Hungary national football team
Encyclopedia
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation
Hungarian Football Federation
The Hungarian Football Federation is the governing body of football in Hungary. It organizes the Hungarian league and the Hungarian national team. It is based in Budapest.György Szepesi was Chairman of the Hungarian Football Association from 1978 to 1986....
.
It has remarkable football history, having won three Olympic titles, finishing runners-up in the 1938
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
and 1954 FIFA World Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
s, and third in the 1964 UEFA European Football Championship
1964 UEFA European Football Championship
-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Goalscorers of the final tournament:There were 13 goals scored in 4 games, for an average of 3.25 goals per game.2 goals Ferenc Bene Dezső Novák Jesús María Pereda...
. Hungary revolutionized the sport in the 1950s, laying the tactical fundamentals of Total Football
Total Football
"Total Football" is the label given to an influential tactical theory of association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. It was pioneered by Dutch football club Ajax from 1969 to 1973, and further used by the Netherlands National Football...
and dominating international football with the remarkable Golden Team which included legends like Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954...
, top goalscorer of the 20th century, whom FIFA dedicated its newest award, the Puskás Award. The side of that era has the all-time highest Football Elo Ranking in the world, with 2166 in 1954, also they have the second highest all-time Elo ranking of 2156, set in 1956, and one of the longest undefeated runs in football history, remaining unbeaten in 31 games, spanning over more than 4 years and including matches such as the Match of the Century
England v Hungary (1953)
England v Hungary was an international football game played on November 25, 1953. The game was played between Hungary - then the world's number one ranked team, the Olympic champions and on a run of 24 unbeaten games - and England, then the world's number three ranked team, the inventors of the...
.
The post-golden age decades saw a gradually weakening Hungary, though recently there is renewal in all aspects. The Hungarian Children's Football Federation was founded in 2008, as youth development thrives. For the first time in Hungarian football's history, they hosted the 2010 UEFA Futsal Championship
2010 UEFA Futsal Championship
The 2010 UEFA Futsal Championship was the sixth official edition of the UEFA-governed European Championship for national futsal teams. It was hosted by Hungary, between January 19 and January 30, 2010, in two venues located in Budapest and Debrecen...
in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and Debrecen
Debrecen
Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...
, the first time the MLSZ
Hungarian Football Federation
The Hungarian Football Federation is the governing body of football in Hungary. It organizes the Hungarian league and the Hungarian national team. It is based in Budapest.György Szepesi was Chairman of the Hungarian Football Association from 1978 to 1986....
staged a UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
finals tournament. Also, the national teams have produced some surprise successes such as beating Euro 2004 winner Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
3–2 and 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
winner Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
3–1. Although they have not qualified for a major tournament's finals since 1986, they came semi-finalists at the 2008 European Under-19 Championship
2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The final tournament of the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship was the 24th UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, UEFA's premier competition for players under the age of 19. The tournament was held in the Czech Republic with matches played from 14 July to 26 July 2008. Players born...
and qualified for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup
2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, was the 17th U-20 tournament, which was hosted by Egypt from 24 September to 16 October, in the cities of Cairo, Alexandria, Port Said, Suez and Ismaïlia...
which saw their U-20 national team gaining third place to bring home Hungary's first major tournament medal in nearly half a century, feeding their hopes of a future revival. Young Talents such as Balázs Dzsudzsák
Balázs Dzsudzsák
Balázs Dzsudzsák is a Hungarian footballer who plays for Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala and the Hungarian national team as a winger.- Early life :...
, Vladimir Koman
Vladimir Koman
Vladimir Koman Jr. is a Ukrainian–born Hungarian footballer, currently playing for Italian Serie B team Sampdoria. He is most known for his strong performance in the in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, gaining the Silver Boot by scoring five goals for the Hungarian team...
and Ádám Szalai
Ádám Szalai
Ádám Szalai is a Hungarian footballer who plays for German club Mainz 05 as a striker.-Club career:Szalai started his football career in his hometown, Budapest, playing for the youths of NB I sides Honvéd and Újpest FC. In 2004, he went to Germany to join the youth and then the reserve team of...
give more hope to the Hungarian team.
The 1910s
The national side first appeared at the Summer Olympic GamesSummer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in 1912
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The team had to ask for donations in order to be able to go to the games. Hungary played with the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and lost 7-0 and thus were eliminated.
After the Olympic Games Hungary played two matches against Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. The first match was won by 9-0 while the second 12-0 which is still a record of the natioanl side. The top scorer of the two matches was Imre Schlosser
Imre Schlosser
Imre Schlosser-Lakatos was a Hungarian footballer. He still holds the record as the highest goalscorer in the history of the Hungarian League....
who scored seven goals. The beginning of the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
had a deep impact on the thriving Hungarian football. Not only the country was suffering for financial problems but the clubs too. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Hungary played Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
16 times. In 1919 England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
claimed the exclusion of the Axis powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
(including Hungary) from the FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
. Since the FIFA refused England's plea, the British and the Irish
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
associations (English
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
, Scottish, Welsh) decided to quit from the FIFA. In the late 1990s many footballers leave Hungary in order to play in professional clubs.
The 1920s
Budapest was denied the opportunity to host the Summer Olympics in 1920, therefore it was held in Belgium1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
. Moreover, the countries of the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
(Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
) were excluded from the Olympics. During this period the Fogl brothers (József Fogl
József Fogl
József Fogl, also known as József Fogoly, József Újpesti and Fogl III was a Hungarian footballer who played for Újpest FC, as well as representing the Hungarian national football team....
and Károly Fogl
Károly Fogl
Károly Fogl, also known as Károly Fogoly, "Károly Újpesti" and "Fogl II" was a Hungarian footballer who played for Újpest FC, as well as representing the Hungarian national football team at the 1924 Summer Olympics.Fogl was born in Újpest, Budapest, Hungary...
) played in the national team. The formation the Hungarians used was 2-3-5 which was unique at that time. In 1924 The national team played at the Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In the first match Hungary beat Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
but in the second round they lost to Egypt. As a consequence, both the head coach and the head of the Hungarian Football Federation
Hungarian Football Federation
The Hungarian Football Federation is the governing body of football in Hungary. It organizes the Hungarian league and the Hungarian national team. It is based in Budapest.György Szepesi was Chairman of the Hungarian Football Association from 1978 to 1986....
resigned.
Between 1927 and 1930 Hungary participated in the Europa Cup, which is considered as the first international tournament, with Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
, Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
, Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
, and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
. In the final Hungary lost to Russia.
On 12 June 1927 Hungary beat France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
by 13-1 which is still a record. József Takács
József Takács
József Takács was a Hungarian international footballer who earned 32 caps between 1923 and 1933, scoring 26 goals, and participated at the 1924 Summer Olympics. Takács, who played as a striker, played club football for Vasas SC and Ferencváros.-References:...
scored six goals against France.
The 1930s and the silver medal at the 1938 FIFA World Cup
The first World CupFIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
was held in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
in 1930
1930 FIFA World Cup
The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930...
. Hungary did not take part in the tournament since they were not invited and there were not any qualification matches. Therefore, Hungary first appeared in the World Cup in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
where the 1934 FIFA World Cup
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
was held. Hungary's first World Cup match was played against Egypt on 27 May 1934, in the end the match was won 4-2. The goals were scored by Pál Teleki
Pál Teleki
Pál Count Teleki de Szék was prime minister of Hungary from 19 July 1920 to 14 April 1921 and from 16 February 1939 to 3 April 1941. He was also a famous expert in geography, a university professor, a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and Chief Scout of the Hungarian Scout Association...
, Géza Toldi
Géza Toldi
Géza Toldi was a Hungarian footballer. He played for Ferencvárosi TC, and from 1934 to 1938 for the Hungarian national team, serving as captain in 1936. He scored a goal in the 1938 FIFA World Cup....
(2) and Jenő Vincze. In the quarter-finals Hungary faced neighbouring arch-rivals Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
and lost to 2-1. The only Hungarian goal was scored by György Sárosi.
The 1938 FIFA World Cup
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
was held in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The first match was played against Dutch East Indies and Hungary won 6-0. György Sárosi and Gyula Zsengellér
Gyula Zsengellér
Gyula Zsengellér was a Hungarian footballer and a legend of Újpest FC, most famous for his part in taking the Hungarian national team to the 1938 World Cup Final. He was that tournament's second-highest scorer, behind Leonidas of Brazil.His first international cap came on 2 December 1936, when...
scored twice while Vilmos Kohut
Vilmos Kohut
Vilmos "Willy" Kohut was a Hungarian footballer. He played as a Striker for the Ferencvárosi TC, French team Olympique Marseille and the Hungarian national team. Kohut got 25 caps and 14 goals for the Hungarian national team between 1925-1938...
and Géza Toldi
Géza Toldi
Géza Toldi was a Hungarian footballer. He played for Ferencvárosi TC, and from 1934 to 1938 for the Hungarian national team, serving as captain in 1936. He scored a goal in the 1938 FIFA World Cup....
also scored a goal each. In the quarter-finals Hungary played with Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
and the match was won 2-0 thanks to a goal by György Sárosi and Gyula Zsengellér
Gyula Zsengellér
Gyula Zsengellér was a Hungarian footballer and a legend of Újpest FC, most famous for his part in taking the Hungarian national team to the 1938 World Cup Final. He was that tournament's second-highest scorer, behind Leonidas of Brazil.His first international cap came on 2 December 1936, when...
each. The semi-finals at the Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
Hungary played against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
and won 5-1. Ferenc Sas
Ferenc Sas
Ferenc Sas - born as Ferenc Sohn, in Argentina known as Francisco "Sas" Sohn - was a Hungarian football player. With the Hungary he played in the final of the World Cup 1938...
, György Sárosi and Gyula Zsengellér
Gyula Zsengellér
Gyula Zsengellér was a Hungarian footballer and a legend of Újpest FC, most famous for his part in taking the Hungarian national team to the 1938 World Cup Final. He was that tournament's second-highest scorer, behind Leonidas of Brazil.His first international cap came on 2 December 1936, when...
's hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
sent them to the Final
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
. In the final Hungary faced Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
at the Stade Olympique de Colombes in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The final result was 4-2 to Italy. The Hungarian goals were scored by Pál Titkos
Pál Titkos
Pál Titkos was a Hungarian footballer. He played for MTK Hungária FC and the Hungary national football team. He scored two goals in the 1938 FIFA World Cup, including one in the final itself....
and György Sárosi.