Golden Team

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
1952 HelsinkiTeam
World Cup
1954 SwitzerlandTeam
Central European International Cup
1948–53 Central EuropeTeam
The Golden Team in 1953
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

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.

The famous 2-3-3-2 formation employed by the side

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.

  1. The ranking in parentheses is that at the time the highest rating was reached.
  2. The date given is when the highest or lowest rating was first reached.
  3. The team's indicated lowest ratings and rank may not have coincided in time.
  4. Russia reached its lowest rating as the Russian Empire (after 7 matches) and its highest rating and ranking as the Soviet Union.

Results
Date Venue Opponents Score Comp Hungary scorers Attendance
1949-05-08 Budapest Austria 6–1 Central European Cup Puskás (3), Kocsis, Deák (2) 50,000
1949-06-12 Budapest Italy 1–1 Central European Cup Deák 47,000
1949-06-19 Stockholm Sweden 2–2 Friendly Kocsis, Budai 38,000
1949-07-10 Debrecen Poland 8–2 Friendly Deák (4), Puskás (2), Egresi, Keszthelyi 30,000
1949-10-16 Vienna Austria 4–3 Friendly Deák (2), Puskás (2) 65,000
1949-10-30 Budapest Bulgaria 5–0 Friendly Puskás (2), Deák, Budai, Rudas 36,000
1949-11-20 Budapest Sweden 5–0 Friendly Kocsis (3) Puskás, Deák 50,000
1950-04-30 Budapest Czechoslovakia 5–0 Friendly Kocsis (2) Puskás (2), Szilágyi 47,000
1950-05-14 Vienna Austria 3–5 Friendly Kocsis, Puskás, Szilágyi 65,000
1950-06-04 Warsaw Poland 5–2 Friendly Puskás (2), Szilágyi (3) 60,000
1950-09-24 Budapest Albania 12–0 Friendly Puskás (4), Budai (4), Palotás (2), Kocsis (2) 38,000
1950-10-29 Budapest Austria 4–3 Friendly Puskás (3), Szilágyi 45,000
1950-11-12 Sofia Bulgaria 1–1 Friendly Szilágyi 35,000
1951-05-27 Budapest Poland 6–0 Friendly Kocsis (2), Sándor, Puskás (2), Czibor 42,000
1951-10-14 Ostrava Czechoslovakia 2–1 Friendly Kocsis (2) 45,000
1951-11-18 Budapest Finland 8–0 Friendly Hidegkuti (3), Kocsis (2), Czibor, Puskás (2) 40,000
1952-05-18 Budapest East Germany 5–0 Friendly Hidegkuti (2), Szusza, Kocsis, Sándor 38,000
1952-06-15 Warsaw Poland 5–1 Friendly Kocsis (2), Puskás (2), Hidegkuti 50,000
1952-06-22 Helsinki Finland 6–1 Friendly Puskás, Bozsik, Kocsis (3), Palotás 25,000
1952-07-15 Turku Romania 2–1 1952 Olympics Czibor, Kocsis 14,000
1952-07-21 Helsinki Italy 3–0 1952 Olympics Palotás (2), Kocsis 20,000
1952-07-24 Kotka Turkey 7–1 1952 Olympics Palotás, Kocsis (2), Lantos, Puskás (2), Bozsik 20,000
1952-07-28 Helsinki Sweden 6–0 1952 Olympics Puskás, Palotás, Lindh (o.g.), Kocsis (2), Hidegkuti 35,000
1952-08-02 Helsinki Yugoslavia 2–0 1952 Olympics Puskás, Czibor 60,000
1952-09-20 Bern Switzerland 4–2 Central European Cup Puskás (2), Kocsis, Hidegkuti 35,000
1952-10-19 Budapest Czechoslovakia 5–0 Friendly Hidegkuti, Egresi, Kocsis (3) 48,000
1953-04-26 Budapest Austria 1–1 Friendly Czibor 44,000
1953-05-17 Rome Italy 3–0 Central European Cup Hidegkuti, Puskás (2) 90,000
1953-07-05 Stockholm Sweden 4–2 Friendly Puskás, Budai, Kocsis, Hidegkuti 40,000
1953-10-04 Sofia Bulgaria 1–1 Friendly Szilágyi 45,000
1953-10-04 Prague Czechoslovakia 5–1 Friendly Csordás (2), Hidegkuti, M. Tóth, Puskás 50,000
1953-10-11 Vienna Austria 3–2 Friendly Csordás, Hidegkuti (2) 65,000
1953-11-15 Budapest Sweden 2–2 Friendly Palotás, Czibor 80,000
1953-11-25 London England 6–3 Friendly Hidegkuti (3), Puskás (2), Bozsik 105,000
1954-02-12 Cairo Egypt 3–0 Friendly Puskás (2), Hidegkuti 28,000
1954-04-11 Vienna Austria 1–0 Friendly Happel (o.g.) 65,000
1954-05-23 Budapest England 7–1 Friendly Lantos, Puskás (2), Kocsis (2), M. Tóth, Hidegkuti 92,000
1954-06-17 Zurich South Korea 9–0 1954 World Cup Puskás (2), Lantos, Kocsis (3), Czibor, Palotás (2) 15,000
1954-06-20 Basel West Germany 8–3 1954 World Cup Kocsis (4), Puskás, Hidegkuti (2), J. Tóth 53,000
1954-06-27 Bern Brazil 4–2 1954 World Cup Hidegkuti, Kocsis (2), Lantos 60,000
1954-06-30 Lausanne Uruguay 4–2 (a.e.t.) 1954 World Cup Czibor, Hidegkuti, Kocsis (2) 50,000
1954-07-04 Bern West Germany 2–3 1954 World Cup Puskás, Czibor 65,000
1954-09-19 Budapest Romania 5–1 Friendly Kocsis (2), Hidegkuti (2), Budai 93,000
1954-09-19 Moscow Soviet Union 1–1 Friendly Kocsis 85,000
1954-10-10 Budapest Switzerland 3–0 Friendly Kocsis (2), Bozsik 94,000
1954-10-24 Budapest Czechoslovakia 4–1 Friendly Kocsis (3), Sándor 93,000
1954-11-14 Budapest Austria 4–1 Friendly Kocsis, Czibor, Sándor, Palotás 94,000
1954-12-08 Glasgow Scotland 4–2 Friendly Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Bozsik, Sándor 134,000
1955-04-24 Vienna Austria 2–2 Central European Cup Hidegkuti, Fenyvesi 65,000
1955-05-08 Oslo Norway 5–0 Friendly Puskás, Kocsis, Palotás (2), Tichy 34,000
1955-05-11 Stockholm Sweden 7–3 Friendly Puskás (2), Kocsis (3), Hidegkuti, Szojka 40,000
1955-05-15 Copenhagen Denmark 6–0 Friendly Kocsis (2), Sándor (3), Palotás 41,000
1955-05-19 Helsinki Finland 9–1 Friendly Palotás (3), Puskás, Tichy (2), Csordás (2), J. Tóth 30,000
1955-05-29 Budapest Scotland 3–1 Friendly Kocsis, Hidegkuti, Fenyvesi 100,000
1955-09-17 Budapest Switzerland 5–4 Central European Cup Puskás (2), Kocsis, Machos (2) 45,000
1955-09-25 Budapest Soviet Union 1–1 Friendly Puskás 103,000
1955-10-02 Prague Czechoslovakia 3–1 Central European Cup Kocsis, Tichy, Czibor 50,000
1955-10-16 Budapest Austria 6–1 Central European Cup Kocsis, Puskás, Czibor (2), Tichy, J. Tóth 104,000
1955-11-13 Budapest Sweden 4–2 Friendly Puskás, Tichy, Czibor (2) 90,000
1955-11-27 Budapest Italy 2–0 Central European Cup Puskás, J. Tóth 103,000
1956-06-03 Brussels Belgium 4–5 Friendly Puskás, Kocsis (2), Budai 75,000
1956-09-23 Moscow Soviet Union 1–0 Friendly Czibor 105,000

Records and statistics
Memorial of the Aranycsapat in Szeged, Hungary
  • 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.
Hungarian pennant for the 1954 World Cup.
  • 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

References
  1. "The greatest international team ever?". BBC Sport.
  2. 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
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.