# Romania women's national handball team

The Romanian women's national team represents Romania in senior women's international handball and is controlled by the Romanian Handball Federation, the governing body for handball in Romania. It competes in the three major international tournaments; the Olympic Games, the IHF World Championship and the EHF European Championship.
Since first entering World Championship, Romania are the only team to have appeared in all 25 tournaments to date.
They were crowned winners in the IHF World Championship three times: 1956, 1960 and 1962, and finished as runners-up in 1973 and 2005 and also finished third in 2015. Since first entering in 1994, Romania have never won the EHF European Championship, with their best performances being a third-place finish in 2010.

## Honors

IHF World Championship
* Gold medalists: 1956, 1960, 1962
* Silver medalists: 1973, 2005
* Bronze medalists: 2015
EHF European Championship
* Bronze medalists: 2010

### Other awards

GF World Cup
* Gold medalists: 2009, 2010
* Silver medalists: 2006

## Competitions

| Competition | | | | Total |
| Olympic Games | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| World Championship | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| European Championship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |

### Olympic Games

| Year | Pos. | Pld | W | D | L |
| 1976 | 4th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1980 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1984 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1988 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1992 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1996 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2000 | 7th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2004 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2008 | 7th | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 2012 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2016 | 9th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2020 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2024 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| Total | 4/12 | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 |

### World Championship

Since their first appearance in 1957, Romania has participated in 25 World Championships. They were crowned world champions for the first time in 1962 after beating Denmark (8–5) in the final.
| Year | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GS | GA | GD |
| 1957 | 9th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | -7 |
| 1962 | 1st | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 17 | +24 |
| 1965 | 6th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 21 | -3 |
| 1971 | 4th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 51 | 51 | 0 |
| 1973 | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 67 | 52 | +15 |
| 1975 | 4th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 102 | 83 | +19 |
| 1978 | 7th | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 78 | 67 | +11 |
| 1982 | 8th | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 159 | 122 | +37 |
| 1986 | 5th | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 151 | 129 | +22 |
| 1990 | 7th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 90 | 100 | -10 |
| 1993 | 4th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 156 | 129 | +27 |
| 1995 | 7th | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 232 | 175 | +57 |
| 1997 | 12th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 186 | 161 | +25 |
| 1999 | 4th | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 250 | 196 | +54 |
| 2001 | 17th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 129 | 135 | -6 |
| 2003 | 10th | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 244 | 206 | +38 |
| 2005 | 2nd | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 322 | 249 | +73 |
| 2007 | 4th | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 323 | 284 | +39 |
| 2009 | 8th | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 306 | 231 | +75 |
| 2011 | 13th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 166 | 183 | -17 |
| 2013 | 10th | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 161 | 127 | +34 |
| 2015 | 3rd | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 270 | 225 | +45 |
| 2017 | 10th | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 150 | 140 | +10 |
| 2019 | 12th | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 181 | 227 | -46 |
| 2021 | 13th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 202 | 146 | +56 |
| 2023 | 12th | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 185 | 164 | +21 |
| 2025 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2027 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2029 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2031 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Total | 26/30 | 170 | 95 | 12 | 63 | 4222 | 3629 | +593 |

### European Championship

| Year | Pos. | Pld | W | D | L | GS | GA | GD |
| 1994 | 10th | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 112 | 124 | -12 |
| 1996 | 5th | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 155 | 139 | +16 |
| 1998 | 11th | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 148 | 168 | -20 |
| 2000 | 4th | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 168 | 164 | +4 |
| 2002 | 7th | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 169 | 166 | +3 |
| 2004 | 7th | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 206 | 187 | +19 |
| 2006 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2008 | 5th | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 209 | 199 | +10 |
| 2010 | 3rd | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 205 | 197 | +8 |
| 2012 | 10th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 136 | 139 | -3 |
| 2014 | 9th | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 136 | 137 | -1 |
| 2016 | 5th | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 173 | 158 | +15 |
| 2018 | 4th | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 213 | 212 | +1 |
| 2020 | 12th | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 135 | 160 | -25 |
| 2022 | 12th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 184 | 181 | -11 |
| 2024 | 11th | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 184 | 199 | -15 |
| 2026 | Quaified as co-host | Quaified as co-host | Quaified as co-host | Quaified as co-host | Quaified as co-host | Quaified as co-host | Quaified as co-host | Quaified as co-host |
| 2028 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Total | 15/18 | 93 | 46 | 4 | 43 | 2335 | 2331 | +4 |

### GF World Cup

* GF World Cup '05 – 4th
* GF World Cup '06 – 2nd
* GF World Cup '07 – 5th
* GF World Cup '08 – 8th
* GF World Cup '09 – Winner
* GF World Cup '10 – Winner

## Team
### Current squad

Roster for the 2023 World Women's Handball Championship.
Head coach: Florentin Pera
* No.
* Pos.
* Name
* Date of birth (age)
* Height
* App.
* Goals
* Club
* 2
* LW
* Nicoleta Dincă
* (1988-07-02) 2 July 1988 (age 36)
* 1.73 m
* 49
* 63
* Gloria Bistrița
* 4
* LB
* Claudia Paşcan
* (1994-06-18) 18 June 1994 (age 30)
* 1.76 m
* 2
* 3
* SCM Craiova
* 7
* CB
* Eliza Buceschi
* (1993-08-01) 1 August 1993 (age 31)
* 1.77 m
* 103
* 244
* Rapid București
* 8
* LB
* Cristina Neagu
* (1988-08-26) 26 August 1988 (age 36)
* 1.80 m
* 221
* 972
* CSM București
* 12
* GK
* Diana Ciucă
* (2000-06-01) 1 June 2000 (age 24)
* 1.80 m
* 18
* 1
* Rapid București
* 13
* CB
* Cristina Laslo
* (1996-04-10) 10 April 1996 (age 28)
* 1.76 m
* 79
* 137
* Gloria Bistrița
* 14
* LB
* Bianca Bazaliu
* (1997-07-30) 30 July 1997 (age 27)
* 1.83 m
* 23
* 29
* Gloria Bistrița
* 18
* RB
* Daria Bucur
* (1999-07-11) 11 July 1999 (age 25)
* 1.81 m
* 14
* 9
* SCM Gloria Buzău
* 20
* GK
* Iulia Dumanska
* (1996-08-15) 15 August 1996 (age 28)
* 1.78 m
* 69
* 0
* Gloria Bistrița
* 21
* LW
* Alexandra Dindiligan
* (1997-02-16) 16 February 1997 (age 27)
* 1.70 m
* 19
* 14
* CSM București
* 22
* RW
* Alexandra Badea
* (1998-05-22) 22 May 1998 (age 26)
* 1.75 m
* 14
* 12
* Rapid București
* 27
* P
* Lorena Ostase
* (1997-07-25) 25 July 1997 (age 27)
* 1.79 m
* 35
* 51
* Rapid București
* 28
* LB
* Diana Lixăndroiu
* (2005-08-14) 14 August 2005 (age 19)
* 1.79 m
* 9
* 3
* CSM Slatina
* 30
* RW
* Sonia Seraficeanu
* (1997-07-25) 25 July 1997 (age 27)
* 1.74 m
* 39
* 63
* Gloria Bistrița
* 33
* P
* Nicoleta Balog
* (1994-11-17) 17 November 1994 (age 30)
* 1.76 m
* 2
* 0
* HC Dunărea Brăila
* 70
* CB
* Andreea Popa
* (2000-06-03) 3 June 2000 (age 24)
* 1.77 m
* 9
* 9
* HC Dunărea Brăila
* 71
* RB
* Alicia Gogîrlă
* (2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 (age 22)
* 1.82 m
* 2
* 0
* SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea
* 77
* P
* Crina Pintea
* (1990-04-03) 3 April 1990 (age 34)
* 1.92 m
* 112
* 183
* CSM București
* 98
* GK
* Daciana Hosu
* (1998-01-16) 16 January 1998 (age 27)
* 1.82 m
* 23
* 0
* SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea

### Notable players
#### IHF World Player of the Year

* Cristina Neagu (left back), 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2018

#### EHF Player of the Year

* Cristina Neagu (left back), 2017, 2018

#### MVP

* Cristina Neagu (left back), 2015 World Championship

#### All-Star Team members

* Irina Klimovschi (goalkeeper), 1956 World Championship, 1960 World Championship
* Doina Furcoi-Solomonov (pivot), 1975 World Championship
* Mariana Tîrcă (right back), 1995 World Championship
* Luminiţa Dinu (goalkeeper), 2000 European Championship, 2005 World Championship
* Valentina Ardean-Elisei (left wing), 2005 World Championship, 2008 European Championship, 2015 World Championship
* Ionela Stanca (pivot), 2007 World Championship
* Ramona Farcău (right wing), 2008 Summer Olympics
* Cristina Neagu (left back), 2010 European Championship, 2014 European Championship, 2016 European Championship, 2015 World Championship
* Crina Pintea (pivot), 2018 European Championship

#### Top scorers

* Victoria Dumitrescu (left back), 1956 World Championship
* Carmen Amariei (left back), 1999 World Championship
* Simona Gogîrlă (left back), 2000 European Championship
* Ramona Farcău (right wing), 2008 Summer Olympics
* Cristina Vărzaru (right wing), 2009–2010 EHF Champions League
* Cristina Neagu (left back), 2010 European Championship, 2015 World Championship, 2014–2015 EHF Champions League, 2017–2018 EHF Champions League, 2019-2020 EHF Champions League, 2020-2021 EHF Champions League, 2021-2022 EHF Champions League

#### Other notable players

* Cristina Petrovici
* Simona Arghir-Sandu
* Maria Török-Duca
* Valentina Cozma
* Steluța Luca

#### World Championship

* Player
* Irina Klimovschi
* Ana Starck-Stănișel
* Iozefina Ștefănescu
* Victoria Dumitrescu
* Maria Constantinescu
* Aurelia Szőke-Tudor

### Coaching history

| Period | Head Coach |
| 1953–1965 | Constantin Popescu |
| 1965–1969 | Francisc Spier |
| 1969 | Valeriu Gogâltan |
| 1969–1970 | Pompiliu Simion |
| 1971–1973 | Gabriel Zugrăvescu |
| 1973–1976 | Constantin Popescu |
| 1976–1978 | Francisc Spier |
| 1978–1982 | Constantin Lache |
| 1982–1986 | Eugen Bartha |
| 1986–1993 | Bogdan Macovei |
| 1993–1994 | Gheorghe Sbora |
| 1994–1995 | Gheorghe Tadici |
| 1995–1996 | Gheorghe Ionescu |
| 1996–1999 | Cornel Bădulescu |
| 1999–2000 | Bogdan Macovei |
| 2000–2002 | Dumitru Muși |
| 2002–2005 | Cornel Oțelea |
| 2005–2008 | Gheorghe Tadici |
| 2008–2012 | Radu Voina |
| 2012–2015 | Gheorghe Tadici |
| 2015–2016 | Tomas Ryde |
| 2016–2019 | Ambros Martín |
| 2019–2020 | Tomas Ryde |
| 2020–2021 | Bogdan Burcea |
| 2021–2022 | Adrian Vasile |
| 2022–present | Florentin Pera |

### Individual all-time records
#### Most matches played

Total number of matches played in official competitions only.
| # | Player | Matches |
| 1 | Mariana Tîrcă | 335 |
| 2 | Valentina Cozma | 322 |
| 3 | Aurelia Brădeanu | 273 |
| 4 | Valentina Ardean-Elisei | 256 |
| 5 | Marilena Doiciu | 237 |
| 6 | Maria Török-Duca | 226 |
| 7 | Steluța Luca | 223 |
| 8 | Ramona Farcău | 214 |
| 9 | Simona Arghir-Sandu | 206 |
| 9 | Lidia Drăgănescu | 206 |
Last updated: 29 September 2019

#### Most goals scored

Total number of goals scored in official matches only.
| # | Player | Goals | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Mariana Tîrcă | 2043 | 335 | 6.09 |
| 2 | Steluța Luca | 1013 | 223 | 4.54 |
| 3 | Valentina Cozma | 980 | 322 | 3.04 |
| 4 | Valentina Ardean-Elisei | 915 | 256 | 3.57 |
| 5 | Carmen Amariei | 855 | 182 | 4.69 |
| 6 | Cristina Neagu | 830 | 198 | 4.12 |
| 7 | Ramona Farcău | 689 | 214 | 3.21 |
| 8 | Aurelia Brădeanu | 685 | 273 | 2.50 |
| 9 | Lidia Drăgănescu | 658 | 206 | 3.19 |
| 10 | Maria Török-Duca | 626 | 226 | 2.76 |
Last updated: 29 September 2019