BUCHAREST: Mircea Lucescu, the Romanian soccer great who was a serial trophy winner as a player and a coach, has died. He was 80.

Lucescu’s death was confirmed by Bucharest University Emergency Hospital on Tuesday.

He had been hospitalized after reportedly suffering a heart attack on Friday morning.

“Mr. Mircea Lucescu was one of the most successful Romanian football coaches and players, the first to qualify the Romanian national team for a European Championship, in 1984,” the hospital said in a statement.

“Entire generations of Romanians grew up with his image in their hearts, as a national symbol.”