REVEALED: Third most successful manager of all-time retires after an illustrious career, behind Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson

The third-most successful football manager behind Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson, has retired at the age of 78.

Mircea Lucescu, a highly decorated football manager, has announced his retirement. 

Hailing from Romania, he primarily pursued his coaching career in Eastern Europe. He ranks second only to Sir Alex Ferguson in terms of major managerial honours, boasting 35 titles. 

Lucescu also holds the distinction of being the only manager to have competed against football legends Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, and Pele.

Until his retirement, he had been in charge of Dynamo Kyiv since 2020. However, following a 1-0 loss to his former team Shakhtar Donetsk, he announced his decision to step down. 

Lucescu also holds the distinction of being the only manager to have competed against football legends Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, and Pele .

His managerial journey includes spells at prominent clubs such as Inter Milan, Galatasaray, Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Besiktas. Yet, it was at Shakhtar where he achieved most of his success.

‘Today, I don’t want to talk about the game,’ he began after Dynamo’s clash with Shakhtar. ‘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,’ he concluded.

During his 12-year tenure with the club, Lucescu secured eight Ukrainian top-flight titles, 13 Ukrainian domestic cups, and the Europa League. Notably, he broke Dynamo Kyiv’s long-standing dominance in the division. 

In 2015, he became only the fifth manager in history, alongside Sir Alex Ferguson, Carlo Ancelotti, Arsene Wenger, and Jose Mourinho, to coach 100 Champions League matches.

An exceptional aspect of Lucescu’s career is that he managed against both Messi and Maradona. He faced Messi in the Champions League while leading both Shakhtar and Dynamo Kyiv, and his Pisa side confronted Maradona’s Napoli during the 1990/91 season.

In addition to managing against two footballing GOAT contenders, Lucescu also had the unique experience of facing Pele as a player. He found himself on the opposite side of the pitch from the Brazilian legend during Romania’s 3-2 defeat to the Selecao at the 1970 World Cup.

Lucescu’s footballing legacy extends beyond his managerial career; he is among the most successful footballers in Romanian history. 

He amassed 70 international caps for his country, serving as captain in 23 of those appearances. Additionally, he boasts an impressive record of winning the Divizia A, Romania’s top-flight league, on seven occasions.

As a former forward, Lucescu spent 13 years at Dinamo Bucuresti and another five at Corvinul Hunedoara, both of which he would later manage. He ultimately retired from playing in 1982, leaving an enduring mark on Romanian football. 

Sir Alex Ferguson is regarded as the greatest football manager of all-time and he alone has more major managerial honours 

Pep Guardiola picked up an impressive Treble last season with Manchester City and is regarded as perhaps the leading coach of his generation 

The Romanian kicked off his managerial career in Italy with Pisa and Brescia before briefly leading Inter Milan to the Champions League semis in 1998. Subsequent stints at Galatasaray and Besiktas saw him win Turkish Super Lig titles. 

His 12-year success at Shakhtar Donetsk solidified his status as their greatest-ever manager. However, his reputation stirred controversy when he took on the role at Dynamo Kyiv in 2020.

Upon his appointment at Dynamo Kyiv, protests erupted among fans due to his Shakhtar Donetsk ties, leading Lucescu to consider resigning early on. 

He eventually decided to stay and went on to become the oldest Champions League manager at 75, retiring at 78 as the world’s oldest active football manager, leaving a lasting legacy in the sport.