Career
Papec appeared in 57 league matches for Lokomotiva in the period from 1952 to 1955, when he was conscripted and then served the compulsory military service in the Yugoslav Navy. After leaving the navy he joined Hajduk Split in 1956 and stayed with the club until 1964. In this period he appeared in a total of 366 matches and scored 167 goals (including 177 appearances and 55 goals in the First League).
In 1964 he moved abroad and joined second level West German side Freiburger Football Club, where he established himself as a first team regular immediately upon arrival and appeared in 130 matches in his four seasons with club
In 1968 he returned to Yugoslavia and briefly joined NK Rijeka. He had effectively retired in the late 1960s, although he later returned to the pitch and had a brief stint with second level side NK Junak Sinj in the 1971–1972 season.
Papec was capped for Yugoslavia six times between 1953 and 1956. He made his debut on 14 May 1953 in a friendly against Belgium played at Heysel Stadium and his last international game was a friendly against Indonesia held on 23 December 1956 in Jakarta.
