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unusual facts about Romania national football team


Gigi Becali

In 2012, Gigi Becali refused to sign French football player Florent Sinama-Pongolle on the basis that he was of black skin colour, even though Romanian football player Bănel Nicoliță, who played with him at the French club Saint-Etienne, said that the player was very talented.


Arsen Sykaj

Sykaj was first called up to the senior Albania team on 30 September 2011 by Josip Kuže for the last two Euro 2012 qualifying games against France and Romania.

Dan Potocianu

He was capped once for the Romanian national team, as a second half substitute for Anton Doboş in an 8-1 European Championships Qualifying win over Liechtenstein in Eschen on 6 September 1997.

Eric Gates

Gates made his International debut on 10 September 1980 against Norway in a 4-0 World Cup qualifying victory, his only other international appearance coming in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat against Romania in Bucharest.

Felix Brych

He refereed his first senior international match in October that year, taking charge of Romania's 2–0 win over Luxembourg in UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group G.

Florin Răducioiu

An even greater success for Florin would come three months later when in Toftir, he managed to score all four of Romania's goals against the Faroe Islands, becoming the first Romanian player to score four goals for the national team in modern times, a record equaled only by Gheorghe Popescu in 1997 against Liechstenstein.

Óscar Carmelo Sánchez

He made his debut for the national side on April 20, 1994 in a friendly match in Bucharest against Romania.

Paco Fortes

Subsequently he joined Real Valladolid still in the top level, going on to amass overall league totals of 175 games and 14 goals; on 16 November 1975 he gained his only cap for Spain, playing 15 minutes in 2–2 draw in Romania for the UEFA Euro 1976 qualifiers.

Pierluigi Pairetto

Among the many prestigious games he officiated were the Euro 96 final between Germany and the Czech Republic at Wembley, and the classic USA 94 second-round clash between Romania and Argentina in Pasadena.

Rubén Cano

His debut occurred on 16 April 1977 in a 1978 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Romania (0–1 loss in Bucharest).

Stephen Crainey

On 31 March, 1–2 to Romania at Hampden Park and 0–1 to Denmark on 28 April at Parken Stadium, Copenhagen.

Taksim Gezi Park

The Turkish national football team played their first ever official international match in this stadium against Romania on October 26, 1923, that ended up with a 2–2 draw.


see also

Football in Romania

The Romania national football team played its first match in 1922 and is one of only four national teams to have taken part in the first three World Cups, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium.