SOCCER: Hagi returns to manage Romania 25 years after his first spell

Romania have appointed former great Gheorghe Hagi as head coach of the national team, the national football federation said on Monday, with the 61-year-old returning to the bench where he began his managerial career 25 years ago.

Considered one of the best players in the world in his heyday of the 1980s and 1990s, Hagi replaces Mircea Lucescu who left the role earlier this month following Romania's World Cup playoff loss to Turkey.

The 80-year-old Lucescu died five days after stepping down.

The Romania Football Federation said Hagi has signed a contract for the next two qualification cycles, Euro 2028 and World Cup 2030.

Romania play friendlies against Georgia and Wales in June before beginning their Nations League B campaign in September.

Hagi, an attacking midfielder nicknamed the "Maradona of the Carpathians", made 124 appearances for Romania, performing at three World Cups and three European Championships.

Alongside Adrian Mutu, he is Romania's all-time leading scorer with 35 goals.

His playing days took him to the likes of Steaua Bucharest, Real Madrid and Barcelona before finishing his career at Galatasaray at the age of 36 in 2001.

Hagi was appointed Romania manager the following month and took charge for four games, including a World Cup playoff which his side lost over two legs to Slovenia, which led to his resignation.

As a coach, Hagi has had two spells at Galatasaray, winning the Turkish Cup.

He founded a club in Romania, Viitorul Constanta, which achieved promotion to the top tier and later merged with Farul Constanta. Hagi managed the club for over a decade up until last year, winning two league titles.

-Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Andrew Cawthorn/Reuters