Editing Gheorghe Hagi (section)

===1994 World Cup===
Hagi scored five goals at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4|1994 World Cup qualifiers]], including a brace in a 5–1 home win over [[Wales National Football Team|Wales]].<ref name=EU/><ref name=GSP8>{{cite web | url=https://www.gsp.ro/fotbal/nationala/video-25-de-ani-de-la-victoria-care-ducea-romania-la-cm-1994-2-1-cu-tara-galilor-discurs-genial-al-lui-hagi-la-pauza-alte-9-momente-spectaculoase-553284.html | title=25 de ani de la victoria care ducea România la CM 1994, 2-1 cu Țara Galilor. Discurs genial al lui Hagi la pauză + alte 9 momente spectaculoase| publisher=Gsp.ro| language=ro |trans-title=25 years since the victory that led Romania to the WC 1994, 2-1 with Wales. Hagi's brilliant speech at halftime + 9 other spectacular moments| date=17 November 2018 | access-date=11 February 2025}}</ref> In the last group game of the qualifiers, which was also against Wales, he opened the score, the first half ending 1–0.<ref name=GSP8/> Then Hagi, feeling that his teammates were too relaxed, asked coach [[Anghel Iordănescu]] to leave the dressing room and let him talk to them, afterwards he started punching the closet and held a motivational speech.<ref name=GSP8/> The match finished with a 2–1 victory which earned Romania the mathematical qualification to the [[1994 FIFA World Cup|final tournament]], also this game is considered by Romanian journalists as the birth of Romania's "Golden Generation".<ref name=GSP8/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/extra/qzftvbnt63/when-romania-broke-welsh-hearts | title=When Romania broke Welsh hearts| publisher=Bbc.co.uk| language=en| date= | access-date=11 February 2025}}</ref>

Hagi captained ''The Tricolours'' at the final tournament, in the first match with [[Colombia national football team|Colombia]] he provided the assists for both of [[Florin Răducioiu]]'s goals in the 3–1 win and he defeated goalkeeper [[Óscar Córdoba]] with a spectacular 35-meters [[Chip (association football)|lob]] from the side of the field in which the ball was not spinning in the air.<ref name=EU/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/sport/video-23-de-ani-de-cand-romania-a-rapus-columbia-1791907.html | title=VIDEO 23 de ani de când România a răpus Columbia la Mondialul din SUA. Cum a reușit Iordănescu să mobilizeze echipa în fața vedetelor sud-americane| publisher=Adevarul.ro| language=ro|trans-title=Video 23 years since Romania defeated Colombia at the World Cup in the USA. How Iordănescu managed to mobilize the team in front of the South American stars| date=18 June 2017 | access-date=11 February 2025}}</ref> After getting past the group stage, they eliminated [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] with a 3–2 score in which Hagi gave an assist to one of [[Ilie Dumitrescu]]'s goals, then scored himself after Dumitrescu returned the favor.<ref name=EU/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://adevarul.ro/sport/video-23-de-ani-de-cand-romania-a-rapus-columbia-1791907.html | title=VIDEO 23 de ani de când România a răpus Columbia la Mondialul din SUA. Cum a reușit Iordănescu să mobilizeze echipa în fața vedetelor sud-americane| publisher=Adevarul.ro| language=ro |trans-title=VIDEO 23 years since Romania defeated Colombia at the World Cup in the USA. How Iordănescu managed to mobilize the team in front of the South American stars| date=18 June 2017 | access-date=11 February 2025}}<br>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/26/world-cup-best-game-argentina-romania-usa-94-hagi |title=The best ever World Cup match? Romania 3–2 Argentina at USA 94 |work=The Guardian |last1=McCracken |first1=Craig |date=26 June 2018 |access-date=5 November 2019 }}</ref> In the quarter-finals, Romania faced [[Sweden men's national football team|Sweden]], the score was 2–2 after [[Overtime (sports)|extra time]], reaching the penalty shoot-out where Hagi netted his shot but two of his teammates missed, while all the Swedes scored, thus the campaign ended.<ref name="Romania and Gala’s commander and king"/><ref name=EU/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gsp.ro/gsp-special/ideile-gazetei/romania-suedia-istoria-la-raport-campionatul-mondial-1994-668158.html | title=EPISODUL 7: România - Suedia 2-2, 4-5 la penalty-uri. Mingea a fost a noastră, 45-24 la driblinguri, dar nu ne-a ajutat fizicul: 103-119 la dueluri| publisher=Gsp.ro| language=ro |trans-title=EPISODE 7: Romania - Sweden 2-2, 4-5 on penalties. The ball was ours, 45-24 on dribbles, but our physicality did not help: 103-119 on duels| date=4 July 2022 | access-date=11 February 2025}}</ref>

Hagi was named in the Team of the Tournament for his performances.<ref name="94WCAll-Star1"/> His goal with Columbia was listed in 2010 as one of the most beautiful ten goals scored in the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] by the ''[[Agence France-Presse]]'' news agency, then in 2014 ''[[Diario AS]]'' placed it on the third place and ''[[L'Équipe]]'' on the 16th.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://click.ro/actualitate/lobul-lui-hagi-cu-columbia-in-top-10-al-221235.html| title=Lobul lui Hagi cu Columbia, în Top 10 al Mondialelor| publisher=Click.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Hagi's lob with Colombia, in the Top 10 of the World Cup| date=27 May 2010 | access-date=11 February 2025}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://www.mediafax.ro/sport/golul-lui-hagi-din-meciul-cu-columbia-in-1994-printre-cele-mai-frumoase-din-istoria-cm-galerie-video-6185175| title=Golul lui Hagi din meciul cu Columbia in 1994 printre cele mai frumoase din istoria CM| publisher=Mediafax.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Hagi's goal in the match with Colombia in 1994 is among the most beautiful in the history of the World Cup| date=27 May 2010| access-date=11 February 2025}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://www.romania-actualitati.ro/stiri/sport/top-goluri-istorice-hagi-printre-cei-mai-tehnici-marcatori-id11433.html| title=Top goluri istorice: Hagi, printre cei mai tehnici marcatori| publisher=Romania-actualitati.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Top historical goals: Hagi, among the most technical scorers| date=27 May 2010| access-date=11 February 2025}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://ziare.com/cm-2014/stiri-cm-2014/golul-lui-hagi-din-meciul-cu-columbia-in-1994-pe-podiumul-celor-mai-frumoase-goluri-din-istorie-1303300| title=Golul lui Hagi din meciul cu Columbia in 1994, pe podiumul celor mai frumoase goluri din istorie| publisher=Ziare.com| language=ro |trans-title=Hagi's goal in the match with Colombia in 1994, on the podium of the most beautiful goals in history| date=8 June 2014| access-date=11 February 2025}}<br>{{cite web | url=https://www.digisport.ro/fotbal/video-omagiu-pentru-hagi-golul-marcat-columbiei-pe-locul-16-in-topul-celor-mai-frumoase-reusite-de-la-cm-115834| title=Omagiu pentru Hagi. Golul marcat Columbiei, pe locul 16 în topul celor mai frumoase reușite de la CM| publisher=Digisport.ro| language=ro |trans-title=Tribute to Hagi. The goal scored by Colombia, on the 16th place in the list of the most beautiful achievements from the WC| date=11 June 2014| access-date=11 February 2025}}</ref>