The football world is in mourning following the passing of legendary coach Mircea Lucescu on Tuesday at the age of 80. In the wake of this sad news, a deeply moving moment has gone viral: Hakan Calhanoglu’s heartfelt hug with his former mentor after Turkey’s match against Romania in March. “You did so much for me,” wrote the Inter star in a poignant tribute.
Lucescu, a highly respected figure who previously managed clubs like Inter and Brescia, had overseen his final match just days before his death. In that game, his Romania squad faced a 1-0 defeat against Turkey in a World Cup playoff semifinal. After the final whistle, Calhanoglu approached and warmly embraced his former national team coach.
Indeed, Lucescu had coached the Turkish national team between 2017 and 2018. During that period, Calhanoglu played under his guidance in 12 appearances, contributing one goal and one assist. These touching farewell embraces quickly gained traction across social media platforms, with Calhanoglu himself sharing the moment on his Instagram stories.
“We have lost not only a great coach, but also a person of immense character,” Calhanoglu expressed. “You did so much for me, and I will always remember you with respect and gratitude. Rest in peace, coach.”
Beyond Calhanoglu, the football club Inter and former midfielder Andrea Pirlo were among many others who also paid their respects to Lucescu on social media following his death, highlighting the widespread impact of his career.
