Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
The 1952 Olympic football tournament signalled the arrival (to Western Europeans at least) of the 'Golden Team'; the 'Magical Magyars': Hungary
. Ferenc Puskás
, the great Hungarian known as the 'Galloping Major' for his military title, said of the 1952 competition: "It was during the Olympics that our football first started to flow with real power." It was during the Games, too, that Stanley Rous
of the Football Association
, taken by the impression the Magyars were leaving on everyone present, first invited the Hungarians to play a friendly at Wembley the next year.
The competition also saw the first real mass entry from Eastern Europe. 6 nations from beyond the Iron Curtain
were competing, all drawn to play in the preliminary round. The Soviet Union being drawn with Bulgaria and the Hungarians with Romania. Meanwhile the Scandinavian countries were exempted into the first round.
, Great Britain had succumbed to Luxembourg in an eight goal encounter and elsewhere there were solid victories for the Italians and Brazilians (5-1 victors over the Dutch). In Helsinki the Yugoslavs were drawn up against the Indians. The Indians, for whatever reason, had dispensed with the need to wear boots; a decision that caused some players frost-bite, most of them bruising and contributed to the size of their 10-1 loss.
Hungary now made three changes when drawn against Italy and all was different, running out clear winners by 3 goals to nil. Of the rest it appeared that their likely challengers would be the Austrians who were defeating the Finns and the Swedes, managed by George Raynor; easy winners against Norway. Yugoslavia, meanwhile, were having a torrid time against Russia. 5-1 up with 15 minutes of their first round match to go, the Yugoslavs, understandably, put their feet up. Arthur Ellis
, the match referee, recorded what happened next in his book 'The Final Whistle' (London, 1963): 'Russia forced the most honourable draw ever recorded! Bobrov, their captain, scored a magnificent hat-trick. After Russia had reduced the lead to 5-2, he, almost single-handed, took the score to 5-5, scoring his third in the last minute. For once, use of the word sensational was justified'. Although Bobrov's early goal in their replay presaged a miraculous recovery, Yugoslavia recovered sufficiently to put out their opponents easily in the second half. The Soviet side had been expected by Moscow to win the 1952 Games, and their defeat by Yugoslavia was not mentioned in the Soviet press until after Stalin's death the following year.
The Yugoslavs took care of the Danes and Germans to reach the final. Hungary, scoring freely, against the Turks then the Swedes, would join them. And they would easily beat Yugoslavia
, silver-medallists for the second successive Games, 2-0 in the Helsinki
final with goals from Puskás and Zoltán Czibor
. In the third place game Sweden would defeat the Olympic amateur team from Germany
(:de:Deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft der Amateure) .
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Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
. Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954...
, the great Hungarian known as the 'Galloping Major' for his military title, said of the 1952 competition: "It was during the Olympics that our football first started to flow with real power." It was during the Games, too, that Stanley Rous
Stanley Rous
Sir Stanley Ford Rous, CBE was the 6th President of FIFA, serving from 1961 to 1974. He also served as secretary of the Football Association from 1934 to 1962 and was an international referee.-Early Life:...
of the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
, taken by the impression the Magyars were leaving on everyone present, first invited the Hungarians to play a friendly at Wembley the next year.
Background
By the time of the competition the Hungarians had developed into one of the great sides in history. They had amassed an incomparable record, undefeated since May 14, 1950, but had been largely confined to the Eastern European Communist satellite states. When they had ventured outside their ken they had pulverised the Finns and Swedes. But these were mere glimpses. Their reputed supremacy was still a matter of some conjecture.The competition also saw the first real mass entry from Eastern Europe. 6 nations from beyond the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
were competing, all drawn to play in the preliminary round. The Soviet Union being drawn with Bulgaria and the Hungarians with Romania. Meanwhile the Scandinavian countries were exempted into the first round.
Final tournament
There was nothing convincing about their win against the Romanians whom they were first drawn up against. Kocsis' goal in the second half enabled the Hungarians to record a narrow victory. In LahtiLahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, Great Britain had succumbed to Luxembourg in an eight goal encounter and elsewhere there were solid victories for the Italians and Brazilians (5-1 victors over the Dutch). In Helsinki the Yugoslavs were drawn up against the Indians. The Indians, for whatever reason, had dispensed with the need to wear boots; a decision that caused some players frost-bite, most of them bruising and contributed to the size of their 10-1 loss.
Hungary now made three changes when drawn against Italy and all was different, running out clear winners by 3 goals to nil. Of the rest it appeared that their likely challengers would be the Austrians who were defeating the Finns and the Swedes, managed by George Raynor; easy winners against Norway. Yugoslavia, meanwhile, were having a torrid time against Russia. 5-1 up with 15 minutes of their first round match to go, the Yugoslavs, understandably, put their feet up. Arthur Ellis
Arthur Edward Ellis
Arthur Edward Ellis was an English football referee.Ellis was a referee in The Football Association competitions and in FIFA international competitions...
, the match referee, recorded what happened next in his book 'The Final Whistle' (London, 1963): 'Russia forced the most honourable draw ever recorded! Bobrov, their captain, scored a magnificent hat-trick. After Russia had reduced the lead to 5-2, he, almost single-handed, took the score to 5-5, scoring his third in the last minute. For once, use of the word sensational was justified'. Although Bobrov's early goal in their replay presaged a miraculous recovery, Yugoslavia recovered sufficiently to put out their opponents easily in the second half. The Soviet side had been expected by Moscow to win the 1952 Games, and their defeat by Yugoslavia was not mentioned in the Soviet press until after Stalin's death the following year.
The Yugoslavs took care of the Danes and Germans to reach the final. Hungary, scoring freely, against the Turks then the Swedes, would join them. And they would easily beat Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
, silver-medallists for the second successive Games, 2-0 in the Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
final with goals from Puskás and Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor Suhai , also referred to as Czibor Zoltán, was a Hungarian footballer who played for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencváros TC and Honvéd, and Hungary before joining CF Barcelona. Czibor played as a left-winger or striker and was notable for having a powerful shot, good...
. In the third place game Sweden would defeat the Olympic amateur team from Germany
Germany at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Germany competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. 205 competitors, 173 men and 32 women, took part in 123 events in 18 sports....
(:de:Deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft der Amateure) .
Preliminary round
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First round
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Quarter-finals
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Semi-finals
----Bronze medal match
Final (Gold medal match)
Medalists
| Gold: | Silver: | Bronze: |
| Gyula Grosics Gyula Grosics Gyula Grosics is a Hungarian former football goalkeeper who played 86 times for the Hungarian national football team and was part of the legendary Golden Team of the 1950s. He was nicknamed the Black Panther .... Jenő Dálnoki Jeno Dalnoki Jenő Dalnoki was a Hungarian footballer. As a player Dalnoki played for both Ferencvárosi TC and Hungary. He had a the reputation of being a tough defender as well as a tough coach, having had some personal disputes with leading Ferencváros players while coaching them.-External links and references:*... Imre Kovács Imre Kovács Imre Kovács was a Hungarian football midfielder who played for Hungary in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. He also played for MTK Budapest FC.-External links:*... László Budai László Budai László Budai , also referred to as László Bednarik, Budai László or Budai II is a former Hungarian footballer and coach. Budai was born in Budapest and played as a midfielder and forward for Ferencvárosi TC, Honvéd and Hungary. During the 1950s he was a member of the legendary Hungarian national... Ferenc Puskás Ferenc Puskás Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954... Zoltán Czibor Zoltán Czibor Zoltán Czibor Suhai , also referred to as Czibor Zoltán, was a Hungarian footballer who played for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencváros TC and Honvéd, and Hungary before joining CF Barcelona. Czibor played as a left-winger or striker and was notable for having a powerful shot, good... Lajos Csordás Lajos Csordás Lajos Csordás was an Hungarian football player.He won the Gold Medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics and was runner-up of the 1954 FIFA World Cup.-External links:... Jenő Buzánszky Jeno Buzánszky Jenő Buzánszky is a former Hungarian footballer and coach. Buzánszky played as a right back for Hungary. During the 1950s he was a member of the legendary Hungarian national team known as the Mighty Magyars. Other members of the team included Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis, József... Gyula Lóránt Gyula Lóránt Gyula Lóránt , also referred to as Gyula Lipovics or Lóránt Gyula, was a Hungarian football player and manager... Mihály Lantos Mihály Lantos Mihály Lantos , also known as Lantos Mihály or Mihály Lendenmayer, was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He played as a defender, spending the majority of his career at MTK Hungária FC. During the 1950s he was also a member of the Hungary team known as the Mighty Magyars... József Bozsik József Bozsik József Bozsik was a Hungarian footballer. He represented Hungary in various international tournaments, and is a member of the Mighty Magyars.-Biography:... József Zakariás József Zakariás József Zakariás , also known as Zakariás József was a Hungarian footballer and manager. During the 1950s he was a member of the legendary Hungary team known as the Mighty Magyars... Nándor Hidegkuti Nándor Hidegkuti Nándor Hidegkuti was a Hungarian football player and manager. He played as a forward or attacking midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career at MTK Hungária FC. During the 1950s he was also a member of the Hungarian National Team team known as the Golden Team... Sándor Kocsis Sándor Kocsis Sándor Kocsis Péter was a Hungarian footballer who played for Ferencváros TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, FC Barcelona and Hungary. During the 1950s, along with Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he was a member of the Mighty Magyars... Péter Palotás Péter Palotás Péter Palotás , also referred to as Péter Poteleczky and Palotás Péter, was a Hungarian footballer who played as a forward for MTK Hungária FC and Hungary... |
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