In Memory of Mircea Lucescu: Former Shakhtar Player Alex Teixeira Expresses His Condolences

Former midfielder of the Donetsk football club Shakhtar, Alex Teixeira, has expressed his deep condolences following the tragic news of the death of the team's legendary coach, Mircea Lucescu. In a heartfelt post on social media platform Instagram, Teixeira wrote: "With great sadness, we say goodbye to you today, Mister! I will be forever grateful for everything I learned and how I grew up with you as a coach, like a father and a friend! Thank you for everything! Rest in peace!".

Alex Teixeira played under the guidance of Mircea Lucescu from 2010 to 2015, during which time he won 13 trophies with the team. In 2016, the Brazilian moved to the Chinese club Jiangsu Suning, and he also had stints with Turkish club Beşiktaş during the 2021-2022 season and Brazilian club Vasco da Gama from 2022 to 2025. Currently, the 36-year-old footballer is playing in the Greek league for the club Panserrakikos.

Mircea Lucescu, a prominent Romanian coach, led Donetsk Shakhtar from 2004 to 2016. Under his management, the team played 573 matches and won 22 trophies, including 8 Ukrainian championship titles, 6 Ukrainian Cups, and 7 Ukrainian Super Cups. His most significant achievement was winning the UEFA Cup in 2009, which marked the club's first European trophy. After that, in the 2020/21 season, he won the Ukrainian Premier League with Kyiv's Dynamo. Mircea Lucescu is regarded as one of the three most successful coaches in football history.

The tragic events leading to Lucescu's death began on March 29, 2026, when the coach was hospitalized after a deterioration in his health while with the Romanian national team. This incident occurred following a defeat to Turkey (0:1) in the playoff qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. On April 2, 2026, Lucescu stepped down from his position as the coach of the Romanian team.

On April 3, 2026, Lucescu suffered an acute myocardial infarction in the hospital. Following this, he was placed in a medically induced coma due to severe heart arrhythmias that were unresponsive to treatment. A computed tomography scan revealed multiple signs of ischemic cerebral strokes and pulmonary thromboembolism, with the coach's condition assessed as critical. Cardiologist Ștefan Busnatu reported damage to several organs, including the heart, brain, and lungs. Unfortunately, on the evening of April 7, 2026, Mircea Lucescu passed away.

Previously, other former Shakhtar players, such as Yaroslav Rakitskiy, also shared emotional farewells to Lucescu, while Taras Stepanenko expressed his condolences by posting a memorable photo with him. The loss of Mircea Lucescu has left a profound mark in the hearts of many who knew him as a coach, friend, and mentor.