The Romanian national team will face Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and San Marino in the preliminary qualifying groups for the 2026 World Cup, according to the draw held today in Zurich.
The President of the Romanian Football Federation, Răzvan Burleanu, stated on Friday that he wants the Romanian national team to already qualify for the 2026 World Cup by the end of 2025. “We must continue to perform. After 28 years, we have the opportunity to go to the World Cup. We have secured the play-off in March 2026, but we want to already be qualified by the end of 2025, which would mean winning a group for the fourth time, after the EURO qualification, the final tournament and the Nations League,” said Răzvan Burleanu, President of the Romanian Football Federation, according to frf.ro.
Lucescu sounded an alarm about the exaggerated optimism of some specialists and declared himself cautious ahead of these matches, describing the group as “balanced”.
“It’s not about luck, you have to win the matches to be able to say we were lucky or not. It’s a balanced group. Austria won the Euro group, ahead of France, and in the Nations League by two, behind Norway. We have a team with good, experienced players, who are very good friends, a competitive group, a strong group. We have to analyze the teams very well. It won’t be easy against Bosnia either, which has very strong players. Of course, we have to be optimistic, prepare the games very well, the players have to be focused on the teams and clubs, to remain starters until the start of the preliminaries. It’s a qualification that is being played. A lot of enthusiasm and hope of qualification. I didn’t think about who we could fall to. It’s the same thing, all the teams are very well prepared. And the teams that seem small are very well prepared”, declared Mircea Lucescu, according to digisport.ro.
“All I want to say is that we want first place. That’s all I have to say! Otherwise, we’ll talk on the field,” was the reaction of Ianis Hagi, quoted by FRF.ro.
Radu Drăgușin also said that Romania can fight for first place.
“It’s an interesting group, with two teams that played in the round of 16 of EURO 2024, us and Austria. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Cyprus are two opponents that we know, we have met them in recent years. Our objective is clear: to fight for first place. We will approach each match with confidence and determination, and with the support of our fans I am confident that we can bring Romania back to the World Championship”, said Radu Drăgușin.
Midfielder Răzvan Marin declared on Friday that the Romanian national team will give everything to take Romania to the 2026 World Cup. “We were drawn in a good group, from which we can obtain qualification for the World Cup, which an entire country wants. But we can only do this if we remain as united as we are, if we remain a family. At this level, all the teams are good and I am sure that no easy match awaits us. We must take all the points with Cyprus and San Marino, get past an uncomfortable opponent, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and fight on equal terms with Austria for first place. With the support of our fans, we will give everything to achieve our goal: Romania at the World Cup!”, declared Răzvan Marin, according to frf.ro.