A Romanian football player called up by Mircea Lucescu to the preliminary squad for the final matches of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers has been harshly criticized by the Italian press.
The player in question is Rareș Ilie, who plays for Empoli in Serie B, a team that lost 2-1 against Modena in the 9th round.
Rareș Ilie started the match but was substituted at halftime due to his poor performance. Additionally, he received a yellow card and was replaced by coach Alessio Dionisi. The Italian press criticized the Romanian, giving him a rating of 4.50, the lowest in the team.
"Zanimacchia and Santoro are superb, Ilie disappoints," the Italians headlined. They then analyzed the Romanian's performance: "Terrible first half, often demanded by Dionisi, his game only lasts 45 minutes," writes Tuttomercatoweb.
For Rareș Ilie, it would be his first appearance for the Romanian national team if he is also included in the final squad that Lucescu will announce a week before the double-header against Bosnia and San Marino on November 15 and 18.
D.A.