Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu dies at 80

Romanian football coach Mircea Lucescu has died at age 80, the Romanian Football Federation announced on Tuesday.

In a statement, the federation said: “The Romanian Football Federation expresses its boundless regret following the passing of the one who was, is, and will remain an absolute legend: Mircea Lucescu.”

“Our football has today lost not only a brilliant tactician, but also a mentor, a visionary and a national symbol who carried the tricolor to the highest peaks of global success,” it added.

Lucescu left behind what the federation described as a “colossal legacy,” both as a player and a coach.

As a player, he was known for elegance and intelligence on the pitch, becoming emblematic for Dinamo Bucurest, where he won seven league titles, and representing Romania at the 1970 FIFA World Cup as captain, facing legends such as Pele and Bobby Moore.

His coaching career defined his legacy. He helped introduce modern football in Romania, led the national team to Euro 1984, and laid the foundations of Corvinul Hunedoara’s rise.

His international success, European trophies, and achievements with Galatasaray and Besiktas in Türkiye, along with the national team, as well as with Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, placed him among the most decorated managers in world football.

He returned to the Romania national team in 2024, leading a successful UEFA Nations League campaign with six wins in six matches, securing a playoff spot for World Cup qualification.

Romanian FA President Razvan Burleanu said: “It is a dark day for Romania and for world football.”

“We have lost a man who lived through and for football every second of his life. Mircea Lucescu was not just a coach, but a teacher of life for entire generations of players.

“He loved this sport more than anything, and his impact on our football is immeasurable. In these difficult moments, our thoughts are with his grieving family,” Burleanu said.

The federation announced that a minute of silence will be held before matches in Liga I, Liga II, Liga III and women’s competitions in his memory.

It also said the process of appointing a new national team coach has been suspended indefinitely following his death.