Former Romania national team coach Mircea Lucescu was laid to rest on Good Friday, with hundreds of mourners—family members, relatives, friends and admirers—attending the funeral in Bucharest.
The funeral service took place at Saint Eleutherius the New Church in Bucharest and was officiated by His Grace Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, together with an assembly of priests.
During the service, the bishop read the message of condolence sent by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel following news of the renowned coach’s death.
After the service, tributes were delivered by Romanian Football Federation (FRF) president Răzvan Burleanu, businessman George Copos, and Răzvan Lucescu, the late coach’s son.
A trailblazer in football
FRF president Răzvan Burleanu highlighted Mircea Lucescu’s exceptional stature. “He was not only a coach or a brilliant former footballer. Above all, he was a trailblazer—a visionary who understood the football of the future ahead of everyone else,” he said.
“For him, football was not just a job—it was a vocation. He loved the pitch, the ball and the spirit of competition with an almost mystical intensity.”
Burleanu also pointed to Lucescu’s international impact, noting reactions from leading clubs such as Real Madrid and Galatasaray, as well as football bodies including Serie A and UEFA. Moments of silence were held at matches across European competitions this week.
He stressed Lucescu’s deep attachment to Romania’s national team. “For him, it was like a child—a child he raised and loved unconditionally. He gave it everything: his experience, his time, his health and, in the end, his last reserves of energy.”
“I do not know whether there is such a thing as an end for a man, but I firmly believe that Mircea Lucescu ended his life exactly as he would have wished—in service of football, to the very end. He left us still engaged, active, dreaming of his next project,” Burleanu added.
A devoted family man
Burleanu also spoke about Lucescu’s human side beyond sporting achievements. “There was a man of rare sensitivity, for whom family was a solid anchor,” he said.
“He radiated pride when analysing Răzvan’s matches. His eyes lit up instantly when speaking about his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were perhaps the only ones able to disconnect him from football and remind him of the simple beauty of life.”
He also highlighted Lucescu’s deep bond with his wife: “He gave us the most beautiful lesson in loyalty and pure love through his devotion to Mrs Neli.”
A global Romanian
George Copos described Lucescu as a unique personality. “Mircea Lucescu was not only the greatest among us, Romanians. He was a global Romanian—a brilliant man, an ambassador of Romania,” he said.
He recalled the coach’s humble beginnings and total dedication to football. “He was a child who rose from nothing, coming from a large family where everything had to be shared,” Copos said, adding that Lucescu played a key role in transforming Rapid Bucharest and leading the club to the 1999 title after a 35-year wait.
He also noted that Lucescu’s greatest achievement was his family. “Mircea Lucescu built the most beautiful family. He raised his successor, Răzvan, with great care—someone who will match his achievements,” Copos added.
‘He was and remains my father’
Visibly affected by the loss, Răzvan Lucescu delivered an emotional speech. “He was my father, and he will always remain my father. He loved Romania with all his being,” he said.
“He was born into great poverty, in a shack. He educated himself and sought to educate others. He was a fighter—he fought, he won, he lost, he was happy, he was saddened—he went through all the possible and impossible situations that life can offer.”
He thanked all those who stood by him during these difficult moments. “I hope with all my heart that he is now somewhere above us, smiling and saying: it was all worth it, I am fulfilled.”
“And I, as his son, want him to be happy for everything he achieved,” he added.
Final honours
After the ceremony, the coffin bearing the body of the former national team coach was carried by a Romanian Gendarmerie honour guard and received military honours as it left the church. He was then taken to his final resting place at Bellu Cemetery.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Lucescu’s body lay in state at the National Arena stadium, where around 15,000 people came to pay their final respects, according to a post on the Romanian national team’s Facebook page.
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Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
