Romania

=== Sports ===
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{{Main|Sport in Romania}}
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| footer = Noted athletes in the history of Romanian sports (clockwise from top left): [[Nadia Comăneci]], [[Gheorghe Hagi]], [[Simona Halep]], and [[Cristina Neagu]]
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[[Association football|Football]] is the most popular sport in Romania with over 219,000 registered players {{As of|2018|lc=y}}. The market for professional football in Romania is roughly €740&nbsp;million according to [[UEFA]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://business-review.eu/news/football-impact-calculated-by-frf-reach-eur-740-million-anually-182339|title=Football's impact in the Romanian economy reaches EUR 740 million annually, FRF estimates show|date=28 August 2018}}</ref>

The governing body is the [[Romanian Football Federation]], which belongs to UEFA. The [[Romania national football team]] played its first match in 1922 and is one of only four national teams to have taken part in the first three [[FIFA World Cup]]s, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium. Overall, it has played in seven World Cups and had its most successful period during the 1990s, when it finished 6th at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]], eventually being ranked 3rd by [[FIFA]] in 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/associations/association=rou/men/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219140951/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/associations/association=rou/men/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 February 2015|title=The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – Associations – Romania – Men's|website=FIFA.com}}</ref>

The core player of this [[golden generation]] was [[Gheorghe Hagi]], who was nicknamed "Maradona of the Carpathians".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/08/24/gheorghe-hagi-the-maradona-of-the-carpathians/|title=Gheorghe Hagi: the Maradona of the Carpathians|first=Steven|last=Scragg|date=24 August 2017|access-date=22 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105145958/https://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/08/24/gheorghe-hagi-the-maradona-of-the-carpathians/|archive-date=5 November 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other successful players include the [[European Golden Shoe]] winners: [[Dudu Georgescu]], [[Dorin Mateuț]] and [[Rodion Cămătaru]], [[Nicolae Dobrin]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theversed.com/53825/nicolae-dobrin-romanias-greatest-player/|title=Nicolae Dobrin: Romania's true greatest ever player|date=1 August 2017|website=The Versed}}</ref> [[Ilie Balaci]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/news/newsid=2577339.html|title=Romania mourns Ilie Balaci|website=UEFA.com| date=21 October 2018 }}</ref> [[Florea Dumitrache]],<ref name=EFY>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy70.html|title=European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1970|website=[[RSSSF]]}}</ref> [[Mihai Mocanu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://liga2.prosport.ro/special/adio-mihai-mocanu-4586453|title=Adio, Mihai Mocanu! &#124; Liga 2|website=liga2.prosport.ro|date=21 June 2009}}</ref> [[Michael Klein (footballer, born 1959)|Michael Klein]],<ref name=frf>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ziare.com/fotbal/stiri-fotbal/echipa-de-vis-all-time-a-romaniei-1304038|title=Echipa de vis all-time a Romaniei|website=Ziare.com}}</ref> [[Mircea Rednic]],<ref name=frf/> [[Cornel Dinu]],<ref name=EFY/> [[Mircea Lucescu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://stiri.tvr.ro/un-rio-formidabil--mircea-lucescu--votat-atacant-dreapta-in-echipa-de-vis-a-romaniei_45778.html|title=Video Un Rio Formidabil: Mircea Lucescu, atacant dreapta în echipa de vis|website=Stiriletvr.ro|access-date=18 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823153414/http://stiri.tvr.ro/un-rio-formidabil--mircea-lucescu--votat-atacant-dreapta-in-echipa-de-vis-a-romaniei_45778.html|archive-date=23 August 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Costică Ștefănescu]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/21/romania-costica-stefanescu-dies|title=Former Romania captain Costica Stefanescu dies aged 62|newspaper=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press|date=21 August 2013|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> [[Ion Dumitru|Liță Dumitru]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ziare.com/steaua/stiri-steaua/concluzia-dura-a-unei-legende-de-la-steaua-totul-e-un-dezastru-interviu-1455965|title=Concluzia dura a unei legende de la Steaua: Totul e un dezastru! – Interviu|website=Ziare.com}}</ref> [[Lajos Sătmăreanu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telekomsport.ro/exclusiv-angelo-niculescu-mi-a-zis-ca-nu-ma-baga-pentru-ca-sunt-maghiar-si-partidul-crede-ca-vand-meciul-sper-sa-nu-prind-ziua-cand-ne-vor-bate-iar-17720289|title=EXCLUSIV &#124; "Angelo Niculescu mi-a zis că nu mă bagă pentru că sunt maghiar şi Partidul crede că vând meciul. Sper să nu prind ziua când ne vor bate iar"|website=Telekomsport.ro|date=6 October 2014 }}</ref> [[Ștefan Sameș]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jurnalul.antena3.ro/sport/fotbal-intern/ne-a-parasit-stefan-sames-fostul-mare-fundas-al-stelei-584901.html|title=Ne-a părăsit Ştefan Sameş, fostul mare fundaş al Stelei|website=jurnalul.antena3.ro}}</ref> [[László Bölöni|Ladislau Bölöni]],<ref name="lequipe">{{Cite web|url=https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/sport/fotbal/lequipe-nicolae-dobrin-cel-mai-valoros-jucator-roman-din-istorie-cine-sunt-urmatorii-in-top-5-526988|title=L'Equipe: Nicolae Dobrin, cel mai valoros jucător român din istorie. Cine sunt următorii în Top 5|website=www.digi24.ro|date=8 June 2016 }}</ref> [[Anghel Iordănescu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.revistavip.net/Sarbatoritul_saptamanii/La_multi_ani_Anghel_Iordanescu!/1247/|title=La multi ani Anghel Iordanescu!|website=www.revistavip.net}}</ref> [[Miodrag Belodedici]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/may/17/miodrag-belodedici-european-cup-football|title=Miodrag Belodedici: the fugitive libero who conquered Europe twice &#124; Jonathan Wilson|first=Jonathan|last=Wilson|newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 May 2011|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref> [[Helmuth Duckadam]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/what-happened-helmuth-duckadam-i-saved-four-penalties-win-european-cup-it-was-my-last-ever|title=What happened to Helmuth Duckadam? "I saved four penalties to win the European Cup... but it was my last ever game"|first1=Future Publishing Limited Quay|last1=House|first2=The|last2=Ambury|first3=Bath BA1 1UA All rights reserved|last3=Engl|first4=Wales company registration|last4=number 2008885|date=19 February 2019|website=FourFourTwo}}</ref> [[Marius Lăcătuș]],<ref name=frf/> [[Victor Pițurcă]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fanatik.ro/victor-piturca-amintiri-tarzii-cu-gerd-muller-al-romaniei-18351299|title=Victor Pițurcă. Amintiri târzii cu 'Gerd Muller al României' – Fanatik.ro|date=8 May 2018}}</ref> and many others, and most recently [[Gheorghe Popescu (footballer, born 1967)|Gheorghe Popescu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tribuna.com/en/fcbarcelona/news/2945212/|title=Barca ex-captain Popescu turns 51|website=Tribuna.com|access-date=22 July 2019|archive-date=28 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728111202/https://tribuna.com/en/fcbarcelona/news/2020-03-06-barca-excaptain-popescu-turns-51/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Florin Răducioiu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://acmilanspot.com/florin-raducioiu-returns-ac-milan/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930190749/https://acmilanspot.com/florin-raducioiu-returns-ac-milan/|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 September 2020|title=Florin Răducioiu returns to AC Milan|date=24 December 2018}}</ref> [[Dorinel Munteanu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://romanialibera.ro/sport/sporturi/kicker---nemuritorul--dorinel-munteanu-105820|title=Kicker: "Nemuritorul" Dorinel Munteanu &#124; Romania Libera|website=romanialibera.ro|date=11 September 2007}}</ref> [[Dan Petrescu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/news/petrescu-set-reject-crystal-palace|title=Petrescu set to reject Crystal Palace|date=19 November 2013|website=fourfourtwo.com}}</ref> [[Adrian Mutu]],<ref name="UEFA">{{Cite web|url=https://fr.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/news/newsid=449591.html|title=Roménia na máxima força|website=UEFA.com}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[Cristian Chivu]],<ref name="UEFA"/> or [[Cosmin Contra]].<ref name="UEFA"/> Romania's home ground is the [[Arena Națională]] in Bucharest.

The most successful club is [[CSA Steaua București (football)|Steaua București]], who were the first Eastern European team to win the [[UEFA Champions League]] in 1986, and were runners-up in 1989.<ref>[Champions League: Once feared across Europe, Chelsea opponents Steaua Bucharest went the way of the Wall]</ref> [[FC Dinamo București|Dinamo București]] reached the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 1984 and the [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]] semi-final in [[1989–90 European Cup Winners' Cup|1990]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prosport.ro/fotbal-extern/campionate-externe/cum-putea-dinamo-domina-europa-in-viziunea-lui-lucescu-ce-strategie-ar-trebui-sa-aplice-8049036|title=Cum putea Dinamo domina Europa, în viziunea lui Lucescu! Ce strategie ar trebui să aplice!|website=ProSport|date=10 March 2011}}</ref> Other important Romanian football clubs are [[FC Rapid București|Rapid București]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fr.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=405244.html|title=Bucharest back to 1980s best|website=UEFA.com}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[FC UTA Arad|UTA Arad]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://realitateadearad.net/index.php/2019/04/17/arad-batrana-doamna-uta-arad-implineste-joi-74-de-ani-lansare-de-carte-si-o-inedita-expozitie-care-este-povestea-campioanei-provinciei/|title=Arad: "Bătrâna Doamnă", UTA Arad, împlinește, joi, 74 de ani. Lansare de carte și o inedită expoziție. Care este povestea "Campioanei Provinciei"|first=Boitiu|last=Ciprian|date=17 April 2019}}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[CS Universitatea Craiova|Universitatea Craiova]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://stiri.tvr.ro/istoria-unei-legende-stadionul-central-din-craiova-a-gazduit-multe-partide-memorabile_824557.html|title=Video Istoria unei legende|website=Stiriletvr.ro|date=10 November 2017 }}</ref> [[FC Petrolul Ploiești|Petrolul Ploiești]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fcpetrolul.ro/fc-petrolul-uta-arad-duelul-celor-zece-titluri/|title=FC Petrolul – UTA Arad/Duelul celor zece titluri! – FC Petrolul Ploiești|website=fcpetrolul.ro|date=13 August 2023 }}</ref> [[CFR Cluj]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/20522181|title=Man Utd 0–1 CFR Cluj|date=5 December 2012|work=BBC Sport}}</ref> [[FC Astra Giurgiu|Astra Giurgiu]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.football-italia.net/95424/el-roma-and-astra-giurgiu-celebrate|title=EL: Roma and Astra Giurgiu celebrate &#124; Football Italia|website=www.football-italia.net|date=8 December 2016}}</ref> and [[FC Viitorul Constanța|Viitorul Constanța]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.com/football/viitorul-confirmed-as-romanian-champions-after-row-over-rules_sto6251972/story.shtml|title=Viitorul confirmed as Romanian champions after row over rules|date=13 July 2017|website=Eurosport}}</ref> (the latter having recently merged with [[FCV Farul Constanța]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digisport.ro/fotbal/liga-1/fuziunea-farul-viitorul-anuntata-oficial-gica-hagi-revine-pe-banca-ce-nume-va-avea-noua-echipa-1152789|title=Fuziunea Farul – Viitorul, anunțată oficial! Gică Hagi revine pe bancă. Ce nume va avea noua echipă|trans-title=The Farul – Viitorul merger, officially announced! Gica Hagi returns to the bench. What name will the new team have |publisher=digisport.ro|language=ro|date=21 June 2021|access-date=21 June 2021}}</ref>

Tennis is the second most popular sport.<ref name="Hotnews">{{Cite web|date=13 June 2014|title=Studiu IRES: Fotbalul, cel mai iubit sport in Romania; Simona Halep, locul patru in clasamentul celor mai mari sportivi romani ai tuturor timpurilor – Fotbal – HotNews.ro|url=https://sport.hotnews.ro/stiri-fotbal-17477396-studiu-ires-fotbalul-cel-mai-iubit-sport-romania-simona-halep-locul-patru-clasamentul-celor-mai-mari-sportivi-romani-tuturor-timpurilor.htm|website=sport.hotnews.ro}}</ref> Romania reached the [[Davis Cup]] finals three times in 1969, 1971 and 1972.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.daviscup.com/en/teams/team.aspx?id=ROU|title=Davis Cup – Teams|website=www.daviscup.com}}</ref> In singles, [[Ilie Năstase]] was the [[List of ATP number 1 ranked singles tennis players|first year-end World Number 1]] in the [[ATP rankings]] in 1973, winning several [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] titles. Also [[Virginia Ruzici]] won the French Open in 1978, and was runner-up in 1980, [[Simona Halep]] won the French Open in 2018 and [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] in 2019 after losing her first three Grand Slam finals. She has ended 2017 and 2018 as [[List of WTA number 1 ranked tennis players|WTA's World Number 1]]. And in doubles [[Horia Tecău]] won three Grand Slams and the [[ATP Finals]] final. He was World Number 2 in 2015.<ref>{{Citation| url=https://www.atptour.com/en/players/horia-tecau/t749/overview| title=Horia Tecau| work=atptour.com| access-date=20 July 2019}}</ref>

The second most popular [[team sport]] is [[team handball|handball]].<ref name="Hotnews" /> The [[Romania men's national handball team|men's]] team won the [[World Men's Handball Championship|handball world championship]] in [[1961 World Men's Handball Championship|1961]], [[1964 World Men's Handball Championship|1964]], [[1970 World Men's Handball Championship|1970]], [[1974 World Men's Handball Championship|1974]] making them the third most successful nation ever in the tournament. The [[Romania women's national handball team|women's]] team won the [[IHF World Women's Handball Championship|world championship]] in [[1962 World Women's Handball Championship|1962]] and have enjoyed more success than their male counterparts in recent years. In the club competition Romanian teams have won the [[EHF Champions League]] a total of three times, [[CSA Steaua București (handball)|Steaua București]] won in [[1967–68 European Cup (handball)|1968]] as well as [[1976–77 European Cup (handball)|1977]] and [[CS Dinamo București (men's handball)|Dinamo București]] won in [[1964–65 European Cup (handball)|1965]]. The most notable players include [[Ștefan Birtalan]], [[Vasile Stîngă]] (all-time top scorer in the national team) and [[Gheorghe Gruia]] who was named the best player ever in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Handball World Mourns the Loss of Icon, Friend & Teacher|url=https://archive.ihf.info/en-us/mediacentre/news/newsdetails.aspx?ID=3000|access-date=9 July 2020|website=archive.ihf.info|language=en-US}}</ref> In present-day [[Cristina Neagu]] is the most notable player and has a record four [[IHF World Player of the Year]] awards.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Neagu and Hansen named 2018 World Players of the Year &#124; IHF|url=https://www.ihf.info/media-center/news/neagu-and-hansen-named-2018-world-players-year|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828133048/https://www.ihf.info/media-center/news/neagu-and-hansen-named-2018-world-players-year|archive-date=28 August 2019|website=www.ihf.info}}</ref> In women's handball, powerhouse [[CSM București (women's handball)|CSM București]] lifted the [[Women's EHF Champions League|EHF Champions League]] trophy in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.romaniajournal.ro/sports/womens-handball-csm-bucharest-wins-champions-league-trophy/|title=Women's handball: CSM Bucharest wins Champions League trophy!|date=8 May 2016 }}</ref>

Popular [[individual sport]]s include [[combat sport]]s,<ref name=Hotnews/> [[martial arts]],<ref name=Hotnews/> and swimming.<ref name=Hotnews/> In [[professional boxing]], Romania has produced many world champions across the weight divisions internationally recognised by governing bodies. World champions include [[Lucian Bute]], [[Leonard Doroftei|Leonard Dorin Doroftei]], [[Adrian Diaconu]], and [[Mihai Leu|Michael Loewe]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sport.ro/box/jo-jo-dan-le-poate-calca-pe-urme-lui-leu-doroftei-bute-si-diaconu-saptamana-viitoare-sunt-crescut-in-rahova.html|title=Jo Jo Dan le poate calca pe urme lui Leu, Doroftei, Bute si Diaconu saptamana viitoare: "Sunt crescut in Rahova, asta spune tot"|website=Sport.ro}}</ref> Another popular combat sport is [[kickboxing|professional kickboxing]], which has produced prominent practitioners including [[Daniel Ghiță]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/5/20/5734956/kickboxings-top-heavyweights-ghita-and-verhoeven-go-to-war-on-twitter|title=Ghita vs. Verhoeven: Kickboxing's top heavyweights go to war on Twitter|publisher=[[SB Nation|Bloodyelbow.com]]|date=20 May 2014}}</ref> and [[Benjamin Adegbuyi]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fightbreak.com/news/k1-boxing/adegbuyi-ill-show-wilnis-why-im-ranked-1-at-heavyweight/|title=Adegbuyi: 'I'll show Wilnis why I'm ranked #1 at Heavyweight'|website=Fight Site|access-date=22 July 2019|archive-date=6 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706075540/http://fightbreak.com/news/k1-boxing/adegbuyi-ill-show-wilnis-why-im-ranked-1-at-heavyweight/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Romania's 306 [[All-time Olympic Games medal table|all-time Summer Olympics medals]] would rank 12th most among all countries, while its 89 gold medals would be 14th most. The [[1984 Summer Olympics]] was their most successful run, where they won 53 medals in total, 20 of them gold, ultimately placing 2nd to the hosts United States in the [[1984 Summer Olympics medal table|medal rankings]]. Amongst countries who have never hosted the event themselves, they are second in the total number of medals earned.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olympiandatabase.com/index.php?id=28796&L=1|title=Romanian Results and Medals in the Olympic Games|website=www.olympiandatabase.com}}</ref>

[[Artistic gymnastics|Gymnastics]] is the country's major medal-producing sport,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.romaniangymnastics.ro/tokyo-2020.html|title=Tokyo 2020 >> Romaniangymnastics.ro|website=www.romaniangymnastics.ro|access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref> with Olympic and sport icon [[Nadia Comăneci]] becoming the first gymnast ever to score a perfect ten in an Olympic event at the [[1976 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/07/20/10-gymnast-nadia-comaneci-olympics-montreal/87357146/|title=40 years after perfect 10, gymnast Nadia Comaneci remains an Olympic icon|first=Nancy|last=Armour|website=USA Today}}</ref> Other Romanian athletes who collected five gold medals like Comăneci are rowers [[Elisabeta Lipa]] (1984–2004) and [[Georgeta Damian]] (2000–2008).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.topendsports.com/events/summer/countries/romania.htm|title=Romania at the Olympic Games|website=www.topendsports.com}}</ref> The Romanian competitors have won gold medals in other Olympic sports: athletics, canoeing, wrestling, shooting, fencing, swimming, weightlifting, boxing, and judo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://business-review.eu/news/analysis-what-to-expect-from-romania-at-rio-2016-olympic-games-113774|title=Analysis. What to expect from Romania at Rio 2016 Olympic Games|date=26 July 2016|website=Business Review|language=ro|access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref>