Mircea Lucescu, widely regarded as the greatest Romanian coach of all time, passed away on April 7, just a few months shy of his 81st birthday. His death came just a week after the beloved tactician resigned from his position as national team coach following a losing playoff match in Turkey. Lucescu's passing sent shockwaves not only in Romania but worldwide.

In his memory, the state-owned airline Tarom is preparing a tribute. One of the new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft expected to join the company's fleet this summer could be named after Mircea Lucescu, providing a fitting honor to the late coach. If approved, the national team's players could fly to away matches on this aircraft.

Tarom has a strategic partnership with the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) that allowed the national team to travel to the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament on a Tarom aircraft. Tarom has a history of similar gestures, such as naming an aircraft after gymnastics legend Nadia Comăneci for the Paris Olympics.

Tarom is in the midst of implementing a restructuring plan approved by the European Commission, with the final deadline set for December 2026. While the exact operational dates for the new aircraft are uncertain, the delivery term is expected to be the following month.

Return of Gică Hagi

The national team will face Georgia on June 2, marking the return of Gică Hagi as the new coach. Hagi held his first press conference yesterday, announcing he will take 33 players on the trip, three per position, to better familiarize them with his coaching philosophy.

“I wanted as many players as possible to get to know me and my staff, see how we think, what our philosophy is, and how we want to play football. I have traveled a lot around the country, attended 17 matches, and one abroad since becoming the coach,” Hagi revealed.

Upcoming Matches

Following the match with Georgia, Romania will play a friendly against Wales on June 6 at the Steaua stadium.