Mircea Lucescu, a Romanian football great, has died at the age of 80. His death was confirmed by Bucharest University Emergency Hospital. He had been hospitalized after reportedly suffering a heart attack.
Lucescu had a lengthy coaching career and was in his second spell with the Romanian national team until stepping down after falling ill during training. As a player, he captained Romania at the 1970 World Cup. He was the first to qualify the Romanian national team for a European Championship, in 1984.
During his coaching career, he managed teams across Europe and won multiple titles. He reportedly collapsed while leading the team's training ahead of a friendly match against Slovakia. According to reports, he suffered from serious heart problems and his health deteriorated.
He is remembered as a national symbol in Romania.