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Romanian star retires
Gheorghe Hagi, the best Romanian soccer player of his generation, retired Thursday from the national team after 16 years -- and a lukewarm performance in the World Cup.Known for his superb technical skills and intelligence, Hagi, 33, peaked in the early 1990s. Called the Maradona of the Carpathians, Hagi was a key figure for his team in the World Cup in 1990 and 1994.
But his star dimmed in recent years and he was often plagued by injury. Despite that, he is very popular in Istanbul, where he plays for Galatasaray. He will continue playing for the club.
Debuting at 17, Hagi played 114 times for Romania and scored 33 goals. He was known as the "brain in the team." He will still keep his hand in Romanian soccer and has said that he wants to help fight corruption in the national league.
After the 1989 fall of communism, Hagi played for Real Madrid; Brescia in Italy; Barcelona; and Galatasaray.
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