Iacob Felecan (30 May 1914 â 1988) was a Romanian footballer who played as a defender for Romania in the 1938 FIFA World Cup.
Felecan was born on 30 May 1914 in Cluj-Napoca, Austria-Hungary. He began playing football in 1930 at local club, Victoria. Subsequently, he made his Divizia A debut on 11 September 1932 in a 2âÂÂ1 home loss to Gloria Arad. In 1940, Felecan joined Ripensia TimiÃÂoara, as the northern part of Transylvania was ceded to Hungary due to the Second Vienna Award and he refused to stay in Cluj-Napoca under the Hungarian administration. Two years later, he went to play for FC Craiova, with whom he won the 1942âÂÂ43 championship which was not recognized by the Romanian Football Federation. In 1945, after the end of the Second World War and the return of the northern part of Transylvania to Romania, Felecan returned to Victoria Cluj as a player-coach. After two years, he went to play for CFR Cluj. There, on 3 July 1949, he made his last Divizia A appearance in a 5âÂÂ2 loss to Dinamo BucureÃÂti, totaling 204 matches with one goal in the competition (without counting the unofficial appearances for FC Craiova).
Felecan played nine games for Romania, making his debut on 4 July 1937 under coach Constantin RÃÂdulescu in a friendly that ended in a 4âÂÂ2 away win over Poland. He was selected by coaches Alexandru SÃÂvulescu and RÃÂdulescu to be part of the squad that participated in the 1938 World Cup. He did not appear in the first game against Cuba, that ended in a 3âÂÂ3 draw, but Felecan played in the replay which ended in a surprising 2âÂÂ1 loss. His last appearance for the national team took place on 13 June 1943 in a 2âÂÂ2 friendly draw against Slovakia.
Felecan's brother, Theodor, was also a footballer.
Shortly after ending his playing career, Felecan refused to be a member of the Romanian Communist Party and consequentially was forced to work at the DanubeâÂÂBlack Sea Canal. He died in 1988.