Mircea Lucescu, the former coach of Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv, is currently in critical condition following a heart attack. Reports indicate that he has been placed in an induced coma and transferred to an intensive care unit for further treatment.
Lucescu was hospitalized during a technical meeting at the training base, just three days after Romania’s defeat to Turkey in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Initially expected to be discharged on April 3, he suffered a severe myocardial infarction on the same day.
According to the hospital, Lucescu’s condition deteriorated significantly in the hours following his admission. Romanian football journalist Emanuel Roșu reported that the coach was placed in an induced coma after experiencing severe arrhythmia, necessitating his transfer to the intensive care unit.
“On the evening of April 4, the patient exhibited repeated significant cardiac arrhythmias, which were promptly treated by the cardiology team. By Sunday, the arrhythmias had worsened and were unresponsive to treatment, prompting a transfer to the anesthesiology and intensive care unit,” the hospital statement noted.
Medical sources revealed that stabilizing Lucescu’s condition required three resuscitation procedures. Following his heart attack, doctors inserted another stent, marking the fifth such procedure for the coach.
Family members, including his wife Neli and niece Marilu, are by his side at the hospital. Mihai Stoiță, the technical director of the Romanian Football Federation, has also visited. Reports suggest that Lucescu’s son, Răzvan Lucescu, head coach of PAOK, is expected to arrive in Bucharest after his team’s match against Panathinaikos.
“Sometimes in football, the score on the board no longer matters, and the only victory we fight for is the victory of life. We are a team, one heart, and it beats for you! We want to give you all the energy and strength you need. Fight, Mr. Lucescu!” stated the Romanian national team’s press service on Instagram.
Mihai Stoiță commented on Lucescu’s condition, saying, “I was with him for about five minutes; he is unresponsive. This is normal given his current state. We hope for his recovery. He cannot speak and is connected to machines. The care in this hospital is extraordinary, and someone is constantly monitoring his condition. God willing, he will recover and continue to be with us.”
Prior to his hospitalization, Lucescu was set to travel with the Romanian national team to Bratislava for a friendly match following their failure to qualify for the World Cup. From his hospital bed, he confirmed that he would not be able to attend the match, which Romania lost 0-2 to Slovakia.
The Romanian Football Federation later announced that Lucescu had stepped down from his coaching role, although they expressed hopes for his return to an administrative position within the federation.
Lucescu resumed his role as head coach of the Romanian national team in August 2024, replacing Edward Iordănescu. Under his leadership, the team has achieved 11 victories, one draw, and six losses in 19 matches.
In October 2024, Lucescu set a world record for the longest gap between his first and last matches as Romania’s coach, spanning nearly 43 years. At 80 years and 7 months old, he also became the oldest coach in the history of international football.
Mircea Lucescu, the veteran coach of Romania's national football team, is in critical condition following a heart attack that led to his hospitalization and subsequent placement in an induced coma. His family and colleagues are by his side as medical staff work to stabilize his health.