Rǎzvan Raƫ receives 100-cap award

Rǎzvan Raƫ received an award from UEFA to honour his reaching 100 caps for Romania before Friday's European Qualifier against Northern Ireland in Bucharest.

Now 33 and playing for Greek Super League leaders PAOK FC, defender Raţ made his debut back in February 2002 and, 12 years on, achieved a century of international appearances in last month's 2-0 Group F victory in Finland. Dorinel Munteanu, Gheorghe Hagi, Gheorghe Popescu and Laszlo Bölöni are the only other players to have attained the milestone for Romania.

"It is obviously an honour for me, to reach 100 caps and be a member of such a select band of centurions, together with some great Romanian players," said Raţ, formerly with FC Rapid Bucureşti, FC Shakhtar Donetsk, West Ham United FC and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid. "Thanks to UEFA for the award, which also means that the European football governing body recognises our playing careers.

"I owe this award and everything I have achieved during my career to a number of people. First of all to my parents, to my wife and to my whole family, who supported me all these years. And also to all my team-mates and coaches with the national team, who gave me the chance to keep playing at this level.

"I am proud and happy that this ceremony is taking place before a match in which the man on the bench is the same coach who gave me the opportunity to make my debut back in February 2002 – Anghel Iordănescu. And of course, now I want to qualify for EURO 2016."