"Mourning in Romanian football: Mircea Lucescu has passed away" the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) wrote on its official website on Tuesday evening shortly after the announcement of the death of the great coach, about whom the FRF wrote that he is and will remain an absolute legend.
"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. Today, our football loses 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. Mircea Lucescu left behind a colossal legacy, difficult to match in the history of the king sport. As a player, he was the essence of elegance and intelligence on the field. Iconic for Dinamo Bucharest, the club with which he won 7 championship titles, Lucescu also shone under the colors of the national team. The reference moment remains the 1970 World Cup, where, as captain of the "Guadalajara Generation", he faced legends such as Pele and Bobby Moore", the FRF reports.
The Federation also highlighted Mircea Lucescu's coaching career, which "places him in the pantheon of the most successful coaches in the history of world football".
"But his true genius was seen on the technical bench. Mircea Lucescu was the coach who brought modern football to Romania, taking the national team to EURO 1984 and laying the foundations of the great Corvin Hunedoara team. His international successes, the European trophies won, the triumphs with Galatasaray and Besiktas in Turkey, the period at Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, placed him in the pantheon of the most titled coaches in the history of world football. In the summer of 2024, he returned to the National Team that he loved without limits. Under his leadership, Romania managed an exceptional campaign in the Nations League, six victories out of six matches, following which our national team secured a place in the play-offs in March, for access to this summer's World Championship. Goodbye, Mircea Lucescu! Thank you for everything you have given to Romanian football! May God rest in peace!", the FRF writes.
The president of the Romanian Football Federation, Razvan Burleanu, declared that it is a black day for Romania and for world football.
"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 existence. 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. In these difficult times, our thoughts go out to the grieving family. We are left with his lessons, with the elegance of his reign and with a huge void that can never be filled. Smooth road among the stars, Mr. Lucescu", declared Razvan Burleanu.
The great coach Mircea Lucescu died on Tuesday, at the age of 80. The announcement was made by the Bucharest University Emergency Hospital, where the former coach was hospitalized. The Bucharest University Emergency Hospital stated that the death was declared at around 8:30 p.m.
Mircea Lucescu was admitted to the Bucharest University Hospital on March 29 after feeling unwell during a technical meeting prior to a training session of the national football team, affected by the failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, after the defeat suffered against Turkey (0-1), on March 26.
Lucescu did not travel with the national team to Slovakia, the Romanian national team being led by deputy coach Ionel Gane in the friendly match lost on Tuesday by 0-2.
The Romanian Football Federation announced last Thursday, through its official website, that coach Mircea Lucescu has ended his mandate as coach of the Romanian national team.
Under the leadership of Mircea Lucescu, Romania managed an exceptional campaign in the Nations League, following which the national team secured a place in the play-offs in March, for access to this summer's World Cup. His record on the national team bench during this period includes 11 wins, 1 draw and 6 defeats.
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