Hungary is one of the traditional powerhouses of European football and has had a glorious history of achievements and influence. Hungarian football reached its peak in the mid-20th century, setting many amazing records and classic matches, and also producing a group of world-class stars such as Puskas, Kosis, Hideck and others.
Founded in 1901, the Hungarian Football Association was one of the first football associations in Europe. Although Hungary was part of Austria-Hungary at the time, the two countries decided to form their own football associations and national teams, respectively. The Hungarian national team first competed in Olympic football in 1912, but was eliminated by England's 7-0 defeat. During the First World War, Hungary played 16 matches with Austria, of which 8 were won, 7 lost and 1 draw. In 1919, England demanded that the Central Allies (including Hungary) be excluded from FIFA, but this was refused, and four associations in England and Ireland (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) withdrew from FIFA.
In the 1920s, Hungary began to make its mark in European football. In 1924, Hungary competed in the Paris Olympics and defeated Poland in the first round, but was eliminated by Egypt in the second round. 2 On 12 June 1927, Hungary defeated France 13-1, setting the record for the biggest victory in the history of the national team and the biggest victory in the history of the European Championship. In this match, Takash Josef scored 6 goals. From 1927 to 1930, Hungary participated in the European Championship (considered the first international football tournament), competing against countries such as Austria, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Russia and Yugoslavia, losing 2–3 to Russia in the final and finishing second.
In the 1930s, Hungary began to compete in the World Cup. In 1930, the first World Cup was held in Uruguay, but Hungary was not invited due to the lack of qualification. Thus, in 1934, Hungary participated in the World Cup in Italy for the first time. Hungary's first World Cup match was against Egypt on May 27, which was won 4-2. The players who scored were Treki, Tordi (2) and Wen Cai. In the quarterfinals, Hungary faced rivals Austria and lost 1-2. Hungary's only goal was scored by Sarossi. In 1936, Hungary participated in the Berlin Olympics and eliminated Turkey in the first round, but was eliminated by Poland in the second round.
In 1938, Hungary again participated in the World Cup in France with a historic breakthrough. In the group stage, Hungary beat Indonesia 6-0 and Switzerland 2-0 to advance to the quarter-finals. In the quarterfinals, Hungary defeated Sweden 2-0 to reach the semifinals. In the semi-finals, Hungary faced defending champions Italy in a fierce battle that resulted in a stunning 5-1 victory. The players who scored were Sarosi (2), Zabor, Teleki and Nias. In the final, Hungary met hosts France, which opened the scoring first, but lost 4-2 and finished runners-up. This is the first and last time in the history of Hungarian football to reach the World Cup final.
In the 1940s, international football activity almost ceased due to the outbreak of World War II. During this period, Hungary played only a few friendly matches, including two matches against Germany in 1943, losing 3-5 and 2-5 respectively. In 1947, Hungary participated in the Balkan Cup and won the championship.
In the early 1950s, Hungarian football ushered in a whole new era, and a legendary combination known as the "Golden Team" was born. This team consists of a group of talented players such as Puskash, Kosiš, Hidek, Bozhik, Lorenz and others, who have taken European and world football by storm with their revolutionary 4-2-4 formation and all-attack, all-defensive tactical philosophy.
In 1954, Hungary participated in the World Cup in Switzerland and was seen as the favorite to win the title. In the group stage, Hungary beat South Korea 9-0 and West Germany 8-3, with Puskas scoring four goals. In the quarterfinals, Hungary won 4-2 against Brazil, a match known as the "water battle" as the field was soaked by rain and there were several clashes between the players on both sides. In the semifinals, Hungary defeated Uruguay 4-2, the first time Uruguay had lost in the World Cup since 1930. In the final, Hungary again met West Germany, a match known as "Bern of Miracles". Hungary took a 2-0 lead in the opening eight minutes, but West Germany pulled one back before the end of the first half. In the second half, West Germany scored the winning goal in the 84th minute to defeat Hungary 3-2 to claim their first World Cup title. The match is considered one of the most shocking results in the history of the World Cup and a sad moment for Hungarian football.
In 1958, Hungary failed to qualify for the World Cup because they refused to play against the Soviet Union. In 1960, Hungary participated in the inaugural European Championship and beat France 3-1 in the semifinals, but lost 1-2 to the Soviet Union in the final and finished second. In 1962 and 1966, Hungary reached the quarter-finals and group stage at the World Cup, respectively. In 1964 and 1968, Hungary won bronze and silver medals at the Olympic Games.
In 1970, at the World Cup in Mexico, he achieved an unbeaten record of two wins and one draw in the group stage and beat El Salvador 10-1, setting the record for the biggest victory in the history of the World Cup. In the quarter-finals, Hungary faced future champions Brazil in a spectacular matchup, taking the lead twice, but ultimately losing 2-3 to the semi-finals. This is the last time in the history of Hungarian football to shine on the World Cup stage.
After 1970, Hungarian football gradually lost its competitiveness in Europe and the world. In 1972, Hungary won a bronze medal at the Olympics, the last time they won a medal at the Olympics. In 1978, Hungary failed to qualify for the World Cup because they refused to play against the Soviet Union. In 1982, Hungary stopped at the group stage at the World Cup. In 1986, Hungary won one World Cup and drew twice, but still did not qualify. This was the last time in the history of Hungarian football to participate in the World Cup.
From 1986 to 2016, Hungarian football experienced a 30-year trough and failed to participate in any World Cup or European Championship. During this period, the level of Hungarian football dropped a lot, and there were no outstanding players or coaches. In 1996, Hungary's FIFA ranking fell to an all-time low of 87th. In 2008, Hungary finished sixth in its group in the European Cup qualifiers, losing five matches. In 2010, Hungary also finished fourth in the group in the World Cup qualifiers, losing four matches.
In 2016, Hungarian football finally took a turn for the better, successfully reaching the European Championship in France. This is the second time Hungarian football has participated in the European Championship after 44 years. In the group stage, Hungary drew 1-1 with Portugal, beat Austria 2-0 and Iceland 3-3 to advance to the round of 16 as the top of the group. In the round of 16, Hungary met Belgium and, although they performed well, ended up losing 4-0. Despite this, Hungarian football's performance at the European Championship was impressive and gave them hope for the future.
In 2021, Hungarian football once again reached the European Championship and was placed in the "Death Group", in the same group as Germany, France and Portugal. In the group stage, Hungary lost 3-0 to Portugal and drew 1-1 with France and Germany, and although it did not achieve a single victory, it did not give up easily, showing tenacious fighting spirit and unity with the support of home Budapest. Although ultimately unqualified, Hungarian football still won the respect and praise of many.
Hungarian football is a team with a long history and rich tradition, which has created countless splendors and miracles in European and world football, and has also cultivated a number of outstanding stars and coaches. Although Hungarian football has encountered many difficulties and setbacks in recent decades, they have not given up their dreams and beliefs, and through unremitting efforts and struggles, they have returned to the stage of international football and shown their strength and charm. There are still many opportunities and challenges for the future of Hungarian football, and we look forward to them continuing to maintain their style and identity, bringing more surprises and joy to their country and fans.
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