Mircea Lucescu deserves legendary status: Farewell to football's most underrated manager

Analysis

Martin Macdonald | Writer

Legendary football boss Mircea Lucescu passed away this week at the age of 80.

Lucescu was head coach of the Romanian national team and took charge of his final match in a World Cup playoff defeat by Turkey. He would subsequently become ill during a training session and was hospitalised.

On Friday, he reportedly suffered a heart attack which was a major contributing factor in his death the following Tuesday.

"The Romanian Football Federation expresses its boundless regret following the death of the one who was, is and will remain an absolute legend: Mircea Lucescu," the country's federation said in a 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."

Lucescu was one of the most successful and celebrated coaches of his generation and managed Corvinul Hunedoara, Romania, Dinamo Bucuresti, Pisa, Brescia, Reggiana, Rapid Bucuresti, Inter Milan, Galatasaray, Besiktas, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit, Turkey and Dynamo Kyiv over the course of his 47-year managerial career.

As a player, he featured for Romania, Dinamo Bucuresti, Stiiinta Bucuresti, and Corvinul Hunedoara. Remarkably, his playing career spanned such a long period that he played against players born in the 1930s and 1940s such as Bobby Charlton and Pele yet also came close to managing in the 2026 World Cup.

He captained Romania at the 1970 World Cup.

Not a lot of people may know that Lucescu is among the top five most successful managers of all time.

Sir Alex Ferguson is officially the most successful manager in history with 49 trophies in his illustrious career. Pep Guardiola is in second with 40, Lucescu has 35, Carlo Ancelotti has 30 and Ukrainian Valery Lobanovskyi has 29.

Esteemed company to be in and it highlights not only Lucescu's qualities as a coach but it is also a testament to his longevity within the game.

The Romanian is perhaps known most for his period with Shakhtar in Ukraine, in which he oversaw a period of dominance for the Donetsk side. Under his stewardship, they won eight Ukrainian Premier Leagues, six Ukrainian Cups, six Ukrainian Super Cups as well as the UEFA Cup in 2009.

A trophy, is a trophy, is a trophy and even though Lucescu may not have been an iconic figure in 'elite' European leagues, his success deserves recognition.

As well as winning the UEFA Cup in 2009, he made Shakhtar a force to be reckoned with in the Champions League and in 2015 he became just the fifth manager to field a team in 100 Champions League matches.

Mircea Lucescu tributes

Following his passing, several of his former clubs paid tribute to Lucescu.

Galatasaray:

"We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of Mircea Lucescu, the winning manager of our Uefa Super Cup and 15th Turkish league titles. Rest in peace Luce, we will never forget you."

Inter:

"The entire Inter family mourn the passing of Mircea Lucescu and extend heartfelt condolences to his loved ones."

Shakhtar:

"FC Shakhtar express its deepest condolences to Mircea Lucescu’s family – his wife Neli, his son Răzvan, his grandchildren Meril and Matei – as well as his relatives, friends and all who knew and valued Mister. In these days, all our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones and millions of fans in Romania and around the world. Thank you for everything, Mister. Your name is forever written into the history of world football. Rest in peace, Great Coach."

Romanian Football Federation president Razvan Burleanu:

"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. 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."