Romanian football player/coach and European Cup winner Lucian Balan was found dead at the age of 56 in his home in the northern town of Baia Mare after he intoxicated himself with drugs. Doctors from the Maramures Ambulance Service who arrived at the studio where the footballer lived, found that death had occurred two or three hours before and he was pronounced dead in the ambulance at around 1800 local time (1600 GMT).

Resuscitation manoeuvres had not taken place. Death was confirmed by C¿t¿lin Chereche¿, Mayor of Baia Mare. The champion left a farewell ticket in his studio in Baia Mare. He decided to end his life two weeks after the death of his mother, she was his only relative."

Balan started his career in football at Bucharest Autobus, then moved to FC Baia Mare and Steaua Bucharest. Overseas has played for Beerschot Antwerp and Real Murcia and was instrumental in helping Steaua win the European Super Cup in 1987 and reach the European Cup final again two years later, had previously tried to take his own life in 2004 and again on September 31, 2010, also through an overdose of alcohol-related drugs, but was found in time and urgently transported to the Sighetul Marmäiei hospital. In recent years, he faced serious material problems and found his refuge in alcohol.