Lucian Bălan

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lucian Bălan

| image = Lucian Bălan 1986.jpg

| caption = Bălan in 1986

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1959|6|25}}

| birth_place = Bucharest, Romania

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2015|11|12|1959|6|25}}

| death_place = Baia Mare, Romania

| height = 1.68 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1970–1973

| youthclubs1 = Autobuzul București

| youthyears2 = 1973–1976

| youthclubs2 = High School No. 1 București

| youthyears3 = 1976–1978

| youthclubs3 = Minerul Cavnic

| years1 = 1978–1985

| clubs1 = FC Baia Mare{{efn|name="FCB"|The statistics for the 1981–82 Divizia B season are unavailable.}}

| caps1 = 164

| goals1 = 17

| years2 = 1985–1989

| clubs2 = Steaua București

| caps2 = 87

| goals2 = 5

| years3 = 1989

| clubs3 = Beerschot Antwerp

| caps3 = 11

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 1990

| clubs4 = Real Murcia

| caps4 = 17

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1990–1991

| clubs5 = Steaua București

| caps5 = 15

| goals5 = 0

| totalcaps = 294

| totalgoals = 23

| nationalyears1 = 1987

| nationalteam1 = Romania

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1993–1994

| managerclubs1 = Phoenix Baia Mare

| manageryears2 = 1994

| managerclubs2 = FC Baia Mare

}}

Lucian Bălan (25 June 1959 – 12 November 2015) was a Romanian football player and coach, winner of the European Cup and the European Supercup in 1986 and the European Supercup, both with Steaua București and former coach at a football school in Baia Mare.{{cite news|url=http://specialarad.ro/veste-socanta-s-a-sinucis-fostul-campion-din-generatia-de-aur-a-stelei-lucian-balan/|title=Veste şocantă. S-a sinucis fostul campion din "Generaţia de Aur" a Stelei, Lucian Bălan!|date=12 November 2015|publisher=Special Arad|language=ro|access-date=12 November 2015}}{{cite web | url=https://www.digisport.ro/special/lucian-balan-fostul-component-al-stelei-86-s-a-sinucis-la-56-de-ani-197774 | title=Lucian Bălan, fostul component al Stelei '86, s-a sinucis la 56 de ani| publisher=Digisport.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=Lucian Bălan, the former member of Steaua '86, committed suicide at the age of 56| date=12 December 2015 | access-date=17 May 2021}}

Career

Lucian Bălan played one friendly game at international level for Romania, making his appearance on 8 April 1987 when coach Emerich Jenei sent him on the field at half-time to replace Gavril Balint in a 3–2 home victory against Israel.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=1127|title=Lucian Bălan|publisher=European Football|access-date=17 May 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=8782|title=Romania 3-2 Israel|publisher=European Football|access-date=17 May 2021}}{{cite web|author=Siminiceanu, Radu|title=Romania National Team 1980–1989 – Details|publisher=RSSSF|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesr/roem-intres80.html|date=6 April 2003}}

On 25 March 2008, he was decorated by the president of Romania, Traian Băsescu for the winning of the UEFA Champions League with Ordinul "Meritul Sportiv" – (The Order "The Sportive Merit") class II.{{cite web |url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Monitorul_Oficial_al_Rom%C3%A2niei._Partea_I_2008-03-28%2C_nr._241.pdf |title=DECRET privind conferirea Ordinului și Medaliei Meritul Sportiv |publisher=Monitorul Oficial al României Nr. 241 |date=28 March 2008 |page=3 |access-date= 17 May 2021}}{{cite web |url=http://old.presidency.ro/index.php?_RID=det&tb=date_arhiva&id=10313&_PRID=arh |title=Decorarea unor personalități ale fotbalului românesc |publisher=Administrația Prezidențială |date= 25 March 2008 |access-date= 17 May 2021}}

Bălan died by suicide on 12 November 2015.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160216084829/http://uk.reuters.com/article/soccer-romania-balan-idUKL3N1375G720151112 Soccer-Former Steaua midfielder Balan commits suicide – club]. Reuters (12 November 2015)