Akhmetov emphasized that with the death of Lucescu, the football world suffered an irreparable loss.
“A man for whom football became not just a hobby and profession, but a real calling and the work of his whole life. Mircea was absolutely and unconditionally devoted to the game, devoted all his time and energy to it, put his soul and heart into his favorite business. And football fully thanked him – with victories, trophies, recognition and love of millions of fans around the world. Lucescu’s authority in the football world cannot be measured by the number of awards or titles – he was a teacher and example for coaches, mentor and second father for many generations of football players, he revealed a huge amount of talent to the world and left behind a great legacy,” Akhmetov emphasized.
He remembered that Shakhtar Donetsk occupies a special place in Lucescu’s biography – the club where he spent 12 bright and successful years, the club for which he is a legend. It was with Lucescu that Shakhtar became “the dominant force in Ukrainian football, a team that is known and respected in Europe,” the club president noted.
“Each of the 22 trophies that Mister won with Shakhtar has a special value for the club, for the fans, for me personally. I always remember with warmth all those moments that we experienced together – we went through the most difficult trials side by side, together we rejoiced in the beautiful victories and triumphs of the team. I will always be grateful to Mircea Lucescu for everything he did for Shakhtar and for Ukrainian football. For me, he will forever remain a Great Coach and A person with a big football heart,” said Akhmetov.
He expressed condolences to the coach’s wife Nelly, son Razvan and grandchildren, family and friends, everyone who knew and loved Mircea Lucescu.
“Thank you for everything, dear Mister!” – wrote the president of Shakhtar.
Context
Lucescu worked for Shakhtar Donetsk for 12 years (2004–2016). He is the most decorated coach in Shakhtar history, having won a total of 22 trophies at the head of the Donetsk team, including the 2008/09 UEFA Cup.
Since 2020, Lucescu has led Dynamo Kiev. After Lucescu's appointment as head coach of Dynamo, the team received all three national trophies: Super Bowl Ukraine, UPL Championship, Ukrainian Cup. He announced his departure from Dynamo after the Kiev team lost the match with Shakhtar (0:1) on November 3, 2023.
