Cristina Neagu

With two serious injuries to her right shoulder and left knee – most recently in January 2013 - Romanian star Cristina Neagu spent more than two years off court recovering from injuries.

However, the 64 goals she scored in the Women’s EHF Champions League in the 2013/14 season, when she reached the final with Buducnost, showed that the World Handball Player of the Year 2010 is on the right track back to her best shape.

The left back is certainly one Romania’s main weapons in the fight for a main round spot. Neagu was also IHF Rookie of the Year 2009 and Romanian player of the year in 2009 and 2010.

Paula Ungureanu

Ungureanu is the no.1 goalkeeper for the Romanian national team since 2009. Her colourful career began at Remin Deva, stations at HYPO Niederösterreich (Austria), Dunaferr (Hungary) and at HC Podravka Vegeta (Croatia) followed; but in 2009, she returned home to Romania where she signed with Oltchim Valcea before transferring to Baia Mare in summer 2013.

She ranked 4th in the top goalkeepers list of the World Championship 2009 with a 41% save rate. Also, Ungureanu was elected the best Romanian handball player in 2012, just months after giving birth to her son.

The rise and success of the national team is connected with the name Gheorghe Tadici. The professor of sport spent more than 20 years as the coach of local club Zalau and he led the club to several national and international titles before taking his first assignment with the national team.

In 2005, he led Romania to World Championship silver and to the semi-finals of the 2007 World Championship. In 2006, he took over as coach of Oltchim and led the team to victories in Romania and in Europe, including the Cup Winners' Cup.

Tadici was succeeded by Radu Voina at the helm of the national team in 2008 bzt returned to the post just ahead of the EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia.