The Romanian football landscape has been reshaped following the final ruling by the High Court of Cassation and Justice, which decisively stripped FCSB Bucharest of the historic accolades of Steaua Bucharest spanning from 2003 to 2017. This verdict leaves the club, considered the successor to Romania's most decorated football entity, with a mere two league titles. After a nine-year drought, FCSB secured a trophy last summer by defeating Farul Constanța, led by the legendary Gheorghe Hagi.

Florin Talan, the legal representative of the Army Sports Club Steaua, which currently plays in the second division and is owned by the Ministry of Defense, heralded the court's decision, emphasizing its significance not as an end but as a new beginning. He highlighted the necessity for the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) and UEFA to recognize Steaua's rights, signaling a potential shift in the club's standing in European football.

In light of the ruling, supporters of the newly founded Steaua club in 2017 have urged Romanian football's governing bodies to communicate the court's decision to UEFA, which currently attributes the full historic record, including the 1986 European Cup victory against Barcelona, to FCSB. The largest fan community, Asociația Steliștilor 1947, has called for recognition and compensation from FCSB, while the FRF has stated it will await the court's detailed reasoning before making any declarations.

The origin of this complex situation dates back to 2017, when Steaua—meaning "star" in Romanian—was forced to rebrand to FCSB due to a legal battle initiated by the Ministry of Defense, which sold the club in 2003 under UEFA regulations. Despite losing its name and emblem, the club's massive fanbase remained loyal, cherishing the 26 league titles won from its inception in 1947 until 2017.

As a countermeasure, the Ministry of Defense established a new football team bearing Steaua's original name and crest, starting in the fourth division with former Real Oviedo striker Marius Lacatus as coach. Despite its aspirations to return to the top Romanian league, bureaucratic hurdles have prevented its ascension due to regulations barring public institution-owned teams from competing in the top division.

Previously, in 2019, the Romanian judiciary revoked FCSB's claim to 21 titles, including the European Cup, achieved before 2003 under the ownership of businessman Gigi Becali, a right-wing political figure. Subsequent appeals granted FCSB a brief reprieve, restoring five years' worth of titles from 1998 to 2003, a period during which the club diverged from military affiliation at UEFA's behest. This year's ruling further stripped FCSB of six titles between 2003 and 2017.

Becali maintains he purchased the club along with its full history and argues that his achievements since taking ownership should remain intact. Adrian Căvescu, his lawyer, contends that despite the Romanian court's definitive ruling, UEFA will continue to recognize FCSB as Steaua's successor, citing the continuity in football governance. Căvescu suggests that such disputes should be resolved within football's regulatory bodies rather than through judicial intervention.

Steaua's legacy includes contributions from renowned players such as Hagi, Marius Lăcătuș, Helmut Duckadam, Miodrag Belodedici, Constantin Gâlcă, Ilie Dumitrescu, and Dan Petrescu. Although the official record now limits FCSB to two trophies, its fanbase continues to associate the club with its illustrious past.