Overview
- Lucescu died Tuesday in Bucharest at age 80 after a week in intensive care that followed a collapse days after Romania’s March 26 World Cup playoff.
- Doctors treated severe cardiac complications, including two heart attacks, dangerous arrhythmias, cardiac surgery earlier in the week, and an induced coma.
- He insisted on leaving the hospital to coach the playoff semifinal against Turkey, becoming the oldest national-team coach on record at 80 years and 240 days.
- He won dozens of trophies across Romania, Turkey and Ukraine, highlighted by Shakhtar Donetsk’s 2009 UEFA Cup, and was known for early use of match analysis and for developing talent.
- Romania will hold a public vigil at Bucharest’s Arena Națională with the funeral set for Friday, April 10, as family and former players share tributes to his influence.