Legendary manager dies after suffering heart attack just two weeks after World Cup hopes shattered

Ed Griffiths
Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:51:37 +0000

Mircea Lucescu, one of football's most decorated managers, has died at the age of 80 following a heart attack.

The Romanian coaching icon passed away on Tuesday evening at Bucharest University Emergency Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment since suffering the cardiac episode on Friday.

His death came just five days after he stepped down from his position as Romania's national team boss.

Lucescu had collapsed during a team meeting and was subsequently diagnosed with heart arrhythmia, prompting his resignation on April 2.

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The 80-year-old's final match in charge was a 1-0 World Cup play-off defeat to Turkey on March 26, with Ferdi Kadioglu's goal ending Romania's hopes of reaching the 2026 tournament.

Lucescu's managerial career stretched across an extraordinary 47 years, beginning at Corvinul Hunedoara in 1979.

During that time, he took charge of 1,226 matches and accumulated 37 trophies across multiple countries.

His first permanent national team role came between 1981 and 1986, a period that saw him achieve a historic milestone for Romanian football.

Under his guidance, the country qualified for their inaugural European Championship finals in 1984.

As a player, the former winger had already established himself as a national icon.

He claimed seven league titles with Dinamo Bucharest and earned 65 caps for Romania, wearing the captain's armband at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

His most celebrated chapter came at Shakhtar Donetsk, where he spent 12 years building a dynasty with the Ukrainian club.

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That remarkable tenure yielded 22 trophies, comprising eight league championships and the Uefa Cup.

Beyond Shakhtar, Lucescu's CV featured an impressive array of European clubs.

He managed in Italy with Brescia and Inter Milan, while his time in Turkey included spells at both Galatasaray and Besiktas.

Following his departure from Shakhtar in 2016, he took charge of Zenit St Petersburg and later the Turkish national team.

A stint at Dynamo Kyiv preceded his return to the Romanian national setup in 2024, following the team's Euro 2024 campaign.

His career encompassed multiple league title triumphs in Romania, Ukraine and Turkey.

Tributes flooded in from across the footballing world following the announcement.

Galatasaray, where Lucescu won the Uefa Super Cup and a Turkish league title between 2000 and 2002, posted on X: "We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of Mircea Lucescu, the winning manager of our Uefa Super Cup and 15th Turkish league titles. Rest in peace Luce, we will never forget you."

Inter Milan expressed their sorrow, stating: "The entire Inter family mourn the passing of Mircea Lucescu and extend heartfelt condolences to his loved ones."

Romanian FA president Razvan Burleanu described it as "a black day for Romania and for world football", adding: "Mircea Lucescu was not just a coach, but a life teacher for entire generations of players. He was a man who loved this sport more than anything in life, and his impact on our football is immeasurable."