Former Head Coach of Shakhtar Donetsk, Dynamo Kyiv, and Romania National Team Mircea Lucescu Passes Away

Mircea Lucescu, a renowned figure in the world of football, has died at the age of 81. The news of his passing came on Sunday after his health deteriorated significantly due to a serious myocardial infarction. Lucescu was well-known for his long tenure as the head coach of prominent Ukrainian clubs, including Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv.

Reports indicate that Lucescu had been hospitalized since late March of this year after suffering a heart attack. His condition worsened in the days leading up to his death, prompting doctors to place him in an artificial coma and transfer him to the intensive care unit. Despite the medical team's best efforts, they were unable to save Lucescu's life.

Lucescu enjoyed a lengthy and successful career both as a player and a coach. He spent the majority of his playing career at Bucharest's Dynamo, where he played as a forward. He also had stints with Ştiinţa and Corvinul, where he began his coaching career as a player-coach.

Throughout his career, Lucescu managed the Romanian national team during two separate periods (1981–1986 and 2024–2026), as well as the Turkish national team (2017–2019). He worked with several European clubs, including Italy's Inter, Brescia, Pisa, and Reggiana, as well as Turkey's Galatasaray and Beşiktaş, and Romania's Dynamo and Rapid.

Lucescu achieved his greatest successes in Ukraine. As the head coach of Shakhtar from 2004 to 2016, he led the team to an impressive 22 trophies, including eight Ukrainian championship titles, six Ukrainian Cups, and the UEFA Cup in 2009. He holds the record for the longest tenure at the club (12 years) and the most matches managed (573).

After his successful stint at Shakhtar, Lucescu took over as head coach of Kyiv's Dynamo in 2020, becoming the coach of their principal rival. In his first season, he guided the team to a 'golden double', winning both the championship and the Ukrainian Cup. Overall, under his leadership, Dynamo played 126 matches, achieving 70 victories.

His last position was as the head coach of the Romanian national team, which he took over in August 2024. Lucescu stepped down in April 2026 due to health reasons and after completing the qualification cycle for the 2026 World Cup.

According to reports, Lucescu's condition sharply declined on Sunday following an acute heart attack and a complicated surgery. On April 3, he experienced an acute myocardial infarction while still in the hospital, and doctors had to perform resuscitation procedures on the operating table in an attempt to revive the coach.