Mircea Lucescu, the Romanian football great who was a serial trophy winner as a player and a coach, has died aged 80.<\/p>\n
Lucescu\u2019s death was confirmed by Bucharest university emergency hospital on Tuesday. He had been taken to hospital after reportedly having a heart attack on Friday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr Mircea Lucescu was one of the most successful Romanian football coaches and players, the first to qualify the national team for a European Championship, in 1984,\u201d the hospital said in a statement. \u201cEntire generations of Romanians grew up with his image in their hearts, as a national symbol.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucescu had a lengthy coaching career and was in his second spell with the Romanian national team until stepping down last Thursday after falling ill during training. Three days earlier, Romania had missed out on qualification to the 2026 World Cup after losing 1-0 to Turkey in a playoff.<\/p>\n
As a player, Lucescu won 64 caps and captained his country at the 1970 World Cup. His first stint as Romania manager began in 1981, and he led the team to the 1984 Euros after topping a qualifying group featuring Italy, Sweden and Czechoslovakia.<\/p>\n
Mircea Lucescu (left) holds the Uefa Cup with the Shakhtar Donetsk owner, Rinat Akhmetov, after their victory over Werder Bremen in the 2009 final. Photograph: Carl Recine\/Action Images\/Reuters<\/p>\n
During a well-travelled club coaching career, Lucescu managed teams across Europe, winning multiple titles. He won the Uefa Super Cup with Galatasaray in 2000, adding the Turkish title in 2001-02, and then winning the league with rivals Besiktas the following year.<\/p>\n
In May 2004, Lucescu joined Ukrainian side Shakhar Donetsk and won eight titles in his 12-year tenure, plus the Uefa Cup in 2009. He went on to manage Zenit Saint Petersburg, Dynamo Kyiv and the Turkish national team, before returning to coach Romania after a 38-year gap to try and qualify for the World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for everything, Mister. Your name is forever written into the history of world football,\u201d Shakhtar posted on X. Galatasaray wrote in their tribute: \u201cWe extend our deepest condolences to Mircea Lucescu\u2019s family, loved ones, and the football community. We will never forget you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucescu also coached Pisa, Brescia, Reggiana and Inter in Italy, winning Serie B with Brescia in 1991-92. He is fondly remembered by fans for his \u201cBrescia Romeno\u201d side, featuring four Romanian players, including Gheorghe Hagi.<\/p>\n