Ștefan Dobay

Ștefan Dobay (, 26 September 1909 – 7 April 1994), was a Romanian footballer who played as a striker and manager.

He mostly played for Ripensia Timișoara and Romania's national team for whom he got 41 caps and netted 19 goals, appearing in the 1934 and 1938 World Cups, scoring goals in each tournament.

Club career Dobay, nicknamed "Calul" (The Horse), was born on 26 September 1909 in Újszentes, Austria-Hungary (today Dumbrăvița, Romania). In 1916, he lost his father on the battlefields of World War I.

In 1930, Dobay joined Ripensia Timișoara where in his first five seasons he was four times the top-scorer of the season, in the 1936–37 edition sharing the first place with Traian Iordache. He won the championship title in the 1932–33 season, coach Jenő Konrád using him in 14 games in which he scored 16 goals, including a hat-trick in the final against Universitatea Cluj. In the following season he netted a personal record of 25 goals to help his side earn a runner-up position in the league and the team won the 1934 Cupa României final, Dobay playing in both wins over "U" Cluj, scoring three goals. In the 1934–35 season he won another title, coaches Josef Uridil and Rudolf Wetzer giving him 22 appearances in which he netted 24 goals, also the team reached the Cupa României final where he scored once in the 6–5 loss to CFR București. Next season, Dobay helped Ripensia win The Double, being given 21 appearances by coaches Wetzer and Konrád, scoring 12 times, also opening the score in the 5–1 win over Unirea Tricolor București in the Cupa României final. In the following Cupa României edition, the team reached another final in which he netted his side's goal in the 5–1 loss to Rapid București. In the 1937–38 season, Ripensia won another title, coach Sepp Pojar using him in 28 matches in which he scored eight times.

In 1940 he switched teams, going to Nemzeti Bajnokság II club, Kolozsvári AC. Afterwards he made his last Divizia A appearance on 11 April 1948 in Mediaș's 3–0 away loss to ASA București. He was considered for the squad that went to the 1930 World Cup, but eventually was left home.

Dobay scored two goals in the successful 1934 World Cup qualifiers, the first in a 2–2 draw against Switzerland and the second in a 2–1 home win over Yugoslavia. He was selected by coaches Săvulescu and Rădulescu to be part of the squad that participated in the 1938 World Cup. Dobay scored once in each game against Cuba, the first one being a 3–3 draw, followed by a surprising 2–1 loss in the replay. On 11 June 1939 he made his last appearance for The Tricolours in a friendly that ended with a 1–0 home loss to Italy. In the early 1950s he had three spells at Locomotiva Târgu Mureș. Dobay also coached Romania's national team, making his debut in a 1–0 home loss to Czechoslovakia in the 1954 World Cup qualifiers. He then led The Tricolours in two friendly games, a victory against East Germany and a loss to rivals Hungary. In the following season he led The Military Men to win the 1956 championship.

Style of play Dobay was known for his powerful shot, Juventus București captain, Coloman Braun-Bogdan described an incident in a game with Ripensia that took place in the 1935–36 season:"In the 8th minute, Ghiță Ciolac opened the lane for Dobay, and The Horse took off at a gallop! Then, after getting past Nicky Petrescu, from about 10 meters he sent his shot towards Enderffi's goal. Well, my dears, that shot was not a shot, but a real thunderbolt! The ball broke the net of the goal and went out. I can tell you with my hand on my heart that in my entire life I have never seen such a powerful shot. The ball went like a cannonball and I think it would have knocked anyone who would have met it on the way to the ground. The stands started applauding frantically."

Honours Player Ripensia Timișoara Divizia A: 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1937–38, runner-up 1933–34, 1938–39 Cupa României: 1933–34, 1935–36, runner-up 1934–35, 1936–37 Romania Balkan Cup: 1929–31, 1933, 1936 Törekvés SE Nemzeti Bajnokság II: 1941–42 Individual Divizia A top-scorer: 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1936–37 (joint with Traian Iordache) Manager Flacăra Mediaș Cupa României runner-up: 1951 CCA București Divizia A: 1956 Cupa României: 1955