Hagi Appointed Romania Coach for Second Time After Lucescu Death

Gheorghe Hagi, Romania's most celebrated footballer, has been appointed head coach of the national team for the second time, stepping in to replace Mircea Lucescu following the veteran's death earlier this month.

The 61-year-old Hagi, known as the Maradona of the Carpathians for his flair as a creative attacking midfielder, takes over a squad ranked 56th in the world. He previously guided Romania to the quarterfinals of the 1994 World Cup and starred for clubs including Barcelona and Real Madrid. His return comes after Lucescu, who had coached the team since 2019, fell ill following a playoff loss to Turkey that ended Romania's hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Lucescu passed away on April 7 at age 80.

Hagi's first tenure as national coach in 2001 lasted just three months, ending in failure to advance through playoffs for the 2002 World Cup. Since then, he has managed clubs in Romania and Turkey, including Galatasaray and Steaua Bucharest, building a reputation for tactical acumen and success in domestic leagues. The Romanian Football Federation announced his appointment on Wednesday, with Hagi signing a contract extending...