Golden Team
front row: Mihály Lantos, Ferenc Puskás, Gyula Grosics
back row: Gyula Lóránt, Jenő Buzánszky, Nándor Hidegkuti, Sándor Kocsis, József Zakariás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik, László Budai
The Golden Team (Hungarian: Aranycsapat; also known as the Mighty Magyars, the Magical Magyars, the Magnificent Magyars, or the Marvellous Magyars) refers to the Hungary national football team during the 1950s. It is associated with several notable matches, including the "Match of the Century" against England in 1953. The team inflicted notable defeats on then-footballing world powers England, Uruguay and the Soviet Union. The 1956 Hungarian Revolution caused the breakup of the side. The team is considered by many as one of the greatest Football teams of all time.
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1952 Helsinki | Team |
| World Cup | ||
| Silver | 1954 Switzerland | Team |
| Central European International Cup | ||
| Gold | 1948–53 Central Europe | Team |
Between 1950 and 1956, the team played 50 matches, which included 42 victories, 7 draws and just 1 defeat. The defeat came in the 1954 FIFA World Cup Final against West Germany. Under the Elo rating system they achieved the highest rating recorded by a national side (2231 points, 30 June 1954), just ahead of 2nd place Germany (2223 points, 13 July 2014). In 2016, the BBC listed the team as the best international football team in football history.[1]
The team is generally credited for successfully implementing an early form of "Total Football", which would later be used by the Netherlands during the 1970s.
All-time team highs and lows
The following is a list of national football teams ranked by the highest Elo rating they ever reached.[2] The table also includes the highest ranking as well as the lowest rating and ranking reached by each nation. The team that has achieved the highest rank in each confederation is shown in color.
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- ↑ The ranking in parentheses is that at the time the highest rating was reached.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The date given is when the highest or lowest rating was first reached.
- ↑ The team's indicated lowest ratings and rank may not have coincided in time.
- ↑ Russia reached its lowest rating as the Russian Empire (after 7 matches) and its highest rating and ranking as the Soviet Union.
Results
Records and statistics
- World Record: (June 4, 1950 to Feb 19 1956) 42 victories, 7 draws, 1 defeat ("Miracle of Bern") – 91.0% winning percentage ratio.
- Team Record (June 4, 1950 to July 3, 1954) 31 game undefeated narrative.
- World Record: most consecutive games scoring at least one goal: 73 games (April 10, 1949 to June 16, 1957).
- World Record: longest time undefeated in 20th and 21st centuries: 4 years 1 month (June 4, 1950 to July 4, 1954).
- World Record: most collaborative goals scored between two starting players (Ferenc Puskás & Sándor Kocsis) on same national side (159 goals).
- World Record: Highest rating ever attained in the sport's history using the Elo rating system for national teams with 2230 points on June 30, 1954.
- 20th Century Record: Hungary manager Gusztáv Sebes holds the highest ratio of victories per game past 30 matches with 82.58% (49 wins, 11, draws, 6 defeats). Brazil legend Vicente Feola (1955–1966) owns the second highest with 81.25 (46 wins, 12 draws, 6 defeats).
- 20th Century Record: Most International Goals: Ferenc Puskás (84 goals).
- World Cup Record: 27 goals scored in a single World Cup finals tournament.
- World Cup Record: 5.4 goals-per-match in a single World Cup finals tournament.
- World Cup Record: +17 goal differential in a single World Cup finals tournament.
- World Cup Record: 2.2 goals-per-match average for individual goal scoring in a single World Cup finals tournament (Sándor Kocsis 11 goals in 5 games).
- World Cup Record: highest margin of victory ever recorded in a World Cup finals tournament match ( Hungary 9, South Korea 0 – July 17, 1954).
- World Cup Precedent: first national team to defeat two-time and reigning World Cup champion Uruguay in a World Cup finals tournament (Hungary 4, Uruguay 2, semi-final — July 30, 1954).
- World Cup Precedent: Sándor Kocsis, first player to score two hat tricks in a World Cup finals tournament (Hungary 8, West Germany 3 – July 20, 1954 & Hungary 9, South Korea 0 – July 17, 1954).
- National Record: Highest margin of victory recorded by Hungarian national team (Hungary 12, Albania 0 – Sept. 23 1950).
- Precedent: first national side from outside the British Isles to defeat England at home since the codification of association football in 1863, a span of 90 years (Hungary 6, England 3, see "Match of the Century" – Nov. 25 1953).
- Hungary's 7–1 defeat of England in Budapest the next year is still England's record defeat.
- Precedent: first national side in the world to eclipse an 1888 Scottish record of being undefeated in 22 consecutive matches (32 games).
- Precedent: first non-South American national side to defeat Uruguay (Hungary 4, Uruguay 2, semi-final — July 30, 1954), breaking a 17-game Uruguayan unbeaten run against non-South American competition dating from May 26, 1924.
- Precedent: first national side to defeat the Soviet Union at home (Hungary 1, Soviet Union 0 – Sept. 23 1956).
- Precedent: first national team in history to simultaneously host the No.1 and No. 2 world record holders for most goals scored internationally (Ferenc Puskás 84 goals, Sándor Kocsis 75 goals) from May 11, 1955 to October 14, 1956.
- Team Record vs. Elo Ranked Opponents: (June 4, 1950 – Oct. 14 1956), vs. world Top 10 ranked opponents: 11 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss / vs. world Top 5 opponents: 4 wins, 0 draw, 1 loss.
Honours
- Central European International Cup
- 1948-53
- Olympic Champions
- 1952
- World Cup
- Finalist : 1954
Golden Team Media
The Hungarian crowd cheers following the conclusion of England's heaviest ever defeat (1–7)
A well-known photograph of the 1954 final is installed in front of the Wankdorf's successor stadium, the Stade de Suisse.
Statue of Ferenc Puskás in Óbuda.
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References
- ↑ "The greatest international team ever?". BBC Sport. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36387046.
- ↑ World Football Elo Ratings; under the columns tab choose "Highest Rank / Rating" as well as "Lowest Rank / Rating"
Bibliography
- Rogan Taylor, ed. (1998). Puskas on Puskas: The Life and Times of a Footballing Legend. Robson Books. ISBN 1861051565.
- Terry Crouch, ed. (2006). The World Cup: The Complete History. Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1845131495.
- Michael L. LaBlanc & Richard Henshaw, ed. (1994). The World Encyclopedia of Soccer. Invisible Ink Press. ISBN 0810394421.
- Jonathan Wilson, ed. (2006). Behind the Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football. Orion Publishing. ISBN 9780752879451.
- Rogan Taylor & Andrew War, ed. (1996). Kicking & Screaming: An Oral History of Football in England. Robson Books. ISBN 0860519120.
- Diego Mariottini, "Tiki-taka Budapest: leggenda, ascesa e declino dell'Ungheria di Puskás", Bradipolibri, 2016, ISBN 9788899146214
Other websites
- Aranycsapat – dedicated web page (in Hungarian)
- Gusztáv Sebes biography Archived 2006-12-08 at the Wayback Machine
- Hungary's Famous Victory
- Dr. Gerő Cup 1948–53
- National football teams' rankings