Top clubs of Romania
FCSB are technically the 'top' team in the country and are the favorites to win the league at the start of the save. However, they have a complicated history with the biggest team of the nation Steaua Bucharest.
Steaua Bucharest, one of Romania's most successful football clubs, was founded on June 7, 1947, under the name ASA București. The club's name was changed to CCA (Central House of the Army) in 1961 and later to Steaua (The Star) in 1967. The team has its roots in the Romanian Army Sports Club and has historically been associated with the country's armed forces.
Steaua enjoyed considerable success during the Communist era, winning numerous domestic titles. However, the club truly rose to prominence in the 1980s under coach Emerich Jenei and iconic player Gheorghe Hagi. The pinnacle of their success came in 1986 when they won the European Cup by defeating Barcelona in the final, becoming the first Eastern European team to achieve such a feat.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Steaua continued to be a dominant force in Romanian football, winning several league titles and domestic cups. However, following the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, the club underwent significant changes.
FCSB vs Steaua Bucharest
In the aftermath of the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, the club faced significant changes. A legal dispute over the ownership of the club's name, brand, and assets emerged. In 1998, the original club became FC Steaua București, and a new club was formed under the name FC FCSB. The legal battles continued, leading to the original Steaua being renamed FC CSA Steaua București in 2014.
The dispute reached a conclusion when, in 2014, the Romanian courts ruled that FC Steaua București (formerly FC CSA Steaua) had lost the rights to the name and branding associated with Steaua. Consequently, they were required to change their name to FC FCSB. The ruling was based on the argument that the club's name and emblem were initially owned by the Romanian Ministry of Defense, and since the club was no longer associated with the army, it had forfeited these rights.
As a result, FCSB and Steaua Bucharest now exist as two separate entities, each claiming a distinct lineage and history.
Steaua is the most successful football club in Romania, with national records for winning the domestic trophies, plus the European Cup in 1986 and European Super Cup in 1987.However, ownership of the titles is disputed between two entities, with agencies such as UEFA and LPF attributing all of the original club history to the other club, FCSB.
Dinamo Bucharest
Dinamo Bucharest is one of Romania's most renowned football clubs, founded on May 14, 1948. The team has a rich history and has been a prominent figure in Romanian football for decades. Dinamo's success is closely tied to its performances in domestic competitions, with numerous league titles and domestic cup victories.
Throughout the years, Dinamo has developed a fierce rivalry with Steaua Bucharest, contributing to one of the most intense football rivalries in Romanian football – the Eternal Derby. Matches between Dinamo and Steaua are highly anticipated and draw significant attention from fans.
Dinamo's golden era occurred in the 1960s and 1980s. Under the management of coaches like Angelo Niculescu and Mircea Lucescu, the team achieved remarkable success. They clinched multiple league titles and made a notable impact in European competitions. One of the highlights in Dinamo's European history came in the 1982-1983 season when they reached the semifinals of the European Cup Winners' Cup. And they boast an elite badge
Farul Constanta
In 2001, Hagi founded the football academy, Gheorghe Hagi Football Club, in Ovidiu, near Constanța, with the goal of nurturing young talents in the region. The academy, commonly known as Viitorul Constanța, has become renowned for its commitment to developing young players, and several graduates have gone on to successful professional careers.
Hagi began his professional career with Farul Constanța in the early 1980s, where his exceptional talent quickly gained recognition. His skillful playmaking abilities, precise passing, and powerful shots made him stand out on the pitch.
Gheorghe Hagi's connection with Farul Constanța extends beyond his playing days. In 2019, Hagi returned to Farul as an owner and president, aiming to revive the club's fortunes and contribute to the development of football in the region. Farul won its first Liga I title at the end of the 2022–23 season, or the second overall if Viitorul's record is considered. Hagi is also the controlling shareholder of the company and coaches the senior team.
I know there are more historical teams in the league, however three of these clubs represent the major theme of this save, so we focus on these three