Editing Gheorghe Hagi (section)

==Style of play==
A talented left-footed [[attacking midfielder]], Hagi's playing style was frequently [[New Maradona|compared]] with [[Diego Maradona]]'s throughout his career, due to his technical ability as well as his temperamental character and leadership;<ref name="Gheorghe Hagi: The Maradona of the Carpathians">{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.us/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/2283023/gheorghe-hagi-maradona-of-the-carpathians|title=Gheorghe Hagi: The Maradona of the Carpathians|publisher=ESPN FC|date=21 May 2010|access-date=10 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="treccani">{{cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/gheorghe-hagi_%28Enciclopedia-dello-Sport%29/|title=HAGI, Gheorghe|publisher=Treccani: Enciclopedia dello Sport (2002)|language=it|author1=Marino Bortoletti|access-date=10 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="zonacesarini">{{cite web|url=http://zonacesarini.net/2015/01/24/hagi-la-storia-del-maradona-dei-carpazi/|title=Gheorghe Hagi: Storia in Tre Atti del Maradona dei Carpazi|publisher=ZonaCesarini.net|language=it|author1=Alessandro Bezzi|date=24 January 2015|access-date=28 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01ea-0f86020d6b70-b7bf9698c3cc-1000--hagi-and-tugay-take-galatasaray-helm/|title=Hagi and Tugay take Galatasaray helm|publisher=[[UEFA]]|date=21 October 2010|access-date=10 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sport.sky.it/calcio/mondiali/fotogallery/2014/05/31/verso_mondiale_countdown_grandi_numeri_10.html#7|title=Mondiali, −10: Pelè, Maradona e i grandi Dieci della storia|publisher=Sky.it|language=it|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref> as a youth, he was mainly inspired by compatriots [[Anghel Iordănescu]] and [[Ion Dumitru]].<ref name="Gheorghe Hagi: The Maradona of the Carpathians"/> A quick, agile, creative, and mobile [[advanced playmaker]], Hagi was also tactically versatile, and capable of playing in several [[Midfielder|midfield]] and [[Forward (association football)|offensive]] positions on either [[Winger (association football)|wing]] or through the [[Central midfielder|middle]], due to his ability with both feet, despite being naturally left-footed, although he had a preference for using his stronger foot; his preferred position was in a free role as a [[Squad number (association football)|classic number 10]], but he was also used as a [[second striker]] on occasion.<ref name="planetworldcup.com"/><ref name="Romania and Gala’s commander and king"/><ref name="zonacesarini"/><ref name="legacy">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsoccer.com/blogs/gheorghe-hagi-creating-a-new-legacy-for-romanian-football-360444|title=Gheorghe Hagi creating a new legacy for Romanian football|publisher=World Soccer|author=Jeff Prevost|date=22 March 2015|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/babb/11680631/Double-trouble-why-arent-there-more-two-footed-footballers.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/babb/11680631/Double-trouble-why-arent-there-more-two-footed-footballers.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Double trouble: why aren't there more two-footed footballers?|newspaper=The Telegraph|author1=Adam Hurrey|date=20 June 2015|access-date=27 March 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="rare No. 10">{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.us/club/arsenal/359/blog/post/2760447/ozil-rare-no-10-playing-for-team-not-individual-honours|title=Mesut Ozil is the rare No. 10 playing for his teammates, not individual honours|publisher=ESPN FC|author1=Michael Cox|date=17 December 2015|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/news/0225-0e91d7e3d96c-aa3a2a9936ae-1000--uefa-com-s-weekly-wonderkid-ianis-hagi/|title=UEFA.com's weekly wonderkid: Ianis Hagi|publisher=[[UEFA]]|author1=Paul-Daniel Zaharia|date=26 September 2015|access-date=11 May 2017}}</ref> Hagi was renowned in particular for his first touch and speed on the ball, as well as his timing, interpretation of space, bursts of acceleration and [[Dribbling (association football)|dribbling]] skills, which enabled him to get past defenders; he was also highly regarded for his vision and precise passing,<ref name="planetworldcup.com"/><ref name="Romania and Gala’s commander and king"/><ref name="zonacesarini"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/soccer/longterm/worldcup98/results/articles/romania_england.htm|title=Romania Stuns England in Final Minutes, 2–1|newspaper=The Washington Post|author1=Steven Goff|date=23 June 1998|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref> although he was capable of both scoring and assisting goals, and was also an accurate finisher and [[Direct free kick|set-piece]] taker, who had a penchant for scoring goals from powerful, [[Curl (football)|bending]] long range strikes.<ref name="planetworldcup.com"/><ref name="Romania and Gala’s commander and king"/><ref name="Gheorghe Hagi: The Maradona of the Carpathians"/><ref name="zonacesarini"/><ref name="legacy"/><ref name="virtuoso">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/27/sports/27iht-rob_12.html|title=Barcelona Adds a 3d Virtuoso|newspaper=The New York Times|author1=Rob Hughes|date=27 July 1994|access-date=6 December 2017}}</ref> Despite his small stature and slender build, Hagi possessed significant upper body strength, which, along with his control, aided him in protecting the ball from opponents, and allowed him to create space for himself or his teammates.<ref name="Gheorghe Hagi: The Maradona of the Carpathians"/><ref name="icon"/><ref name="LATimes-1994FWC"/><ref name="legacy"/> Despite his skill and his reputation as one of the greatest number 10s of his generation, his career was marked by inconsistency at times, and he was also considered to be a controversial player, due to his rebellious and arrogant attitude, as well as his low work-rate, aggression, unsportsmanlike behaviour, and lack of discipline, which led him to have several disagreements and confrontations with his managers, opponents, and officials.<ref name="Gheorghe Hagi: The Maradona of the Carpathians"/><ref name="icon"/><ref name="LATimes-1994FWC"/><ref name="thesefootballtimes">{{cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2018/04/02/gheorghe-hagi-at-brescia/|title=How Gheorghe Hagi rebuilt his career in Serie B with Brescia|work=These Football Times|author1=Emmet Gates|date=2 April 2018|access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="rare No. 10"/><ref name="Hagi's step too far">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1217699.stm|title=Hagi's step too far|publisher=BBC|date=13 March 2001|access-date=10 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="Perfect 10">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/my-perfect-10-gheorghe-hagi|title=My Perfect 10: Gheorghe Hagi|magazine=FourFourTwo|author1=Sefa Atay|date=3 September 2010|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.planetfootball.com/nostalgia/zizou-laudrup-baggio-bergkamp-best-playmakers-90s/ |title=10 of the best playmakers of the 90s: Zizou, Laudrup, Baggio, Bergkamp... |publisher=Planet Football |last1=Storey |first1=Daniel |date=5 February 2020 |access-date=29 June 2020 }}</ref>