Mircea Lucescu, the veteran coach who led Shakhtar Donetsk to European glory and managed Romania across two separate eras, has died aged 80, the Romanian Football Federation said on Tuesday.
He was taken to hospital late last month after falling ill during a meeting before a training session with Romania, ruling him out of a friendly in Slovakia on March 31.
The FRF announced his departure as head coach on Thursday and said it had now suspended the search for a replacement for an indefinite period.
Lucescu's most prominent period of success came during a 12-year tenure at Shakhtar Donetsk, where he led the side to eight Ukrainian league titles and the 2009 UEFA Cup.
He also secured championships in Turkey with rivals Galatasaray and Besiktas, and spent time in Italy with Inter Milan and Brescia.
A former national team captain who led Romania to Euro 1984 as a young coach, Lucescu is widely credited with modernising the country’s football infrastructure. His second stint as Romania manager, during which they lost to Turkey in the 2026 World Cup playoff semi-finals on March 26, proved to be his final role in the game.
"It is a black day for Romania and for world football. A man who lived through and for football in every second of his existence has left us," the FRF said in a statement.
"He was a man who loved this sport more than anything in life, and his impact on our football is immeasurable."
Known for his tactical discipline and talent development, Lucescu leaves a legacy as one of the most successful coaches in European club football in terms of number of trophies won.
"European and world football have lost an exceptional figure whose influence, stature and legacy will endure for generations to come," said UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.
"Mircea Lucescu was one of the game’s true originals - a man of rare football intellect, remarkable dignity and passion, whose contribution to the sport is difficult to measure in words alone.
"His presence shaped teams, inspired players and colleagues, and left a lasting imprint on football far beyond the touchline."
Lucescu won seven league titles and the Romanian Cup as a winger for Dinamo Bucharest. He established himself as one of the country's most decorated figures, captaining Romania at the 1970 World Cup and winning 64 caps over more than a decade.
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