If this is a sign of things to come, then lets just say Tottenham Hotspur supporters have a lot to look forward to.
With his side already 3-0 up and cruising to a statement win at Euro 2024, we were rubbing our eyes in disbelief as the £26 million Spurs ace popped up on the left wing, driving forward before winning a free-kick in a dangerous position.
Radu Dragusin, a centre-half on the team sheet, was not the man we expected to see in such an area of the pitch. But if anything summed up Romania’s rambunctious display in that hammering of Ukraine, it was this; Dragusin, colossal in his own half and occasionally a menace in the other, covering every blade of grass along the way.
The January signing from Genoa hardly featured during the second half of last season under Ange Postecoglou. This, however, was a performance which could have Cristian Romero glancing nervously over his shoulder, arguably the finest centre-half display of the tournament so far.
His tally of 10 clearances is the joint-most of any player, alongside Jaka Bijol of Slovenia.
Tottenham ace shines as Romania hammer Ukraine
“I saw the match between Ukraine and Romania from the stadium here in Germany,” Dragusin’s agent, Florin Manea, tells TV Play. “We were spectacular. Nobody expected such a result. A 3-0 victory for Romania.
“Dragusin? What can I say? it doesn’t surprise me anymore because I know how he works. If he continues like this he could become one of the best central defenders in the world.”
It is no secret that Dragusin, a one-time Juventus youngster, was a target for Napoli and Bayern Munich before putting pen to paper with Spurs. The 2023 Serie A champions had scouts in the stands on Monday too, watching Ukraine striker Artem Dovbyk be held at arms’ length by a formidable Dragusin display.
A display his former Juve team-mates Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci would be thrilled to call their own.
Big future ahead for Radu Dragusin at Spurs
“Today, my (business) partner told me that there were Napoli scouts at the stadium to watch Dobvyk,” Manea adds. “Perhaps they saw the game that Dragusin played! I think that Chiellini and Bonucci are proud of Dragusin. They were very important for his growth when he was at Juventus.
“With Dragusin, we have always made the right choices. His dream as a child was to play in the Premier League.
“Last summer, Bayern offered him double (his wages). But he chose Tottenham. He thinks about his career, he is a really intelligent footballer.”
Fierce long-range strikes from Nicolae Stanciu and Razvan Marin put Romania 2-0 up in their Group E clash before the twinkle-toed Dennis Man set up a third for the lively Denis Dragus in the second-half.
“Regarding this generation, I ask you something,” beams head coach Edward Iordanescu. “Do not name them in any way. In the past it was the ‘Golden Generation’.
“This represents the ‘Soul Generation’. That’s what I want to call it. It must be the ‘Soul Generation’ of the Romanians. When they put their heart into it, this generation has no limits.”
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