Romania national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Romania

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 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest	3 (September 1997)
Lowest	57 (February 2011, September 2012)
Elo ranking
Current	33 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 (also known as Tricolorii, meaning "the Tricolours") represents Romania in men's international football. The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) manages the team.

Romania is one of only four European teams that played in the very first FIFA World Cup in 1930. They have played in seven World Cups in total, with their best result being the quarter-finals in 1994. In that tournament, led by star player Gheorghe Hagi, they famously beat Argentina 3–2.

At the European Championships, Romania reached the quarter-finals in 2000. They advanced from a tough group that included Germany, Portugal, and England. They have qualified for six European Championships.

History of Romanian Football

Early Days and First World Cups

The Romanian Football Federation started in October 1909 in Bucharest. Romania played its first international match on June 8, 1922. They won 2–1 against Yugoslavia in Belgrade.

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

Romania had some good years in the 1930s. Coach Costel Rădulescu led them to the first three FIFA World Cup tournaments. Only Brazil, Belgium, and France also achieved this.

In the 1930 World Cup, Romania won their first game 3–1 against Peru. Goals came from Adalbert Deșu, Constantin Stanciu, and Nicolae Kovács. They then lost 4–0 to the host team, Uruguay.

Romania qualified for the 1934 World Cup by beating Yugoslavia 2–1. In the finals, they lost 2–1 to Czechoslovakia. Ștefan Dobay scored their only goal.

For the 1938 World Cup, Romania qualified easily because Egypt pulled out. However, they lost to Cuba in the finals. The first match was a 3–3 draw, but Cuba won the replay 2–1.

1970 World Cup Journey

Romania qualified for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. They were in a very tough group with 1966 champions England, football giants Brazil, and Czechoslovakia.

England won their first match against Romania 1–0. Romania then beat Czechoslovakia 2–1 with goals from Alexandru Neagu and Florea Dumitrache. To reach the next round, they needed to beat Brazil.

Brazil played incredibly well, with Pelé scoring twice. Romania fought hard, with Dumitrache and Emerich Dembrowski scoring, but they lost 3–2 and were out of the tournament.

European Championship and World Cup Challenges (1972-1984)

Romania and the Netherlands played to a goalless draw at De Kuip in 1974.

Romania struggled to qualify for major tournaments in the 1970s. They missed the 1974 and 1978 World Cups. They also had a tough time in the UEFA European Championship qualifiers.

Their only success during this period was qualifying for the European Championships in 1984 in France. They drew their first game against Spain 1–1, with Laszlo Bölöni scoring. They lost to West Germany and Portugal, which meant they did not advance from the group stage.

Return to the World Stage (1990s)

A stronger Romanian team emerged by the end of the 1980s. They qualified for their fifth World Cup in 1990. Key players included Ilie Dumitrescu, Florin Răducioiu, and the brilliant Gheorghe Hagi.

In the 1990 World Cup, Romania beat the Soviet Union 2–0. They then lost to Cameroon. In their final group game, they drew 1–1 with Argentina to reach the second round. They were eliminated by Republic of Ireland after a penalty shootout.

1994 World Cup Success

A stamp issued by Poșta Română for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Romania qualified for the 1994 World Cup in the United States. They had a dramatic last qualifying match against Wales, winning 2–1 to secure their spot.

In the finals, Romania was one of the most exciting teams. They beat Colombia 3–1, with Hagi scoring a spectacular goal. After a 4–1 loss to Switzerland, they beat the hosts, the United States, 1–0.

In the Round of 16, they faced Argentina. Even without Diego Maradona (who was out due to a rule violation), Romania won a thrilling match 3–2. Ilie Dumitrescu scored twice, and Hagi added another.

Their journey ended in the quarter-finals against Sweden. The match ended 2–2 after extra time, with Florin Răducioiu scoring both Romanian goals. Romania lost in a penalty shootout, a heartbreaking exit.

Euro 1996 and 1998 World Cup

At Euro 1996 in England, Romania had a tough tournament, losing all three group matches. A controversial decision saw a Dorinel Munteanu shot hit the bar and bounce over the line, but the goal was not given.

Despite this, Romania had a strong qualifying campaign for the 1998 World Cup and were a top seed. They won their first two games against Colombia and England. Adrian Ilie scored a great chip against Colombia, and Dan Petrescu scored a late winner against England. They drew 1–1 with Tunisia to win their group. In the Round of 16, they lost 1–0 to Croatia.

Euro 2000 Quarter-Finals

Line-ups for Romania versus England at UEFA Euro 2000.

Romania had a strong qualifying campaign for Euro 2000, finishing first in their group without losing a match.

In the tournament, they were in a "group of death" with Germany, England, and Portugal. They drew 1–1 with Germany and lost to Portugal. In a must-win final group game against England, Romania won 3–2. Cristian Chivu scored early, and after England took the lead, Dorinel Munteanu equalized. In the 89th minute, Ioan Ganea scored a penalty to secure the win.

Romania reached the quarter-finals but lost 2–0 to Italy, who were runners-up in the tournament. Gheorghe Hagi, playing in his final international tournament, was sent off.

World Cup Dry Spell (2000s)

Romania struggled to qualify for major tournaments after Euro 2000. They missed the 2002, 2006, and 2010 World Cups.

Euro 2008 Qualification

Romania qualified for Euro 2008, their first major tournament since 2000. They were in a very tough group with the Netherlands, Italy, and France. They drew 0–0 with France and 1–1 with Italy. Adrian Mutu scored against Italy, but his penalty was saved later in the game. They lost 2–0 to the Netherlands and finished third in the group.

2014 World Cup Qualifiers

Romania made a good start to their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. They finished second in their group, earning a play-off spot. However, they lost to Greece (3–1 away, 1–1 home) and did not qualify for the finals.

UEFA Euro 2016

France's 2–1 win over Romania at the Stade de France opened the UEFA Euro 2016.

Romania had a strong qualifying campaign for Euro 2016, finishing second in their group without any losses. They had the best defense in the qualifiers, conceding only two goals.

At the tournament, they played the opening match against hosts France. They lost 2–1, with Bogdan Stancu scoring a penalty. They then drew 1–1 with Switzerland, with Stancu scoring another penalty. In their final group match, they needed a win against Albania to advance but lost 1–0. This meant they finished last in their group and were eliminated.

2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification

Romania's 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign was disappointing. They finished fourth in their group and did not qualify.

UEFA Nations League and Euro 2020 Qualifiers

Romania played in the first UEFA Nations League in 2018–19 and were promoted to League B. For Euro 2020 qualifiers, they were in a tough group with Spain and Sweden. They finished fourth and went to the play-offs, but lost to Iceland.

In the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League, Romania remained in League B. For the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, they finished third in their group, just missing out on a play-off spot.

2022–23 UEFA Nations League

In the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League, Romania was relegated to League C after finishing last in their group.

UEFA Euro 2024 Qualification and Tournament

Romania had a fantastic qualifying campaign for Euro 2024. They finished first in their group, ahead of Switzerland and Israel, without losing a single match. A key moment was a dramatic comeback against Switzerland, where Valentin Mihăilă scored two late goals for a 2–2 draw. They secured qualification with a 2–1 win over Israel.

EURO 2024 Matchday 1 game opening Romania vs Ukraine.

At the Euro 2024 tournament, Romania was in Group E with Belgium, Slovakia, and Ukraine. In their first match against Ukraine, they achieved a stunning 3–0 victory. Nicolae Stanciu scored a beautiful long-range goal, followed by goals from Răzvan Marin and Denis Drăguș. This was only Romania's second win ever at a European Championship.

They then lost 2–0 to Belgium. In their final group match, a 1–1 draw with Slovakia was enough for both teams to qualify. Romania won the group based on goal difference and goals scored, even though all four teams had four points.

In the Round of 16, Romania faced the Netherlands and lost 3–0. Despite the loss, their performance at Euro 2024 was highly praised.

Recent Matches (2024-2025)

Romania earned promotion back to League B in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League with a perfect record of six wins. This included a 3–0 win against Kosovo, which was awarded by UEFA after the match was abandoned due to fan incidents.

In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Romania started with a 0–1 home loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina. They then won 5–1 against San Marino. As of July 2025, they have played two matches in this campaign.

Team Image and Rivalries

Rivalries

Hungary

Romania's biggest rivalry is with their neighbors, Hungary. This rivalry comes from historical disagreements between the two countries, especially over the region of Transylvania. Fans from both sides often clash during matches.

The first match between them was in 1936. Hungary won that game and had many impressive wins against Romania, including Romania's biggest defeat ever, a 9–0 loss in 1948.

Romania's first win against Hungary came in 1999, a 2–0 victory. Since then, Romania has won five more times, including a notable 3–0 win in 2013.

Matches between these teams have sometimes led to fan trouble. In 2013 and 2014, there were fights between supporters.

Greece

Romania also has a notable rivalry with Greece. They have played Greece 35 times, with Romania winning 18 of those matches. Greece won 7 times, and 10 matches were draws. The two teams met in a play-off for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where Greece won and qualified.

Minor Rivalries

Montenegro

A smaller rivalry has grown with Montenegro. They have played seven times. Montenegro eliminated Romania from the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. In the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League, Montenegro beat Romania twice.

Kosovo

Romania does not recognize Kosovo as an independent country. This has led to tension when the two teams play.

In a Euro 2024 qualifying match in September 2023, the game was stopped for almost an hour. This happened after Romanian fans displayed banners and chanted messages that caused Kosovo players to leave the field. Romania eventually won 2–0.

In September 2024, they met again in the Nations League. Kosovo fans booed the Romanian anthem. After Romania won 3–0, Kosovo fans threw objects at the Romanian team. Another match in November 2024 was also interrupted by fan behavior and fighting between players. UEFA later awarded Romania a 3–0 win for this match.

Kits

Romania's football kits are made by the Spanish company Joma since 2015. Before that, Adidas supplied their kits for thirty years. In 2017, the Romanian Football Federation introduced a new team badge. This badge shows symbols from Romania's different regions, representing the country's unity.

Kit provider	Period
Le Coq Sportif	1977–1982
Adidas	1982–2015
Joma	2015–present

Home Stadium

The main home stadium for the Romania national team is the Arena Națională in Bucharest. It is the largest stadium in Romania, with seats for 55,600 people. It opened in 2011 and has hosted important matches, including the 2012 Europa League final and games for Euro 2020.

Other stadiums used for home games include the Steaua Stadium (Bucharest), Ion Oblemenco Stadium (Craiova), and Cluj Arena (Cluj-Napoca).

• Romanian national team home stadiums
• 

  Arena Națională-Bucharest

• 

  Stadionul Steaua-Bucharest

• 

  Stadionul Ion Oblemenco-Craiova

• 

  Cluj Arena-Cluj Napoca

Coaching Staff

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

Coaching History

Many coaches have led the Romanian national team since 1922. The current head coach is Mircea Lucescu.

Players

Current Squad

Here are the players currently in the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in June 2025.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Florin Niță	(1987-07-03) 3 July 1987 (age 38)	31	0	Unattached
12	1GK	Horațiu Moldovan	(1998-01-20) 20 January 1998 (age 27)	14	0	Oviedo
16	1GK	Ștefan Târnovanu	(2000-05-09) 9 May 2000 (age 25)	3	0	FCSB
2	2DF	Andrei Rațiu (captain)	(1998-06-20) 20 June 1998 (age 27)	31	1	Rayo Vallecano
3	2DF	Mihai Popescu	(1993-05-07) 7 May 1993 (age 32)	4	1	FCSB
4	2DF	Virgil Ghiță	(1998-06-04) 4 June 1998 (age 27)	3	0	Hannover 96
5	2DF	Ionuț Nedelcearu	(1996-04-25) 25 April 1996 (age 29)	27	2	Akron Tolyatti
14	2DF	Valentin Crețu	(1989-01-02) 2 January 1989 (age 36)	2	0	FCSB
15	2DF	Andrei Burcă	(1993-04-15) 15 April 1993 (age 32)	41	1	Yunnan Yukun
17	2DF	Vladimir Screciu	(2000-01-13) 13 January 2000 (age 25)	4	0	Universitatea Craiova
20	2DF	Raul Opruț	(1998-01-04) 4 January 1998 (age 27)	4	0	Dinamo București
6	3MF	Marius Marin	(1998-08-30) 30 August 1998 (age 26)	31	0	Pisa
8	3MF	Adrian Șut	(1999-04-30) 30 April 1999 (age 26)	7	0	FCSB
10	3MF	Dennis Man	(1998-08-26) 26 August 1998 (age 26)	37	10	Parma
11	3MF	David Miculescu	(2001-05-02) 2 May 2001 (age 24)	2	0	FCSB
13	3MF	Valentin Mihăilă	(2000-02-02) 2 February 2000 (age 25)	31	5	Rizespor
18	3MF	Răzvan Marin	(1996-05-23) 23 May 1996 (age 29)	68	12	AEK Athens
19	3MF	Florin Tănase	(1994-12-30) 30 December 1994 (age 30)	21	5	FCSB
21	3MF	Vlad Chiricheș	(1989-11-14) 14 November 1989 (age 35)	77	0	FCSB
22	3MF	Alexandru Mitriță	(1995-02-08) 8 February 1995 (age 30)	25	4	Zhejiang
23	3MF	Deian Sorescu	(1997-08-29) 29 August 1997 (age 27)	21	0	Gaziantep
7	4FW	Denis Alibec	(1991-01-05) 5 January 1991 (age 34)	45	6	FCSB
9	4FW	Denis Drăguș	(1999-07-06) 6 July 1999 (age 26)	24	5	Eyüpspor

Recent Call-ups

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

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Răzvan Sava	(2002-06-21) 21 June 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Udinese	v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
GK	Laurențiu Popescu	(1997-01-18) 18 January 1997 (age 28)	0	0	Universitatea Craiova	v.  Lithuania, 9 September 2024
DF	Nicușor Bancu INJ	(1992-09-18) 18 September 1992 (age 32)	47	2	Universitatea Craiova	v.  Austria, 7 June 2025
DF	Alexandru Chipciu	(1989-05-18) 18 May 1989 (age 36)	47	6	Universitatea Cluj	v.  San Marino, 24 March 2025
DF	Adrian Rus	(1996-03-18) 18 March 1996 (age 29)	22	1	Pisa	v.  San Marino, 24 March 2025
DF	Denis Ciobotariu	(1998-06-10) 10 June 1998 (age 27)	1	0	Rapid București	v.  San Marino, 24 March 2025
DF	Radu Drăgușin	(2002-02-03) 3 February 2002 (age 23)	27	1	Tottenham Hotspur	v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
DF	Cristian Manea	(1997-08-09) 9 August 1997 (age 27)	25	2	Rapid București	v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
DF	Alexandru Pașcanu	(1998-09-28) 28 September 1998 (age 26)	1	0	Rapid București	v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
DF	Matei Ilie	(2002-12-11) 11 December 2002 (age 22)	0	0	CFR Cluj	v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
DF	Iulian Cristea	(1994-07-17) 17 July 1994 (age 31)	4	0	Universitatea Cluj	v.  Lithuania, 9 September 2024
MF	Nicolae Stanciu SUS	(1993-05-07) 7 May 1993 (age 32)	82	15	Genoa	v.  Austria, 7 June 2025
MF	Ianis Hagi	(1998-10-22) 22 October 1998 (age 26)	47	6	Unattached	v.  San Marino, 24 March 2025
MF	Olimpiu Moruțan	(1999-04-25) 25 April 1999 (age 26)	16	1	Aris	v.  San Marino, 24 March 2025
MF	Vlad Dragomir	(1999-04-24) 24 April 1999 (age 26)	1	0	Pafos	v.  San Marino, 24 March 2025
MF	Dennis Politic	(2000-03-05) 5 March 2000 (age 25)	1	0	FCSB	v.  San Marino, 24 March 2025
MF	Darius Olaru	(1998-03-03) 3 March 1998 (age 27)	26	0	FCSB	v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
MF	Florinel Coman	(1998-04-10) 10 April 1998 (age 27)	20	2	Al-Gharafa	v.  Cyprus, 18 November 2024
MF	Victor Dican	(2000-10-11) 11 October 2000 (age 24)	0	0	Farul Constanța	v.  Lithuania, 15 October 2024
MF	Andrei Artean	(1993-08-14) 14 August 1993 (age 31)	0	0	Universitatea Cluj	v.  Lithuania, 9 September 2024
MF	Mihai Lixandru INJ	(2001-06-05) 5 June 2001 (age 24)	0	0	FCSB	v.  Kosovo, 6 September 2024
FW	Daniel Bîrligea INJ	(2000-04-19) 19 April 2000 (age 25)	4	1	FCSB	v.  Austria, 7 June 2025
FW	Louis Munteanu INJ	(2002-06-16) 16 June 2002 (age 23)	1	0	CFR Cluj	v.  Austria, 7 June 2025
FW	George Pușcaș	(1996-04-08) 8 April 1996 (age 29)	46	11	Bodrum	v.  Lithuania, 15 October 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

Dorinel Munteanu is Romania's most capped player with 134 appearances.

Most Appearances

• Dorinel Munteanu holds the record for most games played, with 134 appearances.
• Gheorghe Hagi is second with 124 games.

Most Goals

Adrian Mutu and Gheorghe Hagi are Romania's joint top goalscorers with 35 goals each.

• Adrian Mutu and Gheorghe Hagi are the top goalscorers, both with 35 goals.
• Iuliu Bodola is third with 31 goals.

Youngest Players to Debut

In 2014, Cristian Manea (pictured) broke a record for being the youngest player to debut for Romania. He was later surpassed by Enes Sali in 2021.

• Enes Sali is the youngest player to ever play for Romania. He made his debut at 15 years, 8 months, and 22 days old in 2021.
• Cristian Manea was the youngest before him, debuting at 16 years, 9 months, and 22 days in 2014.

Managers with Most Matches

Anghel Iordănescu managed Romania in a record 101 matches.

• Anghel Iordănescu has managed Romania in the most matches, with 101 games.
• Victor Pițurcă is second with 95 matches.

Honours

Regional Titles

• Balkan Cup
  • Champions (4): 1929–31, 1933, 1936, 1977–80

Friendly Tournament Wins

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

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Rumania para niños

• Romania Olympic football team
• Romania national under-21 football team
• Romania women's national football team