Mircea Lucescu retires from the national team after a serious medical episode

Mircea Lucescu has announced that he is retiring from the Romanian national team after being hospitalized following a serious episode, suffering from a severe cardiac rhythm disorder during a training camp in Mogoșoaia. Rushed to the Bucharest Emergency University Hospital, the coach is currently in stable condition, but doctors have decided to implant a pacemaker to prevent further episodes. The decision marks the end of an impressive career spanning nearly five decades, during which "Il Luce" won 35 trophies.

In the absence of the head coach, the national team is led by Ionel Gane, who will be on the bench for the friendly match against Slovakia. In recent years, Mircea Lucescu's health has been fragile, having undergone complex surgeries and having multiple stents in his heart, as well as repeated hospitalizations in cardiology. At 80 years old, the retirement comes at a delicate moment, influenced both by medical issues and the emotional impact of the national team's failure in the match against Turkey, which led to missing the qualification for the World Cup.