“Great Values ​​Are Fewer and Fewer”

Until then, the coffin of “Il Luce” is laid to rest at the National Arena. Fans, former players, officials and sports personalities came to pay their last respects.

VIDEO + PHOTO | The sports world says goodbye to Mircea Lucescu

Simona Halep was among those present. The former WTA leader arrived at the National Arena and was greeted by fans. When getting out of the car, Halep agreed to take a photo with a supporter, then went inside to pay her last respect to Mircea Lucescu.

The atmosphere was oppressive. Ordinary people stood in line to enter the stadium. Many of them wore scarves or T-shirts with the insignia of the teams that Lucescu coached.

Among those who spoke about the legacy left by “Il Luce” was Elisabeta Lipă. The former great Olympic champion sent a strong message about the values ​​that the coach represented.

“If we look at the performance of Mr. Lucescu, we see passion, determination, sacrifice, desire, character. So, all these ingredients that make the portrait of the champion. And here, you are either an athlete or a coach, and when you achieve such results, you are still a champion.

We praise after they are no longer with us. I say let's set an example and praise the great values ​​- that even so they are less and less – when they are alive. Let's respect them, love them, admire them, take them as models, because they are models, and surely the world will look different“, declared Lipa.

Also present at the National Arena was Andreea Esca, one of the most famous figures in the Romanian media. This came to say goodbye to the coach who marked whole generations.

An impactful message also came from the Turkish ambassador in Romania. The official emphasized the special connection between Lucescu and Turkish football.

“It is a very difficult day for all of us. Mr. Lucescu was an important man for Romania and for Turkey. We love and respect him for what he did at Galatasaray, Beşiktaş and the Turkish national team.

He was an ambassador of the two countries. The Turkish community in Romania expresses its respect on this day”, he said.

Mircea Lucescu, unparalleled career in football

• Mircea Lucescu took his first steps in football at Dinamo Bucharest, the team with which he has spent most of his career. He also performed at Știința Bucharest and Corvinul Hunedoara.

• As a player, he won 7 championship titles and a Romanian Cup, all with Dinamo.

• Throughout his coaching career, he trained Corvinul, the Romanian national team, Dinamo, Pisa, Brescia, Reggiana, Rapid, Inter, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş, Shakhtior, Zenit, the Turkish national team and Dinamo Kiev.

• He won 36 trophies in his career as a technician: 9 times the championship of Ukraine, 8 times the Ukrainian Cup, 7 times the Ukrainian Supercup, 3 times the Romanian Cup, 2 times the Romanian championship, 2 times the Turkish championship, as well as the UEFA Cup, the European Super Cup, the Russian Super Cup and the Anglo-Italian Cup.