Youthful Romania can build on Euro 2024 showing

FRANKFURT, Germany: Romania reached the knockout rounds of the European Championship for the first time in 24 years with a young squad of players who ultimately met their match in the Netherlands in the round of 16 but have given the country hope for the future.

Under coach Edward Iordanescu, son of former Romania tactician Anghel, they were unbeaten through the qualifiers and showed their potential with a 3-0 victory over Ukraine in their opener in Germany.

They finished second in their pool after a 2-0 defeat by Belgium and 1-1 draw with Slovakia, but in the last-16 were exposed by a Netherlands side who had more experience and quality and won 3-0 to end Romania's stay in the competition.

Sixteen of the 26-player squad at the Euros were aged 26 or under and for them it was a first major championship after the country failed to qualify for the 2020 finals.

They will be better for this experience, and while the long-term future of coach Iordanescu has yet to be determined he has indicated he would like to stay on and help the team grow.

Former Romania international Gheorghe Hagi, whose son Ianis is a key member of the emerging group of young players and started on the left wing against the Dutch, sees a strong future for the side.

"Congratulations to the players, coaches, supporters, staff. They made Romania known again and from here a process of growth begins," he told reporters. "They should be proud. We need to have more confidence and more personality.

"Several players showed very good things (at the Euros). We have to want more. I am proud of the entire Romanian team."

Where they will hope to improve is in the forward areas.

Of the 16 teams who made the knockout stages, only Slovakia and Georgia initiated fewer attacks and