In 2024, it will be 8 years since the last final tournament in which the Romanian national football team took part, and Gique Popescu is not too optimistic about the chances of the “tricolor” team to qualify for the next European Championship.

Gike Popescu, a message for the tricolor: “Don’t put up with the pressure, you have nothing to look for!”

Dissatisfied with the situation Romanian football is in, Popescu explained that only players who can withstand the pressure should get into the national team.

“The national team should be the biggest morale booster for them. Friends, if you don’t have great results, you will never become the best soccer players! Do you want to be part of important dressing rooms? You have to withstand the pressure!

Here, the criteria for player analysis differ from others. When I was at Barcelona, ​​they preferred players with negative qualities but who could handle the pressure. I will give an example, Puyol. He didn’t have much technical skill, but he had spirit. He always played well in big matches.

These are the players every coach wants. You can’t stand the pressure, you have nothing to look for! Are the results not helping us? Let them do it! Who made these results? Didn’t they make them?” – Hika Popescuin an interview with Orange Sport.

Romania began to fear Israel and Switzerland

“I am baptized when I see that we are talking about such a formidable opponent as Israel. I refuse to believe that we have gotten to the point where we are afraid of Israel. We cannot fear Israel, leave me alone! I cannot agree with this because we are afraid of Israel! And Switzerland… But Switzerland has advanced… It’s not Holland, France, Spain, it’s Switzerland!

Edi Yordenescu appears on television, speaks well, but the results mostly contradict him. The selector is the one who is responsible for everything in the national team, good and bad. The fact that he has injured players, that he has players in the red… you have to find a solution. And I don’t think that the national team has a first 11 that cannot be changed, as it was in our time” – Hika Popescu.

55-year-old Gheorghe Popescu participated in the Romanian national football team in three World Cup finals (1990, 1994 and 1998) and two European Championships (1996 and 2000).

He was the captain of FC Barcelona, ​​with whom he won the Cup Winners’ Cup, and with Galatasaray he won the UEFA Cup and the European Super Cup.

Romania’s schedule for the preliminary matches of Euro-2024

After the draw, which took place on 9 October 2022, Romania was drawn into Group I along with Switzerland, Israel, Kosovo, Belarus and Andorra.

March 25, 2023 – 21:45 Andorra – Romania

March 28, 2023 – 21:45 Romania – Belarus

June 16, 2023 – 21:45 Kosovo – Romania

June 19, 2023 – 21:45 Switzerland – Romania

September 9, 2023 – 21:45 Romania – Israel

September 12, 2023 – 21:45 Romania – Kosovo

October 12, 2023 – 21:45 Belarus – Romania

October 15, 2023 – 21:45 Romania – Andorra

November 18, 2023 – 21:45 Israel – Romania

November 21, 2023 – 21:45 Romania – Switzerland