Nándor Hidegkuti
Encyclopedia
Nándor Hidegkuti was a Hungarian football player and manager. He played as a forward or attacking midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career at MTK Hungária FC
. During the 1950s he was also a member of the Hungarian National Team
team known as the Golden Team. Other members of the team included Ferenc Puskás
, Zoltán Czibor
, Sándor Kocsis
and József Bozsik
. In 1953, playing as a deep lying centre-forward, he scored a hat-trick
for Hungary when they beat England
6-3
at Wembley Stadium. Playing from deep, Hidegkuti was able to distribute the ball to the other attackers and cause considerable confusion in the English defence. This was an innovation at the time and revolutionised the way the game was played. This is now known as SS or Second Striker with players such as Francesco Totti
and Wayne Rooney
playing there today.
As a manager Hidegkuti coached clubs in Hungary
, Italy
, Poland
and Egypt
. In 1961 he guided ACF Fiorentina
to victory in the first ever European Cup Winners' Cup
, beating Rangers
4-1 on aggregate in the final. With Győri ETO FC
he won the Hungarian League
in 1963 and then took them to the semi-final of the European Cup
in 1965 where they lost to eventual runners-up, S.L. Benfica. In Egypt, Hidegkuti coached Egyptian team Al Ahly, introducing a 5-3-2 formation.
Hidegkuti died on 14 February 2002 after suffering from heart and lung problems for some time before his death. MTK Hungária FC
renamed their stadium, Hidegkuti Nándor Stadium
in his honour.
, MTK were taken over by the secret police, the ÁVH
and subsequently the club their name several times. Initially they became Textiles SE, then Bástya SE, then Vörös Lobogó SE and then finally back to MTK. Despite this turmoil, the 1950s proved a successful era for club and it was while at MTK that Hidegkuti, together with Péter Palotás
and coach Márton Bukovi
, pioneered the deep lying centre-forward position. With a team that also included Mihály Lantos
and József Zakariás
, MTK and Hidegkuti won three Hungarian League
titles, a Hungarian Cup and a Mitropa Cup
. In 1955, as Vörös Lobogó SE, they also played in the first ever European Cup. Hidegkuti scored twice as they beat RSC Anderlecht 10-4 on aggregate in the first round. After retiring as a player, Hidegkuti also had two spells as a coach at MTK.
. He scored twice on his debut on 30 September 1945 in a 7-2 win against Romania
. Two years later, on 17 August 1947, he made his second international appearance and scored a hat-trick against Bulgaria
. On 18 November 1951 he scored another hat trick against Finland
. He became a central player in the Golden Team of the early and mid-1950s
; during this time, Ferenc Puskás
, Sándor Kocsis
and Hidegkuti provided the Hungarians a total of 198 goals.
Hidegkuti was used by the Golden Team as a deep lying centre-forward
. In the 1950's, the majority of international sides still used the WM formation, where the defending centre half would traditionally mark the opposition's centre forward - usually whoever was wearing the number 9 shirt. When a defending centre half attempted to mark Hidegkuti, they were drawn out of position, allowing the rest of the Hungarian team to exploit the space. At the time this was a revolutionary tactic, requiring the player in the deep lying centre-forward position to have excellent ball control, distribution skills and positional awareness.
Hungary
MTK/Textiles/Bástya/Vörös Lobogó
Manager
ACF Fiorentina
Győri ETO FC
MTK Hungária FC
MTK Budapest FC or just MTK is a football club from Budapest, Hungary. The team plays in the second division of the Hungarian League. The club's colours are blue and white. As one of the most successful Hungarian football clubs, MTK has won the Hungarian League 23 times and the Hungarian Cup 12...
. During the 1950s he was also a member of the Hungarian National Team
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
team known as the Golden Team. Other members of the team included 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...
, Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor Suhai , also referred to as Czibor Zoltán, was a Hungarian footballer who played for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencváros TC and Honvéd, and Hungary before joining CF Barcelona. Czibor played as a left-winger or striker and was notable for having a powerful shot, good...
, Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Kocsis Péter was a Hungarian footballer who played for Ferencváros TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, FC Barcelona and Hungary. During the 1950s, along with Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he was a member of the Mighty Magyars...
and József Bozsik
József Bozsik
József Bozsik was a Hungarian footballer. He represented Hungary in various international tournaments, and is a member of the Mighty Magyars.-Biography:...
. In 1953, playing as a deep lying centre-forward, he scored a 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...
for Hungary when they beat 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...
6-3
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...
at Wembley Stadium. Playing from deep, Hidegkuti was able to distribute the ball to the other attackers and cause considerable confusion in the English defence. This was an innovation at the time and revolutionised the way the game was played. This is now known as SS or Second Striker with players such as Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian footballer who is the captain of Serie A club Roma. His primary position is that of a trequartista, though he has also been successfully utilized as a lone striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most...
and Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
playing there today.
As a manager Hidegkuti coached clubs in 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...
, 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...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. In 1961 he guided ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
to victory in the first ever European Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1960-61
The 1960-61 season of the European Cup Winners' Cup club football tournament was won by Italian club Fiorentina in two-legged final victory against Rangers of Scotland....
, beating Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
4-1 on aggregate in the final. With Győri ETO FC
Gyori ETO FC
Győri ETO FC , Győri Egyetértés Torna Osztály Football Club or just Győr, is a Hungarian sports club from Győr, a mid-size town in the north-west of the country. In 1904 the club was founded as Győri Vagongyár ETO and has undergone many name changes since...
he won the Hungarian League
Hungarian League
The Nemzeti Bajnokság is a Hungarian professional league for association football clubs. The league is currently known as the OTP Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, and it is the highest level of professional league since its inception in 1901. UEFA currently ranks the league 35th in Europe.Sixteen...
in 1963 and then took them to the semi-final of the European Cup
European Cup 1964-65
The season 1964–65 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Internazionale for the second time in row, in a final match against two-time former champions Benfica, making it three consecutive titles for Italy ....
in 1965 where they lost to eventual runners-up, S.L. Benfica. In Egypt, Hidegkuti coached Egyptian team Al Ahly, introducing a 5-3-2 formation.
Hidegkuti died on 14 February 2002 after suffering from heart and lung problems for some time before his death. MTK Hungária FC
MTK Hungária FC
MTK Budapest FC or just MTK is a football club from Budapest, Hungary. The team plays in the second division of the Hungarian League. The club's colours are blue and white. As one of the most successful Hungarian football clubs, MTK has won the Hungarian League 23 times and the Hungarian Cup 12...
renamed their stadium, Hidegkuti Nándor Stadium
Hidegkuti Nándor Stadium
Hidegkuti Nándor Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Budapest, Hungary. The stadium can hold 12,700 people and was built in 1912...
in his honour.
MTK Hungária FC
Hidegkuti began playing for MTK in 1947. In 1949 when Hungary became a communist statePeople's Republic of Hungary
The People's Republic of Hungary or Hungarian People's Republic was the official state name of Hungary from 1949 to 1989 during its Communist period under the guidance of the Soviet Union. The state remained in existence until 1989 when opposition forces consolidated in forcing the regime to...
, MTK were taken over by the secret police, the ÁVH
State Protection Authority
The State Protection Authority was the secret police force of Hungary from 1945 until 1956. It was conceived of as an external appendage of the Soviet Union's secret police forces, but attained an indigenous reputation for brutality during a series of purges beginning in 1948, intensifying in 1949...
and subsequently the club their name several times. Initially they became Textiles SE, then Bástya SE, then Vörös Lobogó SE and then finally back to MTK. Despite this turmoil, the 1950s proved a successful era for club and it was while at MTK that Hidegkuti, together with Péter Palotás
Péter Palotás
Péter Palotás , also referred to as Péter Poteleczky and Palotás Péter, was a Hungarian footballer who played as a forward for MTK Hungária FC and Hungary...
and coach Márton Bukovi
Márton Bukovi
Márton Bukovi was a Hungarian association football player and manager. After playing for Ferencvárosi TC, FC Sète and Hungary he became a coach, most notably with Građanski Zagreb, MTK Hungária FC and Hungary...
, pioneered the deep lying centre-forward position. With a team that also included Mihály Lantos
Mihály Lantos
Mihály Lantos , also known as Lantos Mihály or Mihály Lendenmayer, was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He played as a defender, spending the majority of his career at MTK Hungária FC. During the 1950s he was also a member of the Hungary team known as the Mighty Magyars...
and József Zakariás
József Zakariás
József Zakariás , also known as Zakariás József was a Hungarian footballer and manager. During the 1950s he was a member of the legendary Hungary team known as the Mighty Magyars...
, MTK and Hidegkuti won three Hungarian League
Hungarian League
The Nemzeti Bajnokság is a Hungarian professional league for association football clubs. The league is currently known as the OTP Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, and it is the highest level of professional league since its inception in 1901. UEFA currently ranks the league 35th in Europe.Sixteen...
titles, a Hungarian Cup and a Mitropa Cup
Mitropa Cup
The Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
. In 1955, as Vörös Lobogó SE, they also played in the first ever European Cup. Hidegkuti scored twice as they beat RSC Anderlecht 10-4 on aggregate in the first round. After retiring as a player, Hidegkuti also had two spells as a coach at MTK.
International career
Between 1945 and 1958 Hidegkuti earned 69 appearances and scored 39 goals for HungaryHungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
. He scored twice on his debut on 30 September 1945 in a 7-2 win against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
. Two years later, on 17 August 1947, he made his second international appearance and scored a hat-trick against Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
. On 18 November 1951 he scored another hat trick against Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
. He became a central player in the Golden Team of the early and mid-1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
; during this time, 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...
, Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Kocsis Péter was a Hungarian footballer who played for Ferencváros TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, FC Barcelona and Hungary. During the 1950s, along with Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he was a member of the Mighty Magyars...
and Hidegkuti provided the Hungarians a total of 198 goals.
Hidegkuti was used by the Golden Team as a deep lying centre-forward
Playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a player who controls the flow of the team's offensive play, and is often involved in passing moves which lead to goals....
. In the 1950's, the majority of international sides still used the WM formation, where the defending centre half would traditionally mark the opposition's centre forward - usually whoever was wearing the number 9 shirt. When a defending centre half attempted to mark Hidegkuti, they were drawn out of position, allowing the rest of the Hungarian team to exploit the space. At the time this was a revolutionary tactic, requiring the player in the deep lying centre-forward position to have excellent ball control, distribution skills and positional awareness.
Honours
PlayerHungary
- Olympic ChampionsFootball at the 1952 Summer OlympicsThe 1952 Olympic football tournament signalled the arrival of the 'Golden Team'; the 'Magical Magyars': Hungary. Ferenc Puskás, the great Hungarian known as the 'Galloping Major' for his military title, said of the 1952 competition: "It was during the Olympics that our football first started to...
- 1952
- Central European Champions
- 1953
- World Cup1954 FIFA World CupThe 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...
- Runner-up: 1954
MTK/Textiles/Bástya/Vörös Lobogó
- Hungarian ChampionsHungarian LeagueThe Nemzeti Bajnokság is a Hungarian professional league for association football clubs. The league is currently known as the OTP Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, and it is the highest level of professional league since its inception in 1901. UEFA currently ranks the league 35th in Europe.Sixteen...
: 3- 1951, 1953, 1958
- Hungarian Cup: 1
- 1952
- Mitropa CupMitropa CupThe Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
: 1- 1955
Manager
ACF Fiorentina
- European Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1960-61The 1960-61 season of the European Cup Winners' Cup club football tournament was won by Italian club Fiorentina in two-legged final victory against Rangers of Scotland....
: 1- 1961
Győri ETO FC
- Hungarian ChampionsHungarian LeagueThe Nemzeti Bajnokság is a Hungarian professional league for association football clubs. The league is currently known as the OTP Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, and it is the highest level of professional league since its inception in 1901. UEFA currently ranks the league 35th in Europe.Sixteen...
: 1- 1963
- European CupEuropean Cup 1964-65The season 1964–65 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Internazionale for the second time in row, in a final match against two-time former champions Benfica, making it three consecutive titles for Italy ....
- Semi-finalists: 1965 1
Sources
- Behind The Curtain - Travels in Eastern European Football: Jonathan Wilson (2006) http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0752869078