Costica Stefanescu Dies: Former Romania Captain Dead At 62 After Jumping Out Of Hospital Window

Costica Stefanescu, one of Romania's national football team's greatest defenders who was captain of the team and later became a coach, has died after jumping from the fifth floor of the hospital where he was being treated for cancer. He was 62.

Stefanescu was being treated at Bucharest's Military Hospital, where he jumped from the fifth floor Tuesday, according to Police reports. Military prosecutors are investigating the case at the moment.

The soccer player had a very prominent sports career. He played 66 matches for the national team in the 1970s and 1980s, and also played for Steaua Bucharest and Universitatea Craiova, where he spent the majority of his career and made a club record 378 appearances. He is also the second all-time appearance leader in Divizia A, having played in a total of 490 matches.

After retiring from soccer, Stefanescu became an assistant coach for Romania from 1994-98 and later coached several local and foreign teams, including Steaua and Universitatea Craiova.

His death shocked Romanian football officials and fans, and condolences came pouring in from clubs. The Romanian football federation said his body would be laid out at the National Arena on Wednesday for mourners to pay their respects.

Steaua Bucharest called him "one of the greatest players ever in Romanian football history," and Universitatea Craiova owner Adrian Mititelu called him "The King of Craiova."

He is survived by his wife Mariana and will be buried Saturday.