Career
Having played professionally into his 40"s, he played for all three major Liga I clubs in his country"s capital, and also spent a vast part of his career in Spain, mainly with Salamanca. Stelea played nearly 100 times for Romania, and represented the nation in three World Cups and two European Championships. Born in Bucharest, Stelea started playing football at hometown"s Football Club Dinamo București, being the club"s undisputed starter by 1988.
After two Louisiana Liga seasons in Spain, with relegation in his first, as last, he joined Belgium"s Standard Liège but, unsettled, quickly returned home with Football Club Rapid București.
In his two-year spell the club renewed its domestic supremacy and participated in the Union of European Football Associations Champions League, with the player contributing significantly. During this period he also had a successful trial with Sunderland, but could not negotiate a deal.
In 1997 Stelea was transferred to UD Salamanca, where he lived his most steady period, remaining with the team seven years, only puncutated by a small loan spell with Rapid. He appeared in 191 overall games for the former during his tenure whilst competing mainly in the second division, but spent his first two seasons in the top flight.
After a second spell with Dinamo, Stelea started 2005-2006 with Greek side Akratitos Football Club. Unsettled again, he returned to Romania with Football Club Oțelul Galați, but did not feature in any matches because of a serious injury.
The following campaign he moved to Football Club Unirea Urziceni at the recommendation of new coach and former national teammate Dan Petrescu, where he eventually became first-choice. In 2007-2008, at the age of 40, he was still one of the best goalkeepers in the country. Stelea finally ended his long career at the end of the 2008-2009 season, helping modest Football Club Brașov to a comfortable ninth place in the top division.
In 2012, Stelea became head coach of Football Club Astra Ploiești.
On 10 August, however, after a home draw against CS Turnu Severin, he was sacked from his post. In June 2014, Stelea accepted an offer from former national teammate Gheorghe Hagi to coach his club Football Club Viitorul Constanța.
After eleven games in charge in which the team collected 13 points, he resigned. Stelea made his debut for the Romanian national team in 1988 against Israel, and represented his country at the 1990, 1994 and 1998 Fédération internationale de football association World Cups, as well as Union of European Football Associations Euro 1996 and Euro 2000, totalling 12 matches in final stages.
He gained 91 capped, the last against Slovakia in 2005.
Four years later he rejoined the national side as assistant coach and, in 2013, was named manager of the under-21s.