Hungary: The greatest team to never win a World Cup
There is a long-running debate amongst football fans of a certain age vintage about the greatest international team that never won the World Cup.
The likes of Belgium’s original ‘Golden Generation’ in 1986 will sometimes get a mention. Then, there will be the inevitable talk about Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands team of the 1970s, specifically the 1974 World Cup team.
However, before the two Flemish nations, there was a team that made its mark on international football and, through sheer brilliance, left an indelible mark on the beautiful game. That team is Hungary’s ‘Golden Team’ of the 1950s.
Why did the Hungary team have such an effect on football?
The Hungary team of the 1950s didn’t only go by the nickname ‘The Golden Team’ but also Mighty Magyars, the Magical Magyars, and the Magnificent Magyars such was their brilliance in the 1950s.
Although Dutch head coach Rinus Michels is credited with mastering the “Total Football” style of play at Ajax and with the Netherlands, the 1950s Hungary team is generally considered to be the first team to use the system.
In fact, many considered the Hungary team of that era to be major innovators in tactics, science, and coaching. Their manager, Gusztav Sebes, is regarded as one of the coaches who pioneered the 4-2-4 formation.
Between 1950 and 1956, Hungary played 69 international matches, winning 58, drawing ten, and suffering just one defeat. During this stellar run of form, the Mighty Magyars scored an unbelievable 436 goals, showing just how potent a team they were.
The team also contained one of the best forwards the beautiful game has ever seen, the now legendary Ferenc Puskas, as well as Zoltan Czibor, Sandor Kocsis, Jozsef Bozsik, and Nandor Hidegkuti, who were all key players.
The best team in the world ahead of the 1954 World Cup
Hungary really started making waves in the world of football in the early 1950s. Sebes’ team entered the 1952 Olympics on the back of a two-year unbeaten run. They promptly won the gold, seeing off Yugoslavia in the tournament’s final, thanks to goals from Ferenc Puskas and Zoltan Czibor.
A year later, Hungary headed to England’s Wembley Stadium for a friendly encounter. The Three Lions had only ever been beaten once on home soil by a team outside of the United Kingdom, having suffered a 1949 defeat by the Republic of Ireland.
The match was labelled ‘The Match of the Century’, as Hungary were ranked the best team in the world, while England were third-best. The home team also still had the respect of the Hungarians due to their history in the game and the fact that English head coach Jimmy Hogan had such a significant influence on the game in their country during his time managing MTK Budapest.
The game certainly lived up to its label, as Hungary recorded a 6-3 victory in front of a crowd of 105,000 spectators. Hidegkuti notched a hat-trick, Puskas scored a brace, and Bozsik also got on the scoresheet.
The game proved to be a wake-up call in the English game, as many coaches in England were stuck in the past and stubbornly stuck to old, outdated coaching methods.
The two teams met for a rematch in Budapest in the run-up to the 1954 World Cup, with England determined for revenge. Instead, they were handed another lesson in modern football. The Mighty Magyars swept the visitors aside, recording a 7-1 victory. The defeat is still England’s biggest-ever defeat in the international game.
Hungary headed into the 1954 World Cup as favourites to win the competition for the first time in their history. They shone in the competition. One of the games that stood out during the competition was the quarter-finals against Brazil.
The two teams showed great attacking flair during the competition, and the game looked set to be a brilliant spectacle of football. However, the game was marred by fouling by both teams and fights on the pitch, which resulted in three players’ dismissal. However, Hungary came out of the game with a 4-2 win in a match now labelled as “Battle of Berne”.
Their semi-final game against Uruguay also ended 4-2 to Hungary. The victory was made even more impressive by the fact that they played the game without Ferenc Puskas.
Uruguay, two-time defending world champions, had never lost a game in their two previous World Cups, which also showed just how well Sebes’ team performed.
The game produced a far better spectacle for spectators, as both teams played attacking football without the aggression of Hungary’s last-eight clash against Brazil.
Hungary went into the final of the World Cup against Germany as big favourites to claim their maiden World Cup title. Everything was going to plan early on for the Mighty Magyars as by the eighth minute, Hungary was coasting two goals up after goals from the returning Puskas and Czibor.
The Germans got back into the game through goals from Max Morlock and Helmut Ruhn, levelling the game at 2-2. Hungary seemed likely to regain the lead, but Germany’s goalkeeper, Toni Turek, produced a string of outstanding saves, and Ruhn struck again with a third goal.
Puskas looked to have scored an equaliser for Hungary in the second half. However, his effort was disallowed for offside. Germany hung on to end Hungary’s long unbeaten run. Like the quarter-final, the final itself earned a nickname, “The Miracle of Bern”.
‘The Mighty Magyars’ demise
Although Hungary continued to be a major force in international football, things took a turn for the worst in 1956, as after a 5-4 defeat by Belgium, Sebes was fired from his position.
However, that was only one of the factors involved in the great team’s demise. Another was the Hungarian Revolution. The majority of the team played in their homeland with Budapest Honved.
The team played a European Cup first-round game against Athletic Club in Bilbao, recording a 3-2 victory over the Basque outfit. However, before the return leg in Budapest, the Hungarian Revolution broke out.
They played the second leg in Heysel, Belgium, and eventually suffered a 6-5 aggregate loss. The revolution, though, left the players in limbo. They reportedly didn’t want to return to Hungary, and many brought their families from their homeland to other parts of Europe.
The team broke up, with many of the players settling in Spain, including Kocsis and Czibor, who moved to Barcelona, and Puskas, who became a star at Real Madrid despite joining Los Blancos at 31.
It was a sad end to a glorious period for not only Hungarian football but also the game as a whole, such was ‘the Mighty Magyars’ influence on the game.
Hungary has struggled to compete internationally in recent decades. Although they may never have won the World Cup, Hungary’s national team from 1950 to 1956 will go down as one of the best to have ever played the beautiful game.