Adrian Ropotan blames food poisoning for missing Romania's EURO 2016 squad

Adrian Ropotan has revealed that a case of food poisoning prevented him from securing a place in Romania's final squad for EURO 2016. The former midfielder, who was playing for Pandurii Târgu Jiu at the time, explained that the illness occurred on the day of a crucial preparatory friendly against Congo.

Ropotan started the match but struggled with his health, leading to a poor performance that resulted in his substitution at halftime. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, but the incident marked a turning point in his selection prospects under head coach Anghel Iordănescu.

Following the match against Congo, Ropotan was not given any playing time in subsequent preparation games against Ukraine and Georgia. He stated that he had been confident about his inclusion in the tournament squad prior to the illness, believing he was on track to participate in the finals in France.

When the final roster was announced, Iordănescu excluded Ropotan along with Ioan Hora and Alexandru Maxim. Ropotan described missing the European Championship as one of the most significant disappointments of his professional career, noting that he had felt certain of his selection before the health issue arose.