An Exercise in Self-Suffocation

In recent days, I watched several matches from our country's top two football leagues. Not all of them were convincing enough to suggest we are witnessing a competition on the path of progress. Quite the opposite. I saw plays worthy of third- or fourth-division players-with a good number of these errors coming from foreign footballers. Bringing in players from other countries isn't the problem; football has long been an international market. The issue lies in • what• we bring in, • why• we bring them, and • what• we leave behind. And here, an uncomfortable question begins to take shape: why are so many foreign footballers being brought into Romanian football? We have an increasing number of "foreigners," yet it is far from clear whether we actually have more football in the true sense of the word.

According to data compiled by Transfermarkt, the 2026/2027 season of Liga 1 (the SuperLiga) lists 214 foreign footballers out of a total of 462 players. These figures are fluid, as transfers happen constantly. This represents 46.3% of the total squads in the Romanian top flight. Almost half. That is a significant figure. Yet, when we look at what happens on the pitch, a legitimate question arises: if we are bringing in so many players from abroad, why isn't the added value more apparent?

Because we are not talking about just two or three "exotic" transfers, but rather a widespread phenomenon. The results from this summer's European competitions show us exactly how far we have fallen-below Bulgaria, Armenia, or Latvia.

Who benefits from this flood of imports? One could argue that, first and foremost, it benefits clubs in need of players who are immediately available. A foreign footballer can be brought in to fill a position where the squad is lacking; he may have experience in other leagues and-at least on paper-represent a quick fix. But what is the point of bringing in a player from abroad who is not noticeably better than a Romanian player of the same age, profile, and developmental potential? This question carries significant economic weight. In football, transfers mean money: commissions, contracts, intermediaries, and connections. When the market becomes saturated with foreign players, it is only natural to wonder whether these moves are made in the teams' best interests or if other agendas are sometimes at play. I am not claiming that every transfer involves an unjustified commission-that would be an accusation made without evidence. However, we should not be naive enough to assume that every decision is based solely on sporting merit.

Romanian football has a long-standing issue: there is a lot of talk about young players, yet they are rarely utilized. We have rules requiring teams to give opportunities to players trained in Romania. While this is a necessary step, it is not enough. A young player does not develop simply by appearing on the team sheet; he needs playing time, confidence, a competitive environment, and the chance to continue growing even after turning 21.

If squad places are largely taken up by foreign footballers, the question becomes inevitable: where are young Romanians supposed to develop? In the second division? In the third division? Not all young players are talented. Not all deserve to play in the top flight. Yet, it is impossible to discover a player's true worth without giving them the chance to play. And if that opportunity arises only because an FRF rule compels the club to field an under-21 player in every match, then perhaps the problem lies not just with the young players, but with the way the system is structured. We cannot demand results from a generation we keep on the bench.

Foreign players are not the problem; the lack of a strategy is. There are leagues where foreign players have raised the level of competition. They have brought experience, professionalism, and technical quality, contributing to the development of local players. However, importing players is not, in itself, a strategy. If you bring in a player who is clearly superior to the Romanian alternative, you have a sporting justification. If you bring in a footballer who could easily be replaced by a youngster from your own academy, then you need to explain why you did it. Otherwise, we end up with a competition where clubs look abroad for solutions, while Romanian football exhausts its own resources without the ability to replenish them.

We are stifling ourselves.

We have academies, we have children playing football, we have coaches working with them, and we have parents investing time and money. Yet, when these children reach the age to enter professional football, they find the spots taken by players who, at times, seem to offer nothing extra.

We can boast about the number of teams, the volume of transfers, and the footballers arriving from dozens of countries. We can talk about competitive leagues and the international market. But football is seen on the pitch. It shows in the execution. In the passing. In the decision-making. In the tempo. In a player's ability to resolve a situation. In the difference between a footballer who merely occupies a spot and one who elevates the team's level. And if When, after so many imports, we end up seeing performances that make us wonder if we aren't watching a lower-league match, then something isn't working. It is not enough to simply bring in players; you have to bring in quality.

Clubs have their own interests. They want results, points, and money. That is only natural. But the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) also has a responsibility: to build a framework where Romanian football can actually produce players-not just count them, and not just impose rules that, in practice, are often treated merely as burdensome obligations. If nearly half the players in the top flight are foreigners, perhaps we should also ask ourselves how much we are investing in the next generation. Because we cannot build the future solely on imports; at some point, we need to produce something ourselves.

I am not advocating for closing the borders of Romanian football. I am advocating for discernment.

Let us bring in foreign players who make a real difference. Let us give young Romanians the chance to develop. Let us ask ourselves if every transfer is truly necessary. Otherwise, we will keep watching matches and wondering why our football seems increasingly far removed from what it ought to be.