Ferenc Puskás - A Detailed Overview
Early Life
Ferenc Puskás was born on April 1, 1927 in Budapest, Hungary. From an early age, he demonstrated a natural talent for football and joined junior side Kispest AC, where his father, a former player and coach, was in charge. His initial footballing steps were monitored by his father who managed to make him fall in love with the beautiful game.
Club Career in Hungary
Starting out as a junior with Kispest AC, he quickly moved through the ranks to join the senior team by the time he was 16. During his career with the club, he led the team to five Hungarian League titles. Kispest was taken over by the Hungarian Ministry of Defence in 1949, becoming the Hungarian Army team and changing its name to Budapest Honvéd. As a result, Puskás and his teammates were symbolically drafted into the army. As Honvéd players, they became part of the national team.
National Team Career
Puskás made his debut for the Hungary national team in 1945 when he was 18 years old. He went on to play 85 official matches and scored 84 goals, a phenomenal record. He was a significant part of the successful Hungary team of the early 1950s, also known as the 'Golden Team' or 'Magical Magyars', alongside Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik, and Gyula Grosics. They won the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki and reached the final in the 1954 World Cup, where they were defeated by West Germany. Puskás scored two goals in this historic final which was affected by heavy rain.
1956 Hungarian Revolution and Aftermath
The 1956 Hungarian Revolution led to Honvéd undertaking a fundraising tour of Italy, Spain, and Portugal. However, after the uprising was crushed by the Soviet Union, the players refused to return to Hungary. Instead, Puskás moved to Spain, where he joined Real Madrid at the age of 31.
Real Madrid Career
Signing for Real Madrid in 1958, Puskás found a new chapter in his career. Despite being in the twilight of his career, his impact was immediate. He formed a devastating partnership with Alfredo Di Stefano, helping the Madridistas to win five straight La Liga titles from 1961 to 1965 and three European Cups in 1959, 1960, and 1966. He scored an astounding 156 goals in 180 appearances for Madrid.
Retirement and Coaching
Puskás retired from professional football in 1967. He then turned to coaching, leading teams in Spain, North America, and even South America. He managed the Greek club Panathinaikos from 1970 to 1974, and under his guidance, they reached the European Cup final in 1971, the only time in the club's history. His coaching career was not as successful as his playing days but he still made a significant impact wherever he went.
Legacy and Death
Throughout his career, Puskás scored a total of 746 goals in 754 matches, a record that remains legendary in football. He was named the top scorer of the 20th century by the IFFHS in 1995. In 2004, he was also named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players by Pelé. Following several years of illness, Puskás died in Budapest in 2006. His death was mourned worldwide, and his magnitude was recognized by the renaming of the Hungarian national stadium to Ferenc Puskás Stadium in his honor.