László Budai
Encyclopedia
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 team known as the Mighty Magyars. Other members of the team included Ferenc Puskás
, Zoltán Czibor
, Sándor Kocsis
, József Bozsik
and Nándor Hidegkuti
.
titles. The first of these came at Ferencvárosi TC in 1949 where his team mates included Zoltán Czibor
and Sándor Kocsis
. In January 1949 when Hungary became a communist state
, Ferencváros were deemed unsuitable to become an army or police club because of its right-wing and nationalist traditions. Instead they were taken over by ÉDOSZ, a food workers union and their best players, including Budai, Czibor and Kocsis, were conscripted into the army team, Honvéd
. While at Honvéd, Budai won a further three league titles and the Mitropa Cup
.
on 2 May 1949 in a 6-1 win against Austria
in the Central European Championship. He subsequently played 39 times for Hungary and scored 10 goals. Four of these goals came in a 12-0 win against Albania
on 24 September 1950. As one of the legendary Mighty Magyars, he helped Hungary become Olympic Champions
in 1952 and Central European Champions in 1953. He also played in the Hungary side that defeated England
6-3
at Wembley Stadium
. During the 1954 FIFA World Cup
he played in the group stage in the 9-0 win against South Korea and in the semi-final against Uruguay
. However despite an excellent performance in the latter game, he was dropped for the final to make room for Ferenc Puskás
. He was also included in the Hungary squad for the 1958 World Cup
but did not play.
Ferencváros TC
Honvéd FC
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and played as a midfielder and forward for Ferencvárosi TC, Honvéd
Budapest Honvéd FC
Budapest Honvéd FC |football]] team. "Honved" means the Homeland Defense. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapest Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian...
and Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
. 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
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...
, 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...
, 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:...
and 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...
.
Club career
During his career, Budai won four Hungarian LeagueHungarian League
The Nemzeti Bajnokság is a Hungarian professional league for association football clubs. The league is currently known as the OTP Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, and it is the highest level of professional league since its inception in 1901. UEFA currently ranks the league 35th in Europe.Sixteen...
titles. The first of these came at Ferencvárosi TC in 1949 where his team mates included 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...
and 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...
. In January 1949 when Hungary became a communist state
People's Republic of Hungary
The People's Republic of Hungary or Hungarian People's Republic was the official state name of Hungary from 1949 to 1989 during its Communist period under the guidance of the Soviet Union. The state remained in existence until 1989 when opposition forces consolidated in forcing the regime to...
, Ferencváros were deemed unsuitable to become an army or police club because of its right-wing and nationalist traditions. Instead they were taken over by ÉDOSZ, a food workers union and their best players, including Budai, Czibor and Kocsis, were conscripted into the army team, Honvéd
Budapest Honvéd FC
Budapest Honvéd FC |football]] team. "Honved" means the Homeland Defense. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapest Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian...
. While at Honvéd, Budai won a further three league titles and the Mitropa Cup
Mitropa Cup
The Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
.
Hungarian International
Budai made his debut for HungaryHungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
on 2 May 1949 in a 6-1 win against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
in the Central European Championship. He subsequently played 39 times for Hungary and scored 10 goals. Four of these goals came in a 12-0 win against Albania
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
on 24 September 1950. As one of the legendary Mighty Magyars, he helped Hungary become Olympic Champions
Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Olympic football tournament signalled the arrival 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...
in 1952 and Central European Champions in 1953. He also played in the Hungary side that defeated England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
6-3
England v Hungary (1953)
England v Hungary was an international football game played on November 25, 1953. The game was played between Hungary - then the world's number one ranked team, the Olympic champions and on a run of 24 unbeaten games - and England, then the world's number three ranked team, the inventors of the...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. During the 1954 FIFA World Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
he played in the group stage in the 9-0 win against South Korea and in the semi-final against Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
. However despite an excellent performance in the latter game, he was dropped for the final to make room for 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...
. He was also included in the Hungary squad for the 1958 World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup squads
-West Germany:Head coach: Sepp Herberger* Players no. 18-21 did not travel to Sweden.-Northern Ireland:Head coach: Peter Doherty* Players no. 18-22 did not travel to Sweden...
but did not play.
Honours
Hungary- Olympic ChampionsFootball at the 1952 Summer OlympicsThe 1952 Olympic football tournament signalled the arrival 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...
- 1952
- Central European Champions
- 1953
- World Cup1954 FIFA World CupThe 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
- Runner-up: 1954
Ferencváros TC
- Hungarian ChampionsHungarian LeagueThe Nemzeti Bajnokság is a Hungarian professional league for association football clubs. The league is currently known as the OTP Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, and it is the highest level of professional league since its inception in 1901. UEFA currently ranks the league 35th in Europe.Sixteen...
: 1- 1949
Honvéd FC
- Hungarian ChampionsHungarian LeagueThe Nemzeti Bajnokság is a Hungarian professional league for association football clubs. The league is currently known as the OTP Bank Liga for sponsorship reasons, and it is the highest level of professional league since its inception in 1901. UEFA currently ranks the league 35th in Europe.Sixteen...
: 3- 1952, 1954, 1955
- Mitropa CupMitropa CupThe Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
: 1- 1959
Sources
- Behind The Curtain - Travels in Eastern European Football: Jonathan Wilson (2006) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behind-Curtain-Football-Eastern-Europe/dp/0752869078