Mircea Lucescu (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈmirt͡ʃe̯a luˈt͡ʃesku]; born 29 July 1945, in Bucharest) is a Romanian former football player and current coach, and one of the most successful Romanian football managers. He is also the father of Rapid Bucharest coach, Răzvan Lucescu. He is currently managing Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk with whom he won the UEFA Cup 2008-09.

After coaching the Romanian national team, and a long career in Italy, he had a brilliant start with Galatasaray, winning the European Super Cup against Real Madrid. Under Lucescu's managership, Galatasaray qualified to quarter finals in the UEFA Champions League in the 2000–01 season. In the quarter finals they lost to Real Madrid. The same year, he lost the Turkish League title to rivals Fenerbahçe.

Next year, Galatasaray qualified to the second phase of the UEFA Champions League and won the Turkish League title under his managership. (2001–2002 season)

Lucescu was disappointed to be sacked despite winning the league champion title. In June 2002, he signed a contract with rivals Beşiktaş J.K.. It was a very important season for Beşiktaş since, in 2003, the reputable Turkish club was celebrating its 100th year since its foundation. They won the Turkish title, having only one loss and collecting 85 points – a record for the Turkcell Super League for the maximum points collected in a season.

Metin Oktay (born 2 February 1936 in İzmir, Turkey-13 September 1991 in İstanbul) nicknamed the Uncrowned King (Taçsız Kral) by Galatasaray fans, was a legendary Turkish footballer and one of the most successful goalscorers in Turkey.

He started his career at local amateur club Damlacık in 1952 and moved to another amateur side Yün Mensucat the following season during which he was able to make his debut for the junior national team in 1954. He was quickly transferred to İzmirspor at the end of the season and became top-scorer with 17 goals in the İzmir League next season, the first of many times that he would lead the top scorers in the league. In 1955, Gündüz Kılıç, trainer and former footballer of Galatasaray SK transferred him. Oktay, then only 19 years old, signed a five-year contract with Galatasaray in exchange for a Chevrolet car. Despite his young age, he was top-scorer in his first season in the Istanbul League, with 19 goals, and his team Galatasaray won the championship. Metin Oktay was top scorer for 4 seasons in the İstanbul League and then 3 more in Turkish League thus making it 7 consecutive years in the competitions he played in.

Emerich Jenei or Imre Jenei (also known as Emeric Jenei or Ienei; 22 March 1937) is a Romanian former football player and coach. He is considered one of Romania's best coaches, alongside Ştefan Kovács, Mircea Lucescu, and Anghel Iordănescu.

On 25 March 2008, he was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian Băsescu with Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" — (The Order "The Sportive Merit") class II with one barret for his part in winning the 1986 European Cup Final.

Jenei was born in Agriş, Arad County, to ethnic Hungarian parents. As a child, he moved with his family to Losonc (now Lučenec, Slovakia), because his father did not want to serve in the Romanian army. Later his father became a Hungarian soldier, but following the end of the war he did not come back and Jenei with his mother moved back to Arad. Two years after they resettled in their old home, Jenei's father, who was held in captivity, unexpectedly returned. Not much later Jenei's mother died when he was only 12 years old.

Before his professional football career, Jenei wanted to become a lawyer. He made his debut playing for Flamura Roşie Arad — now UT Arad, in the Romanian Liga I. In 1957, at age 20, he signed with Steaua club in Bucharest (1957). He played for Steaua until 1969, when he left Romania to play in Turkey for Kayserispor. He had reached the age of 32, when Romania's Communist authorities would allow few players to move abroad. In 1971, Jenei retired as player and became a coach. During his career as a footballer, he won 12 caps for Romania's national team (between 1959 and 1964).

Roberto Mancini (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto manˈtʃini]; born 27 November 1964) is an Italian former football player and manager of Premier League club Manchester City. As a player Mancini was best known for his time at Sampdoria, where he played more than 550 matches, and helped them win the Serie A league title, four Coppa Italias and the Cup Winners Cup, whilst being capped 36 times by Italy. As a player, he gained a penchant for becoming a future manager and would often give team talks at half-time and ultimately became an assistant to Sven-Göran Eriksson at Lazio near the end of his playing career. After his retirement, Mancini embarked on a successful managerial career.

A cup specialist, Mancini has never failed to reach a semi-final of a major national cup competition in every season he has been a manager, from 2002 to 2012. He also guided the Italian clubs he managed to a record 5 consecutive Coppa Italia finals from 2004 to 2008, with Lazio once in 2004 and with Inter in the following four seasons. Mancini's first managerial role was at a cash stricken Fiorentina at only 35 years old and managed to win a Coppa Italia, but left with Fiorentina facing bankruptcy. Months later, he took over as manager at Lazio, where again he inherited financial constraints and was forced to lose a number of key players. With limited resources during his two season tenure, he still managed to win another Coppa Italia, reach a UEFA Cup semi-final, and secure a lucrative Champions League place.