The second most successful manager of all time behind Sir Alex Ferguson has announced his retirement.
Mircea Lucescu, who primarily enjoyed a highly decorated career in Eastern Europe, has announced his retirement.
The Romanian ranks second only to Ferguson in terms of major honours, having won 35 titles across his career. Pep Guardiola is likely to equal Lucescu’s tally this season, having won 34 major honours so far.
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Lucescu also holds the unique distinction of having competed against Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Pele either as a player or manager.
The 78-year-old has been in charge of Dynamo Kyiv since 2020 but announced his decision to step down and retire following a 1-0 loss to his former team Shakhtar Donetsk.
Indeed, his career includes spells at the likes of Inter, Galatasaray, Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Besiktas, but it was at Shakhtar where he achieved his most notable success.
After Dynamo's clash with Shakhtar, Lucescu said: “Today, I don't want to talk about the game.
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“I want to say that I've devoted 15 years to football in Ukraine, and I've decided to end my career. This game, against Shakhtar, was my last. I bid farewell to my players, both from Dynamo and Shakhtar.
“I'm grateful to everyone, and I hope a part of me has remained in Ukraine, in Ukrainian football. After all, I worked here for 15 years. I'm grateful to Shakhtar's President, Rinat Akhmetov, and Dynamo's President, Ihor Surkis, for our collaboration.
“Of course, I would have liked to finish differently, but everything has its end. It applies to a football career, to football itself, and to life. Everything has a beginning and an end”.
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During his 12-year tenure with Shakhtar, Lucescu claimed eight Ukrainian top-flight titles, 13 Ukrainian domestic cups and the Europa League.
Notably, he ended Dynamo Kyiv's long-standing dominance in the division.
Furthermore, in 2015, Lucescu became only the fifth manager in history, alongside Ferguson, Carlo Ancelotti, Arsene Wenger, and Jose Mourinho, to manage 100 Champions League matches.
Moreover, as mentioned, he managed against both Messi and Maradona, facing the former in the Champions League with Shakhtar and Dynamo Kyiv, and the latter as Pisa boss during the 1990/91 season.
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Lucescu also had the unique experience of facing Pele as a player, playing the football icon during Romania's 3-2 defeat to Brazil at the 1970 World Cup.
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Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Football, Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola