Badea joined Romania's national team after the 2012 Summer Olympics and the retirement of three team members. With Tiberiu Dolniceanu as captain, Romania won a bronze medal in Madrid, their first World Cup tournament with the new team. For his first participation in World Championships, Badea made it to the table of 16, defeating world champion Aleksey Yakimenko along the way, before being stopped by Hungary's András Szatmári. In the team event, Badea proved instrumental in Romania's success. He entered the last relay in the quarter-final against host Hungary on 40–44 for the opposition and gave 2012 Olympic Champion Áron Szilágyi five hits in a row to win the match. Badea also fenced the last relay in the quarter-final against Belarus and gave the decisive hit again. Romania met Russia in the final. Distanced after the third relay, they were defeated 45–38 and ended up with a silver medal.