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The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) announced on Thursday that Mircea Lucescu, 80, has ended his tenure as head coach of the national football team, following Romania’s 1-0 semi-final defeat to Türkiye in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying play-offs.
Lucescu, who began his second spell as Romania’s head coach in August 2024, was set to remain in charge until the end of this year. Under his leadership, the team advanced to the play-offs but fell short of securing a place in the World Cup, marking Romania’s continued absence from the tournament since 1998.
While Lucescu steps down from his coaching role, FRF president Razvan Burleanu emphasized that the veteran coach will continue contributing to Romanian football in a new capacity.
“We look forward to welcoming Mr. Lucescu in a new role at the FRF in the coming months, so that Romanian football can benefit from his extensive experience. His knowledge will help us further develop both our coaches and players,” Burleanu said.
In a statement, the FRF expressed appreciation for Lucescu’s contribution, noting his dedication and the manner in which he represented Romania on the international stage. Lucescu previously led Romania to its inaugural European Championship in 1984, leaving two years later after the team failed to qualify for the 1986 World Cup.
Local media have reported that Romanian football icon Gheorghe Hagi, 61, is the frontrunner to succeed Lucescu. Hagi, widely regarded as “the King” in Romania, would assume the role for a second time, having briefly coached the national team in 2001.
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