in the first UEFA Nations League C. They were in a group with Montenegro, Serbia, and Lithuania. Romania beat Lithuania and Montenegro. They drew three games, including two against Serbia. They did not win the group, but later, UEFA changed the rules, and Romania was promoted to League B.

Euro 2020

UEFA EURO qualifiers Sweden vs Romaina 20190323 42
Romania playing Sweden at Friends Arena, March 2019.

Romania was in a qualifying group for Euro 2020 with Spain, Sweden, and Norway. They lost 2–1 away to Sweden. They then beat the Faroe Islands 4–1 and drew 2–2 with Norway. After beating Malta twice, they lost 2–1 at home to Spain. A 0–2 home loss to Sweden meant Romania could not qualify automatically. They went to a play-off but lost 2–1 to Iceland and were eliminated.

2020–21 Nations League

Romania was promoted to League B for the 2020–21 Nations League. They drew their first home game 1–1 against Northern Ireland. They lost 4–0 to Norway. However, they avoided being relegated back to League C. They beat Austria 3–2 and won 3–0 against Norway (because Norway could not travel due to COVID-19 rules).

World Cup 2022

For the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Romania was in Group J. They finished third in the group and failed to qualify for the World Cup.

2022–23 Nations League and Euro 2024

Romania played in the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League B. They were in a group with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Finland, and Montenegro. They beat Finland twice but lost three games, including two to Montenegro. This meant they were relegated to League C.

However, Romania had a great performance in the Euro 2024 qualifiers. They finished at the top of their group and were unbeaten, with six wins and four draws. They drew 2–2 away to Switzerland and then beat them 1–0 at home. Romania showed strong defense, only letting in five goals. This marked their return to the Euro finals after an eight-year break.

Team Image

Rivalries

Rivalry against Hungary

Romania has a strong rivalry with their neighbors, Hungary. This rivalry is often seen during their football matches.

Their first match was on October 4, 1936. Hungary won that game. Hungary had many impressive wins against Romania, including Romania's biggest defeat, a 9–0 loss in Budapest in 1948.

Romania's first win against Hungary came almost 63 years after their first match. Romania won 2–0 in Bucharest in 1999 during the Euro 2000 qualifiers. Since then, Hungary has not beaten Romania. Romania has won five more times, including a notable 3–0 win in 2013 during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Matches between these two teams can be very intense. During games in Bucharest in 2013 and 2014, there were incidents involving fans. In 2014, some fans had to receive medical care after a match.

Rivalry against Greece

Romania also has a notable rivalry with Greece. They have played Greece 36 times, more than any other team (except Yugoslavia, which no longer exists). Romania has won 18 of these matches, while Greece has won 8, and 10 ended in a draw.

They met in the play-off for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Greece won 3–1 in Athens and drew 1–1 in Bucharest, qualifying for the World Cup.

Minor Rivalries

Montenegro

A smaller rivalry has grown with Montenegro. They have played seven times. Romania's 4–0 win in 2008 was Montenegro's biggest loss at the time. They met in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where Montenegro eliminated Romania. They also met in the UEFA Nations League, where Romania won 1–0 in Montenegro. In the 2022–23 Nations League, Montenegro beat Romania twice.

Kosovo

Romania has not recognized Kosovo's independence. This has led to some tension when the two teams play.

2023 match

On September 12, 2023, Romania and Kosovo met in Bucharest for the Euro 2024 qualifiers. The match was stopped for 50 minutes after Kosovo players left the field due to fan behavior and banners. UEFA later decided that Romania won the match 3–0.

2024 matches

The teams met again in September 2024 in Kosovo for the UEFA Nations League. During the opening ceremony, Kosovo fans booed the Romanian anthem. Romania won the match 3–0. After the game, Kosovo fans threw objects at the Romanian team.

When Romania played Lithuania later, Romanian fans chanted messages against Kosovo. This resulted in a fine for Romania and a partial stadium closure for their next home match against Kosovo.

The return match in Bucharest in November 2024 was also tense. Kosovo players left the field near the end of the game. UEFA later announced that Romania won the match 3–0. Romania was also fined and had to play a future home match without fans.

Kits

Romania's kits have been made by the Spanish company Joma since 2015. Before that, Adidas supplied their kits for three decades. In 2017, the Romanian Football Federation introduced a new team badge. This new badge shows symbols from all five Romanian regions, representing the unity of Romania.

Kit provider Period
France Le Coq Sportif 1977–1983
Germany Adidas 1984–2015
Spain Joma 2015–present

Home Stadium

The Romania national team usually plays its home games at the Arena Națională in Bucharest. This is the biggest stadium in Romania, with seats for 55,600 people. It opened in 2011 and is a top-rated stadium. It hosted the 2012 Europa League final and games for Euro 2020.

Other games, including friendly matches and World Cup or Euro qualifiers, have been played at other stadiums. These include the Steaua Stadium in Bucharest, the Ion Oblemenco Stadium in Craiova, and the Cluj Arena in Cluj-Napoca.

Images for kids

  • National-Arena-Bucharest-Romania

    Arena Națională-Bucharest

  • Romania bucharest Steaua Stadium

    Stadionul Steaua-Bucharest

  • CS Universitatea Craiova versus FC Steaua Bucuresti

    Stadionul Ion Oblemenco-Craiova

  • Cluj-Napoca Cluj Arena 1

    Cluj Arena-Cluj Napoca

Media Coverage

Romania's UEFA Nations League games, major tournament qualifiers, and friendly matches are shown on Pro TV until 2022. Before that, different TV channels like Antena 1 and TVR broadcasted their games.

Results and Fixtures

Main article: Romania national football team results (2020–present)

Here are the recent match results and upcoming games for Romania.

2024

Coaching Staff

Role Name
Head Coach Romania Mircea Lucescu
Assistant Coaches Romania Ionel Gane
Romania Florin Constantinovici
Goalkeeping Coach Romania Leontin Toader
Fitness Coaches Romania Cristian Dragotă
Romania Darius Hîmpea
Analyst Romania Ciprian Niță
Romania Andrei Butnaraș
Doctor Romania Claudiu Stamatescu
Physiotherapists Romania Toma Vasilescu
Romania Ovidiu Blendea
Romania Adrian Gherovăț
Romania Dragoș Paraschiv
Romania Alin Burileanu
Romania Cristian Tănase
Romania Constantin Crețu
Head of Performance Analysis Romania Rareș Ene
Team Manager Romania Cătălin Gheorghiu
Kit Manager Romania Cornel Mateiași
Romania Cătălin Clincea
Technical Director Romania Mihai Stoichiță

Coaching History

Here is a list of all the coaches for Romania since 1922:

  • Romania Teofil Moraru (1922–1923)
  • Romania Costel Rădulescu (1923, 1928–1934, 1935–1938)
  • Romania Adrian Suciu (1923–1924)
  • Romania Teofil Moraru (1924–1928)
  • Austria Josef Uridil (1934)
  • Scotland Peter Farmer (1934–1935)
  • Romania Alexandru Săvulescu 1938)
  • Romania Liviu Iuga (1938–1939, 1940)
  • Romania Virgil Economu (1939–1940, 1941–1942, 1946)
  • Romania Ion Lăpușneanu (1942)
  • Romania Emerich Vogl (1943, 1947)
  • Romania Coloman Braun-Bogdan (1945)
  • Romania Colea Vâlcov (1947)
  • Romania Francisc Ronnay (1947)
  • Romania Emerich Vogl (1948, 1949, 1950–1952)
  • Romania Colea Vâlcov (1948, 1949)
  • Romania Petre Steinbach (1948)
  • Romania Iuliu Baratky (1948)
  • Romania Ion Mihăilescu (1949)
  • Romania Gheorghe Albu (1950)
  • Romania Volodea Vâlcov (1950)
  • Romania Gheorghe Popescu (1951–1953, 1954–1955, 1961, 1962)
  • Romania Ștefan Dobay (1953–1954)
  • Romania Augustin Botescu (1958–1960)
  • Romania Constantin Teașcă (1962, 1967)
  • Romania Silviu Ploeșteanu (1962–1963)
  • Romania Ilie Oană (1965–1966, 1967)
  • Romania Bazil Marian (1967)
  • Romania Angelo Niculescu (1967–1971, 1972)
  • Romania Gheorghe Ola (1972)
  • Romania Valentin Stănescu (1973–1975, 1980–1981)
  • Romania Cornel Drăgușin (1975)
  • Romania Ștefan Kovács (1976–1979, 1980)
  • Romania Florin Halagian (1979)
  • Romania Constantin Cernăianu (1979–1980)
  • Romania Mircea Lucescu (1981–1986)
  • Romania Emerich Jenei (1986–1990)
  • Romania Gheorghe Constantin (1990)
  • Romania Mircea Rădulescu (1990–1992)
  • Romania Cornel Dinu (1992–1993)
  • Romania Anghel Iordănescu (1993–1998, 2001–2004, 2014–2016)
  • Romania Victor Pițurcă (1998–1999, 2005–2009, 2011–2014)
  • Romania Emerich Jenei (2000)
  • Romania Ladislau Bölöni (2000–2001)
  • Romania Gheorghe Hagi (2001)
  • Romania Răzvan Lucescu (2009–2011)
  • Germany Christoph Daum (2016–2017)
  • Romania Cosmin Contra (2017–2019)
  • Romania Mirel Rădoi (2019–2021)
  • Romania Edward Iordănescu (2022–2024)
  • Romania Mircea Lucescu (2024–)

Players

Current Squad

These 25 players were chosen for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League matches in November 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of 18 November 2024.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Florin Niță (1987-07-03) 3 July 1987 (age 37) 30 0 Saudi Arabia Damac
16 1GK Ștefan Târnovanu (2000-05-09) 9 May 2000 (age 25) 3 0 Romania FCSB
12 1GK Răzvan Sava (2002-06-21) 21 June 2002 (age 22) 0 0 Italy Udinese
11 2DF Nicușor Bancu (1992-09-18) 18 September 1992 (age 32) 44 2 Romania Universitatea Craiova
15 2DF Andrei Burcă (1993-04-15) 15 April 1993 (age 32) 37 1 United Arab Emirates Baniyas
3 2DF Radu Drăgușin (2002-02-03) 3 February 2002 (age 23) 27 1 England Tottenham Hotspur
2 2DF Andrei Rațiu (1998-06-20) 20 June 1998 (age 26) 27 1 Spain Rayo Vallecano
4 2DF Cristian Manea (1997-08-09) 9 August 1997 (age 27) 25 2 Romania Rapid București
2DF Adrian Rus (1996-03-18) 18 March 1996 (age 29) 22 1 Italy Pisa
5 2DF Alexandru Pașcanu (1998-09-28) 28 September 1998 (age 26) 1 0 Romania Rapid București
20 2DF Matei Ilie (2002-12-11) 11 December 2002 (age 22) 0 0 Romania CFR Cluj
18 3MF Răzvan Marin (captain) (1996-05-23) 23 May 1996 (age 29) 65 11 Italy Cagliari
10 3MF Ianis Hagi (1998-10-22) 22 October 1998 (age 26) 45 5 Scotland Rangers
13 3MF Valentin Mihăilă (2000-02-02) 2 February 2000 (age 25) 30 5 Italy Parma
6 3MF Marius Marin (1998-08-30) 30 August 1998 (age 26) 28 0 Italy Pisa
21 3MF Darius Olaru (1998-03-03) 3 March 1998 (age 27) 26 0 Romania FCSB
22 3MF Alexandru Mitriță (1995-02-08) 8 February 1995 (age 30) 21 4 Romania Universitatea Craiova
17 3MF Florinel Coman (1998-04-10) 10 April 1998 (age 27) 20 2 Qatar Al-Gharafa
23 3MF Deian Sorescu (1997-08-29) 29 August 1997 (age 27) 20 0 Turkey Gaziantep
8 3MF Adrian Șut (1999-04-30) 30 April 1999 (age 26) 4 0 Romania FCSB
14 3MF David Miculescu (2001-05-02) 2 May 2001 (age 24) 0 0 Romania FCSB
7 4FW Denis Alibec (1991-01-05) 5 January 1991 (age 34) 41 5 Romania Farul Constanța
19 4FW Denis Drăguș (1999-07-06) 6 July 1999 (age 25) 20 5 Turkey Trabzonspor
9 4FW Daniel Bîrligea (2000-04-19) 19 April 2000 (age 25) 3 1 Romania FCSB

Recent Call-ups

These players have been called up for the team in the last 12 months.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Horațiu Moldovan (1998-01-20) 20 January 1998 (age 27) 11 0 Italy Sassuolo v.  Lithuania, 15 October 2024
GK Laurențiu Popescu (1997-01-18) 18 January 1997 (age 28) 0 0 Romania Universitatea Craiova v.  Lithuania, 9 September 2024
GK Marian Aioani (1999-11-07) 7 November 1999 (age 25) 0 0 Romania Rapid București v.  Colombia, 26 March 2024
DF Alexandru Chipciu (1989-05-18) 18 May 1989 (age 36) 47 6 Romania Universitatea Cluj v.  Lithuania, 15 October 2024
DF Virgil Ghiță (1998-06-04) 4 June 1998 (age 27) 2 0 Poland Cracovia v.  Lithuania, 15 October 2024
DF Iulian Cristea (1994-07-17) 17 July 1994 (age 30) 4 0 Romania Universitatea Cluj v.  Lithuania, 9 September 2024
DF Ionuț Nedelcearu (1996-04-25) 25 April 1996 (age 29) 27 2 Italy Palermo UEFA Euro 2024
DF Vasile Mogoș (1992-10-31) 31 October 1992 (age 32) 8 0 Romania CFR Cluj UEFA Euro 2024
DF Bogdan Racovițan (2000-06-06) 6 June 2000 (age 25) 4 0 Poland Raków Częstochowa UEFA Euro 2024
DF Raul Opruț (1998-01-04) 4 January 1998 (age 27) 4 0 Romania Dinamo București v.  Colombia, 26 March 2024
MF Nicolae Stanciu INJ (1993-05-07) 7 May 1993 (age 32) 79 15 Saudi Arabia Damac v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
MF Dennis Man SUS (1998-08-26) 26 August 1998 (age 26) 33 9 Italy Parma v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
MF Victor Dican (2000-10-11) 11 October 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Romania Farul Constanța v.  Lithuania, 15 October 2024
MF Andrei Artean (1993-08-14) 14 August 1993 (age 31) 0 0 Romania CFR Cluj v.  Lithuania, 9 September 2024
MF Mihai Lixandru INJ (2001-06-05) 5 June 2001 (age 24) 0 0 Romania FCSB v.  Kosovo, 6 September 2024
MF Alexandru Cicâldău (1997-07-08) 8 July 1997 (age 27) 38 4 Romania Universitatea Craiova UEFA Euro 2024
MF Constantin Grameni (2002-10-23) 23 October 2002 (age 22) 0 0 Romania Rapid București v.  Liechtenstein, 7 June 2024
MF Olimpiu Moruțan (1999-04-25) 25 April 1999 (age 26) 15 1 Italy Pisa v.  Colombia, 26 March 2024
FW George Pușcaș (1996-04-08) 8 April 1996 (age 29) 46 11 Turkey Bodrum v.  Lithuania, 15 October 2024
FW Florin Tănase (1994-12-30) 30 December 1994 (age 30) 18 3 Romania FCSB v.  Colombia, 26 March 2024
Notes
  • INJ = Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
  • RET = Player who retired from national team.
  • WD = Player withdrew from the squad.
  • SUS = Player suspended.

Records

Players in bold are still active with Romania.

Most Appearances

Dorinel Munteanu 2013
Dorinel Munteanu has played the most games for Romania with 134 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Dorinel Munteanu 134 16 1991–2007
2 Gheorghe Hagi 124 35 1983–2000
3 Gheorghe Popescu 115 16 1988–2003
4 Răzvan Raț 113 2 2002–2016
5 László Bölöni 102 23 1975–1988
6 Dan Petrescu 95 12 1989–2000
7 Bogdan Stelea 91 0 1988–2005
8 Michael Klein 89 5 1981–1991
9 Bogdan Lobonț 86 0 1998–2018
10 Marius Lăcătuș 83 13 1984–1998
Mircea Rednic 83 2 1981–1991

Most Goals

Adrian Mutu and Gheorghe Hagi are Romania's joint top goalscorers with 35 goals each.
Rank Player Goals Caps Average Career
1 Adrian Mutu 35 77 0.45 2000–2013
Gheorghe Hagi 35 124 0.28 1983–2000
3 Iuliu Bodola 31 48 0.65 1931–1939
4 Viorel Moldovan 25 70 0.36 1993–2005
Ciprian Marica 25 72 0.35 2003–2014
6 László Bölöni 23 102 0.23 1975–1988
7 Dudu Georgescu 21 40 0.53 1973–1984
Florin Răducioiu 21 40 0.53 1990–1996
Anghel Iordănescu 21 57 0.37 1971–1981
Rodion Cămătaru 21 73 0.29 1978–1990

Youngest Players to Debut

Results list Romania's goal tally first.
Algérie-Roumanie - 20140604 - Cristian Manea
In 2014, Cristian Manea (pictured) became Romania's youngest player to debut. He was later surpassed by Enes Sali in 2021.
Rank Player Age on debut Opponent Result Year Ref.
1 Enes Sali 15 years, 8 months and 22 days  Liechtenstein 2–0 2021
2 Cristian Manea 16 years, 9 months and 22 days  Albania 1–0 2014
3 Grațian Sepi 17 years, 3 months and 15 days  Turkey 4–2 1928
4 Ilie Balaci 17 years, 6 months and 10 days  France 0–1 1974
5 Nicolae Kovács 17 years, 8 months and 17 days  Bulgaria 3–2 1929

Managers with Most Matches

Anghel Iordănescu
Anghel Iordănescu managed Romania in a record 101 matches.
Rank Manager Matches
1 Anghel Iordănescu 101
2 Victor Pițurcă 95
3 Mircea Lucescu 64
4 Emerich Jenei 51
5 Constantin Rădulescu 49
6 Angelo Niculescu 38
7 Valentin Stănescu 36
8 Ștefan Kovács 34
9 Gheorghe Popescu 28
Edward Iordănescu

Competitive Record

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place  

FIFA World Cup

Main article: Romania at the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Position Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Group stage 8th 2 1 0 1 3 5 Qualified as invitees
Italy 1934 Round of 16 12th 1 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 0 4 3
France 1938 9th 2 0 1 1 4 5 Egypt withdrew
Brazil 1950 Did not enter Declined participation
Switzerland 1954 Did not qualify 2 4 2 0 2 5 5
Sweden 1958 2 4 2 1 1 6 4
Chile 1962 Withdrew
England 1966 3 6 3 0 3 9 7
Mexico 1970 Group stage 10th 3 1 0 2 4 5 1 6 3 2 1 7 6
West Germany 1974 Did not qualify 2 6 4 1 1 17 4
Argentina 1978 2 4 2 0 2 7 8
Spain 1982 3 8 2 4 2 5 5
Mexico 1986 3 8 3 3 2 12 7
Italy 1990 Round of 16 12th 4 1 2(1*) 1 4 3 1 6 4 1 1 10 5
United States 1994 Quarter-finals 6th 5 3 1* 1 10 9 1 10 7 1 2 29 12
France 1998 Round of 16 11th 4 2 1 1 4 3 1 10 9 1 0 37 4
South Korea Japan 2002 Did not qualify Playoffs 10 5 2 3 12 10
Germany 2006 3 12 8 1 3 20 10
South Africa 2010 5 10 3 3 4 12 18
Brazil 2014 Playoffs 12 6 2 4 21 16
Russia 2018 4 10 3 4 3 12 10
Qatar 2022 3 10 5 2 3 13 8
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Quarter-finals 7/22 21 8 5 8 30 32 Total 138 72 29 37 238 142
*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out. Normal colour indicates loss.

UEFA European Championship

Main article: Romania at the UEFA European Championship
UEFA European Championship record UEFA European Championship qualifying record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Position Pld W D L GF GA
France 1960 Did not qualify Quarter-Finals 4 1 0 3 3 7
Spain 1964 Preliminary round 2 1 0 1 3 7
Italy 1968 First round 6 3 0 3 18 14
Belgium 1972 Quarter-finals 9 4 3 2 15 7
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1976 First round 6 1 5 0 11 6
Italy 1980 3 6 2 2 2 9 8
France 1984 Group stage 7th 3 0 1 2 2 4 1 8 5 2 1 9 3
West Germany 1988 Did not qualify 2 6 4 1 1 13 3
Sweden 1992 3 8 4 2 2 13 7
England 1996 Group stage 15th 3 0 0 3 1 4 1 10 6 3 1 18 9
Belgium Netherlands 2000 Quarter-finals 7th 4 1 1 2 4 6 1 10 7 3 0 25 3
Portugal 2004 Did not qualify 3 8 4 2 2 21 9
Austria Switzerland 2008 Group stage 12th 3 0 2 1 1 3 1 12 9 2 1 26 7
Poland Ukraine 2012 Did not qualify 3 10 3 5 2 13 9
France 2016 Group stage 19th 3 0 1 2 2 4 2 10 5 5 0 11 2
Europe 2020 Did not qualify Play-off 11 4 2 5 18 17
Germany 2024 Round of 16 13th 4 1 1 2 4 6 1 10 6 4 0 16 5
United Kingdom Republic of Ireland 2028 To be determined To be determined
Italy Turkey 2032
Total Quarter-finals 6/17 20 2 6 12 14 27 Total 136 69 41 26 242 123
*Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League record
Season Division Group Pld W D L GF GA P/R RK
2018–19 C 4 6 3 3 0 8 3 Rise 32nd
2020–21 B 1 6 2 2 2 8 9 Same position 26th
2022–23 B 3 6 2 1 3 6 8 Fall 29th
2024–25 C 2 6 6 0 0 18 3 Rise 33rd
Total 24 13 6 5 40 23 26th

Summer Olympics

Football at the Summer Olympics was first played officially in 1908. The Olympics between 1896 and 1980 were only for amateur players. After 1988, the football event became a tournament for U23 teams, with a maximum of three older players. For records from 1992 onwards, see Romania Olympic football team.

Host nation(s) – Year Result Pld W D L GF GA
1900 to 1920 Did not enter —
France 1924 Round of 16 1 0 0 1 0 6
1928 to 1948 Did not qualify —
Finland 1952 Preliminary Round 1 0 0 1 1 2
1956 to 1960 Did not qualify —
Japan 1964 Quarter-Finals 6 4 1 1 12 6
1968 to 1976 Did not qualify —
1980 to 1988 Did not enter —
Since 1992 See Romania Olympic football team
Total 3/24 8 4 1 3 13 14

Balkan Cup

Balkan Cup record
Edition Result Pld W D L GF GA
1929–31 Champions 6 5 0 1 26 13
1931 Did not enter
1932 Third place 3 1 0 2 4 5
1933 Champions 3 3 0 0 13 0
1934–35 Third place 3 1 1 1 5 8
1935 Fourth place 3 0 1 2 2 8
1936 Champions 2 2 0 0 9 3
1946 Third place 3 1 1 1 4 4
1947 Third place 4 2 0 2 8 8
1948* Fourth place 6 2 1 3 6 18
1973–76 Runners-up 4 2 1 1 7 5
1977–80 Champions 6 3 2 1 12 5
Total 4 titles 43 22 7 14 96 77
*Edition abandoned.

All-time Head-to-Head Record

Last match updated was against  Cyprus on 18 November 2024.

      Positive record       Neutral record       Negative record

FIFA Ranking History

This chart shows Romania's average FIFA ranking each year.


Honours

Regional Competitions

  • Balkan Cup
    • 1 Champions (4): 1929–31, 1933, 1936, 1977–80
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 1973–76
    • 3 Third place (4): 1932, 1934–35, 1946, 1947

Friendly Tournaments

  • Mohammed V Cup
    • 1 Champions (1): 1977
  • Tournoi de Paris
    • 1 Champions (1): 1983
  • King's Cup
    • 1 Champions (1): 1996
  • Cyprus International Football Tournament
    • 1 Champions (3): 2001, 2004, 2006

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Rumania para niños

  • Romania Olympic football team
  • Romania national under-21 football team
  • Romania national under-20 football team
  • Romania national under-19 football team
  • Romania national under-17 football team
  • Romania national futsal team
  • Romania national beach soccer team
  • Romania women's national football team
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