Romania left the EURO 2024 football tournament on July 2 after losing to the Netherlands 0-3 in the round of 16 match. Before departing, however, the team left their locker room sparkling clean and a touching 'thank you' note to the organizers.

"EURO 2024 was, for each of us, one of the most important football experiences ever lived, and now we are happy to say that it has been a great honor. Each match, each moment lived here has inspired us and made us feel the magic of football," reads the message the Romanian team left in the locker room.

"We leave Germany thinking that we have given everything for Romania, and we are grateful for the fact that for these two weeks, we have been part of the great European football family. It has been an honor to be part of the great European football family. Thank you for making us feel at home!" 

With four goals scored in the group stage, Romania topped their EURO group for the first time this year and progressed to the EURO knockout rounds for the first time since EURO 2000. The excellent performance at this year's tournament also brought the team the nickname of Romania's "generation of soul." Roughly 125,000 fans attended Romania's four matches at EURO 2024, ranking third after Germany and Turkey.

Still, Romania has yet to win the UEFA European Championship. This was its second successful group campaign from a total of six EURO tournament appearances.

The team is set to return to Bucharest on Wednesday evening, July 3.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Echipa națională de fotbal a României)