In a statement, the hospital announced, “Today, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, around 20.30, the death of Mr MIRCEA LUCESCU was declared. Mr Mircea Lucescu was one of the most successful Romanian football coaches and players, the first to qualify the Romanian national team for a European Championship, in 1984. Entire generations of Romanians grew up with his image in their hearts, as a national symbol. May God rest him!”
The Romanian Football Federation also extended their regards to one of their greats and said that it “expresses its boundless regret following the death of the one who was, is and will remain an absolute legend.”
Mircea was in charge of managing Romania from 1981 and 1986 and made a return to the position in 2024. On March 26, he coached his last game when his team lost 1-0 to Turkey and failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The federation further said in their statement, “Our football loses not only a brilliant tactician, but a mentor, a visionary, and a national symbol who carried the tricolour to the highest peaks of global success.”
The former Romanian footballer had managed several clubs in his lifetime including Inter Milan, Galatasaray, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St Petersburg, Besiktas and Dynamo Kyiv. Besides Romania, he had also managed Turkey in international football. His career as head coach, which began at Corvinul Hunedoara, spanned 47 years.
During his playing years, Mircea Lucescu made 64 appearances for Romania and was also named Romania captain at the 1970 World Cup. In the club level, he made a mark in the Romanian league championship with Dinamo București, winning seven titles.