Tributes for Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu, who died on the evening of Tuesday, April 7, following heart issues, have come in from major international publications, figures in sports, the clubs he coached, and many others.
Lucescu was the third-most decorated coach in football history, with 35 trophies, behind Alex Ferguson (49) and Pep Guardiola (40). Throughout his coaching career, he managed the Turkey national football team, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Dynamo Kyiv, Beșiktaș, Galatasaray, Rapid București, Inter Milan, Reggiana, Brescia, AC Pisa, Dinamo București, and the Romania national football team.
The press
The international sports press highlighted the coach’s achievements. “Mircea Lucescu, the visionary of football, has died. He coached Pisa, Inter, and Brescia,” headlined Gazzetta dello Sport. The magazine noted Lucescu’s trophies won at the helm of 8 different teams and the “hundreds of players launched into top football.” Lucescu also has a statue proudly displayed in Donetsk, in front of the Donbas Arena, the same source pointed out.
“From his beginnings in Hunedoara to the golden era at Shakhtar Donetsk, he transformed every club he coached. Among his distinctions are memorable moments such as the UEFA Super Cup won against Real Madrid with Galatasaray,” said the publication OneFootball.
“A phenomenon of longevity, he coached around fifteen clubs starting from 1980. A monument of Romanian and European football has passed away,” said L’Equipe.
The New York Times marked his passing as well, and so did The Independent.
The clubs
Numerous clubs coached by Mircea Lucescu sent tribute messages, highlighting his profound impact on European football. The Turkish team Beșiktaş said Lucescu was “the architect of our championship title” and noted that he will always be remembered.
Galatasaray recalled Lucescu’s historic achievements, reminding that he was “the one who brought another European cup to our country by winning the UEFA Super Cup.” Lucescu “led our team in the season we became champions. Condolences to his family, fans, and the entire football community. We will not forget you,” the club said.
Inter Milan also paid tribute. “FC Internazionale Milano and the entire Nerazzurri family join with deep emotion in expressing condolences for the passing of Mircea Lucescu, embracing his family with affection. […] A coach of great human and professional quality, Mircea Lucescu embodied the values of competence, elegance, and passion, leaving an important legacy in the world of football.”
UEFA and its president Aleksander Čeferin paid tribute too, describing Lucescu as “one of the truly original personalities of football,” a coach with “rare football intelligence, remarkable dignity and outstanding passion.”
Dynamo Kyiv highlighted that under Lucescu’s leadership, 2020-2023, the team won the league, the cup, and the Super Cup of Ukraine.
Greece’s PAOK, coached by Lucescu’s son Răzvan, said he left a lasting mark on world football and inspired entire generations through his character and knowledge. “We stand with Răzvan and his family in these difficult moments,” the club transmitted.
The Turkish Football Federation also sent a tribute, emphasizing his major contribution to rejuvenating the national team and promoting new talents.
The Romanian Football Federation, in turn, expressed “boundless regret” over Lucescu’s passing. “Our football loses today not only a brilliant tactician, but 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 football.”
In a public statement, Dinamo Bucharest said that “Mircea Lucescu was more than a name in the club’s history. He was one of those who wrote it.” The rivals in Rapid marked his passing in a message as well.
Public figures
President Nicușor Dan released a message following the death of Mircea Lucescu, saying he “leaves us the example of a life dedicated to the passion for football and the power to move forward.”
The coach was a true ambassador for the country, according to the president. “For more than six decades, as a player for the national team and traditional clubs, and later as an elite coach, he excelled at the highest level. With remarkable tenacity and tactical intelligence, he won important trophies and built teams, but above all, characters,” Dan added.
“Mircea Lucescu meant football, with a capital ‘F’, for at least three generations. The luckiest saw him play for Dinamo Bucharest in the 60s and 70s. They saw him in the role of national team captain at the 1970 World Cup matches,” said prime minister Ilie Bolojan.
“Even the youngest know him as the legendary coach of Shakhtar Donetsk, Galatasaray, or Beșiktaș. Future generations will know him as the legendary coach whose name is linked to the best years of Romanian football,” he added.
Numerous other public figures in sports, politics, and other fields marked Lucescu’s passing.
A life dedicated to football
Mircea Lucescu was one of the most decorated and successful coaches in Romanian football history. Born on July 29, 1945, in Bucharest, he began his playing career in 1961. He achieved major success with Dinamo Bucharest, winning multiple league titles and a Romanian Cup. He captained the national team at the 1970 World Cup, according to Digi24.
As a coach, he led Corvinul Hunedoara, the Romanian national team (qualifying for Euro 1984), Dinamo Bucharest, and later clubs in Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia. His greatest success came with Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won multiple league titles and the 2009 UEFA Cup.
Over his career, he coached teams such as Pisa, Brescia, Reggiana, Rapid Bucharest, Inter Milan, Galatasaray, Beșiktaş, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit Saint Petersburg, the Turkish national team, and Dynamo Kyiv. He was widely recognized worldwide, receiving numerous honors and awards, and was ranked among the top coaches in football history.
Mircea Lucescu knew six foreign languages and was known for encouraging his players to pursue education and culture. His son, Răzvan Lucescu, also became a coach.
Service and Burial
The lifeless body of Mircea Lucescu was laid out on Wednesday, April 8, at the National Arena in Bucharest, allowing those who appreciated him to say goodbye to the one nicknamed “Il Luce.” Public access will be allowed starting at 5 PM, through a controlled circuit designed to ensure the smooth flow of visitors. That same evening, at 6 PM, a first vigil service will take place. The visiting schedule will continue throughout Thursday, between 10 AM and 8 PM.
More than a decade ago, Mircea Lucescu purchased a burial plot in Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest. He will be laid there, with the funeral scheduled for Friday, April 10. The service will be held at the Sfântul Elefterie Church in Bucharest.
The final stage of the ceremony will take place at Bellu Cemetery, starting at 12:20. The burial moment, scheduled for 13:10, will be preceded by military honors. According to the organizers’ wishes, public access to the cemetery will be restricted, the area being reserved exclusively for family and a small circle of close relatives.
(Photo source: Federatia Romania de Fotbal on Facebook)
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