Legendary manager dies in hospital two weeks after taking charge of World Cup play-off

Legendary manager dies in hospital two weeks after taking charge of World Cup play-offFormer Romania, Galatasaray, Inter Milan and Turkey boss Mircea Lucescu has passed away at the age of 80, with tributes having started to pour in since thenCommentsSportDaniel Orme Sports Writer20:23, 07 Apr 2026Updated 20:23, 07 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesTributes have poured in for Mircea Lucescu(Image: Getty Images)Romanian icon Mircea Lucescu has died at the age of 80 just weeks after leading the nation into a World Cup play-off. The European nation took on Turkey in a qualifying semi-final last month, losing 1-0 following Ferdi Kadioglu’s strike.‌Just days after that defeat, Lucescu resigned from his position after being diagnosed with heart arrhythmia following a collapse in training. And it has now been confirmed that Lucescu has sadly passed away. A statement from Bucharest University Emergency Hospital read: "Today, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at around 8:30 p.m., the death of Mr. Mircea Lucescu was declared.‌“Mr. Mircea Lucescu was one of the most successful Romanian football coaches and players, the first to qualify the Romanian national team for a European Championship, in 1984. Entire generations of Romanians grew up with his image in their hearts, as a national symbol. May God rest his soul!"‌Tributes have since flowed in for Lucescu following his death. A post on X from Turkish giants Galatasaray read: “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.”READ MORE: James Rodriguez health update after being rushed to hospital in World Cup warm-up matchREAD MORE: Inside England's World Cup HQ base - from the gym to training pitchesJOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook pageRomanian side Dinamo București, who Lucescu both played for and managed, said: “The eternal image of a symbol! Un...