Football: Hungary’s Most Loved Sport 

 Sponsored content

Hungary has a long and glorious history in football, but also a long and painful decline. However, they have shown signs of resurgence and hope in recent years, qualifying for two consecutive Euros and playing with courage and flair. They have a young and talented team that can grow and improve in the future. In this article, we will look at the past, present, and future of football in Hungary. 

The Golden Age of Hungarian Football 

The golden age of Hungarian football was from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s when the national team was called the “Golden Team” or the “Magical Magyars“. The team was led by one of the best players ever, Ferenc Puskás, who scored 84 goals in 85 international games. Puskás was joined by other legendary players like Sándor Kocsis, Nándor Hidegkuti, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik, and Gyula Grosics. 

The Golden Team changed the game with their new tactics and style of play, which inspired the later development of Total Football. They played with a flexible formation that let players switch positions and roles depending on the situation. They also used short passes, quick movements, and high pressing to control the ball and create chances. 

 The Golden Team achieved amazing results on the international stage, winning the gold medal at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki and finishing second at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland. They also beat England twice in historic matches: 6–3 at Wembley Stadium in 1953, which was England’s first home loss to a non-British team; and 7–1 in Budapest in 1954, which is still England’s worst loss ever. 

The Golden Team had an unbeaten streak of 31 games between 1950 and 1954, which is one of the longest in football history. They also reached the highest Elo rating ever recorded by a national team: 2230 in June 1954. 

The Decline of Hungarian Football 

The decline of Hungarian football started after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, which made several key players leave the country or defect to other teams. Puskás played for Hungary until 1956 but then moved to Spain and joined Real Madrid. Czibor and Kocsis also left Hungary and played for Barcelona. The political chaos and repression also hurt the development of football in Hungary, as many clubs were shut down or renamed by the communist regime. 

Hungary still managed to qualify for some major tournaments in the next decades but never reached the same level of success as before. Their best results were finishing third at the 1964 European Championship and fourth at the 1966 World Cup. They also qualified for Euro 1972 but did not get out of their group. Their last appearance at a World Cup was in 1986 when they came last in their group. 

Hungary also had trouble producing world-class players after the golden generation retired. Some notable exceptions were Flórián Albert, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1967; László Kubala, who played for Barcelona and Spain; and Lajos Détári, who starred for Olympiacos and Eintracht Frankfurt. 

Hungary hit rock bottom in the 1990s and early 2000s when they failed to qualify for any major tournament and reached their lowest FIFA ranking: 87th in July 1996. They also suffered some embarrassing defeats like losing 8–1 to the Netherlands in 2013.  

The Resurgence of Hungarian Football 

The resurgence of Hungarian football began in the mid-2010s when they qualified for their first European Championship since 1972. They did so by finishing fourth in their qualifying group but making it through the playoffs by beating Bulgaria and Iceland. At Euro 2016 in France, they shocked many by topping their group ahead of Portugal, Iceland, and Austria. They made it to the round of 16 where they lost to Belgium. 

Hungary also qualified for Euro 2020 (postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19), by finishing fourth in their qualifying group but making it through the play-offs by beating Bulgaria and Iceland again. They were drawn into a tough group with Portugal, France, and Germany. They played their home games at the newly built Puskás Aréna in Budapest, which can hold over 67,000 fans. 

Hungary showed great spirit and resilience at Euro 2020, holding Portugal to a goalless draw until the final minutes when they conceded three goals. They then earned a historic point against world champions France with a 1–1 draw. They also came close to qualifying for the knockout stage when they led Germany twice but ended up with a 2–2 draw. 

Hungary also achieved promotion to the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A, by finishing first in their group ahead of Turkey, Serbia, and Russia. They will face Italy, Belgium, and Spain in the next edition of the competition. 

The Future of Hungarian Football 

The future of Hungarian football looks promising, as the national team has shown signs of improvement and competitiveness in recent years. They have also qualified for back-to-back Euros for the first time in their history. They have a young and talented team that can aim to achieve new heights and glory in football. 

Hungary also has a strong youth system that produces promising players for the future. Some of the rising stars of Hungarian football are midfielder András Schäfer, who plays for DAC Dunajská Streda; forward Nemanja Nikolić, who plays for Fehérvár FC; and defender Bendegúz Bolla, who plays for Fehérvár FC. 

Hungary also has a modern and impressive infrastructure that supports the development of football in the country. The Puskás Aréna is one of the most advanced stadiums in Europe and hosted four games at Euro 2020. Hungary also has several other stadiums that meet UEFA standards such as the Groupama Aréna, the MOL Aréna Sóstó, and the Nagyerdei Stadion. 

Hungary also has a passionate and loyal fan base that supports the national team with enthusiasm and pride. The Hungarian fans created a great atmosphere at Euro 2020, filling up the Puskás Aréna with over 60,000 fans despite the COVID-19 pandemic. They also traveled to Munich to cheer on their team against Germany. 

Final thoughts 

Hungary has a long and glorious history in football, but also a long and painful decline. However, they have shown signs of resurgence and hope in recent years, qualifying for two consecutive Euros and playing with courage and flair. They have a young and talented team that can grow and improve in the future. However, they failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup after losing to Poland in their final match. They will have to wait until 2026 to try again. And for those who want to spice things up, there are top low deposit casinos in CA where they can have fun with online gambling.