Mircea Lucescu leaves position as Romania national team head coach

The Romanian Football Federation has announced the termination of Mircea Lucescu's contract following the national team's 1-0 defeat by Turkey in the 2026 World Cup playoff semi-finals. The 80-year-old manager had been in charge since August 2024, succeeding Edward Iordanescu who led the team to the Round of 16 at Euro 2024. During this second stint as head coach, Lucescu recorded 11 wins, one draw, and six losses in 19 matches. The federation acknowledged his role in securing the team a spot in the playoffs. Meanwhile, reports suggest his son, Razvan Lucescu, is being considered as a potential candidate for the vacant coaching position. The national federation has officially thanked the departing coach for his contribution during the World Cup qualification campaign. The team failed to reach the final after the decisive loss to Turkey, where Arda Guler played a key role.