Gianni Infantino, letter to the disappearance of Emeric Ienei: “Words seem insufficient”

The message of the head of FIFA was received by the Romanian Football Federation, through a letter, and published on Thursday morning.

“I wish to express my sincerest and deepest condolences on the passing of former international player and national team selector, Emeric Ienei. Words seem insufficient to express the sadness we feel at this lossand,” Infantino's message began.

The letter of the FIFA president, after Iena's death

Throughout his playing career, he was capped six times for the national team and represented his country in the 1964 Olympic Football Tournament. At club level, he will always be remembered for his long and brilliant career at FC Steaua Bucharest, with which he won three championship titles and four Romanian Cups.

After retiring from playing, he began a remarkable coaching career. As coach of FC Steaua Bucharest, he led the club to six championship titles, four Romanian Cups and the historic European Champions Cup trophy in 1986. He was also the coach of the Romanian national team, which he led to the 1990 World Cup and again to the 2000 European Championship in his second term.

A legend of the FC Steaua Bucharest club and of Romanian football, known for his legendary calm and authority, a model of elegance, balance and respect, both on and off the field, his legacy and journey will remain alive in everyone's memory, and his absence will be deeply felt.

On behalf of the international football community, I want to convey my sincerest condolences to the Romanian Football Federation, as well as to the family, friends and relatives of Emeric Ienei. Our thoughts are with you all.

We hope these memories and words of support bring some comfort and peace during these difficult times.

– Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

And UEFA reacted after Iena's death

“The football community in Romania is mourning the loss of European Champions Cup-winning coach Emerich Jenei, who has passed away at the age of 88. During his playing career, Jenei was a talented midfielder who earned six caps for Romania's national team and represented the country at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

However, Jenei's greatest achievements came as coach of Steaua Bucharest, which he led to a historic triumph in the European Champions Cup in 1986 – the first for an Eastern European club – after Steaua beat Barcelona on penalties, the final ending 0-0. During several mandates at the club, he won six Romanian championship titles and four Romanian Cups.

In the first of two periods as national team coach, Jenei led Romania to its first participation in the FIFA World Cup in 20 years, becoming the first coach to take the team beyond the group stage, to the round of 16, at the Italia '90 tournament.

Returning to the post in 2000, Jenei also led Romania to its first-ever victory at a UEFA European Championship, a 3-2 victory against England, which helped the team qualify for the quarter-finals,” UEFA said.

Emeric Ienei was born on March 22, 1937 in Agriș commune, approximately 160 kilometers from Oradea.

On Saturday, November 8, at 14:00, he will be buried with military honors at the Rulikowski Municipal Cemetery in Oradea.

10 key figures from Emeric Ienei's coaching career:

• 386 matches in the first division with Steaua, FC Bihor, CS Târgovişte and U Craiova. Record: 218 wins, 79 draws, 89 losses

• 6 championship titles, all with Steaua: 1975/76, 1977/78, 1984/85, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1993/94. In 1976 he stopped a streak of 8 years without a title, the longest in the history of the red-blues

• 4 Romanian Cups: 1975/76, 1984/85, 1991/92, 1998/99

• European Champions Cup 1985/86

• 51 of matches for the Romanian national team: 23 wins, 14 draws, 14 failures

• He qualified Romania for the WC 1990, after a break of 20 years

• It was Romania's coach at EC 2000, the first victory in a continental final tournament, 3-2 with England, is also linked to his name

• He succeeded the first qualification from the groups of a world tournament (CM 1990) and the first of the groups of a European tournament (EC 2000)

• He led Steaua in 31 European games. Record: 13 wins, 8 draws, 10 losses. The final with FC Barcelona was the 13th match

• It's the technician with most Derbies Steaua – Dinamo, 23 (19 in the championship and 4 in the Cup)