Romania Under 21 concluded its splendid run at Euro 2019 in the semifinals match against Germany - in itself an Utopian dream just weeks before. Germany proved stronger eventually, defeating Romania 4-2, and its now up to all those involved with the football phenomenon to integrate the young boys so that the Romania's national to be a real deal.
Minge de fotbalFoto: Dppi/Joaquin Corchero / Zuma Press / Profimedia
Why was the Euro 2019 run for Under 21 so important to Romania, a country where football has fallen in results and public interest massively for more than a decade:
- In normal circumstances, this would have been an European Under 21 tour that would have gone unnoticed in Romania
- In normal circumstances, we would have learned about the victor in the "also in the news" sections
- In normal circumstances, we wouldn't have known that the Under 21 rule in Romania's 1st League really works, should there not be this remarkable generation
- In normal circumstances, in no team sports would Romania to hope in matches against Germany
- In normal circumstances, by this time of the year we would only comment or criticise the evolution of famed tennis player Simona Halep
- In normal circumstances, with the infrastructure in place in Romania, one cannot hope for results at this level
- In normal circumstances, without legend Gica Hagi's madness to have a Football Academy, Romania wouldn't have reached this stage
- In normal circumstances, in the wake of a defeat Romanian players would have complained about heat, referees, wind or anything else. This generation carried their story in a dignified manner to the end
- In normal circumstances, we should be glad Romania won the respect of the strong ones when it comes to football and that we would play in Olympic Games after 60 years.
- In normal circumstances we should know how to integrate these wonderful boys so that Romania's main national team return to the relevant circuit.
- In normal circumstances, we should thank these boys for the summer nights that somehow reminisced of the Coppa del Mondo 1990 and the World Cup 1994.
