Mircea Lucescu manages Romania aged 80(Image: Serhat Cagdas/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Romania manager Mircea Lucescu was rushed to hospital after he collapsed during a team meeting on Sunday. Lucescu, 80, is now in a stable condition and will undergo further tests.
The Romanian, who’s been battling health issues in recent months, was preparing his players to face Slovakia in a friendly on Tuesday. Both teams saw their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup ended on Thursday, with Romania suffering a 1-0 defeat in Turkey while Slovakia lost 4-3 at home to Kosovo.
Local reports say that Lucescu sat on a chair and ‘switched off’. Two ambulances came to Romania’s training camp after he was first helped by the team’s medical staff.
Lucescu gave an update on his condition to Romanian outlet GSP. “I’m okay now,” the former Shakhtar Donetsk boss said. “I will be submitted to further testing”.
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According to Turkish publication Fanatik, Lucescu joked to the doctors in the ambulance: “You were fast. You could be good strikers!”
Romania’s World Cup dream was ended by their narrow play-off semi-final defeat in Istanbul. A second-half goal from Brighton star Ferdi Kadioglu earned Turkey a place in Tuesday’s final against Kosovo.
It’s been 28 years since Romania last played at a World Cup, having reached the last 16 at France ’98. Lucescu’s side only finished third in their qualifying group this time around, although their performance in the 2024-25 Nations League earned them a play-off berth.
At the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, Lucescu captained his country. The 80-year-old has enjoyed a nomadic career in management which has spanned six decades; coaching a total of 14 different clubs and countries, some of them twice.
Mircea Lucescu won the UEFA Cup with Shakhtar Donetsk in 2009 (Image: Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
While he spent 12 years in charge of Shakhtar, during which the Ukrainian giants won the UEFA Cup, Lucescu has also managed Inter Milan, Galatasaray, Besiktas, Zenit St Petersburg and the Turkish national team. He’s now in his second stint as Romania boss.
Ahead of their loss against Turkey, Lucescu told the Guardian: “When the doctors told me I could go on coaching, I focused on what I had to do for Romania. I spoke to the federation and they told me they couldn’t find a solution to the situation.
“I’m not in my best shape so I would have stepped away if there was another option available. But I insist: I can’t leave like a coward. We must believe in our chance to qualify.”
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