Sport in Romania is an important part of the country's culture. Romania has risen to prominence in a number of sporting areas in recent decades. Association football is the most popular sport in Romania, a nation of 20 million. The most successful club is Steaua Bucharest, who were the first Eastern European side to win the European Cup and the European Supercup in 1986. Romania is one of only four national teams from Europe that took part in the first World Cup in 1930. The Romania national football team has taken part in seven FIFA World Cups and had its most successful run during the 1990s, when they reached the quarterfinals of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, losing to Sweden in the penalty shootout. Romania was ranked third by FIFA in 1997.
Mihaela Buzărnescu is a Romanian former tennis player. She has a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 20, achieved on 6 August 2018. Her best doubles ranking of world No. 24, she reached on 22 October 2018. She has won one singles title and two doubles titles on the WTA Tour.
Teodora Albon is a Romanian football referee. Albon started her refereeing career in 2000 while still playing for Clujana Cluj-Napoca, where she was coached by her husband, Mirel Albon, a former Liga I assistant referee.
Cristina Carp is a Romanian footballer who plays as a forward for YB Frauen in the Swiss Women's Super League and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Mihaela Horvat is a Croatian footballer who plays as a midfielder and has appeared for the Croatia women's national team.
Cristina Musteață is a Moldovan footballer who plays as a centre-back and has appeared for the Moldova women's national team.
Nadejda Colesnicenco is a Moldovan footballer who plays as a midfielder and has appeared for the Moldova women's national team.
Adina-Gina Rognean is a Romanian footballer who plays as a forward and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Andrea Herczeg is a Romanian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Szent Mihály FC and the Romania women's national team.
Beatrice Tărășilă is a Romanian footballer who plays as a midfielder and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Bianca Sandu is a Romanian footballer who plays as a defender and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Brigitta Gődér, sometimes written as Brigita Goder is a Romanian footballer of hungarian ethnicity who plays as a midfielder for Haladás-Viktória and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Claudia Bistrian is a Romanian footballer who plays as a midfielder and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Erika Geréd, sometimes written as Erika Gered, is a Romanian footballer of hungarian ethnicity who plays as a midfielder for Vasas Femina FC and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Isabelle Mihail is a Romanian footballer who plays as a forward and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Melinda Nagy is a Romanian footballer who plays as a defender and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Oana Negrea is a Romanian footballer who plays as a midfielder and has appeared for the Romania women's national team.
Teodora Meluță, often known as Teo Meluță, is a Romanian footballer who plays as a defender for Politehnica Timișoara and the Romania women's national team.
Ion-Marcel Ciolacu is a Romanian politician who currently serves as the Prime Minister of Romania. He is also the leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). As a previously little-known politician outside of Buzău County, where he owns a pastry shop and a consulting firm, Ciolacu came into national prominence when he became the deputy prime minister in 2018 in the cabinet of Prime Minister Mihai Tudose. Allegedly, he was given this office in order to report Tudose's activities to Liviu Dragnea, who had been unable to become prime minister himself and was wary of Tudose becoming a power player in the party. Ciolacu soon broke with Dragnea and became an ally of Tudose against Dragnea's leadership. After Tudose's resignation, Ciolacu was marginalized within PSD but still retained the leadership of PSD Buzău. Ciolacu once again returned to prominence in 2019 after Liviu Dragnea had been convicted on abuse of office and incitement to intellectual forgery charges, having to serve a 3 years, 6 months sentence. With the Social Democrats still controlling a majority both in the Chamber and in the Senate, Ciolacu won the position of President of the Chamber of Deputies, with 172 votes for and 120 against, previously held by Dragnea himself.
Ciolacu is a Romanian surname. Notable people with the surname include:
