Romania qualified for the 1998 World Cup in France after finishing second in UEFA qualifying Group 8, and the squad — built around Gheorghe Hagi at the height of his powers — reached the quarterfinals before losing to Croatia. The National Bank issued this piece as part of a broader commemorative program tied to French-hosted tournament; Romania had previous form with such issues, having struck coins for the 1994 competition in which they memorably defeated Argentina.
Romania qualified for the 1998 World Cup in France after finishing second in UEFA qualifying Group 8, and the squad — built around Gheorghe Hagi at the height of his powers — reached the quarterfinals before losing to Croatia. The National Bank issued this piece as part of a broader commemorative program tied to French-hosted tournament; Romania had previous form with such issues, having struck coins for the 1994 competition in which they memorably defeated Argentina.