Gyula Grosics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gyula Grosics

Grosics in 2005
Personal information
Date of birth	4 February 1926
Place of birth	Dorog, Hungary
Date of death	13 June 2014(2014-06-13) (aged 88)
Place of death	Budapest, Hungary
Height	1.78 m
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1945–1947	Dorogi Bányász	61	(0)
1947–1949	MATEOSZ Budapest	55	(0)
1949–1950	Teherfuvar	30	(0)
1950–1957	Budapest Honvéd FC	125	(0)
1957–1962	Tatabánya Bányász SC	123	(0)
2008	Ferencvárosi TC	0	(0)
Total		394	(0)
National team
1947–1962	Hungary	86	(0)
Teams managed
1963	Tatabánya Bányász SC
1964–1965	Salgótarjáni BTC
1966	KSI
1966–1968	Kuwait
Honours Representing  Hungary Olympic Games Gold 1952 Helsinki FIFA World Cup Runner-up 1954 Switzerland
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Gyula Grosics (born 4 February 1926 – died 13 June 2014) was a famous Hungarian football goalkeeper. He played 86 times for the Hungary national football team. He was a key part of the amazing "Golden Team" from the 1950s. Many people think he was one of the best goalkeepers ever.

Grosics was known for being the first goalkeeper to play like a "sweeper-keeper". This means he would often leave his goal area to help his team's defense. He was nicknamed "Black Panther" (Fekete Párduc in Hungarian) because he always wore black clothes when he played. He won a gold medal in football at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Early Life and Beginnings

Gyula Grosics was born on February 4, 1926, in Dorog, Hungary. His mother wanted him to become a priest. However, Gyula chose a different path and started his football career.

He began playing professionally for Dorogi Bányász in 1943. During World War II, he was involved in the conflict and was captured by American soldiers.

Football Career Highlights

Starting with the National Team

In 1947, Grosics played his first game for the Hungarian national team. Even though he wasn't very tall for a goalkeeper, he was excellent. With him in goal, the team started an amazing winning streak in 1948. This streak lasted until the 1954 FIFA World Cup.

In 1949, he faced some serious accusations. He was temporarily banned from the national team and placed under house arrest. However, the charges were dropped because there wasn't enough proof. He was able to return to the national team after just one year. In 1950, he also joined the club team Budapest Honvéd FC.

Olympic Gold and "Match of the Century"

In 1952, Grosics helped lead the Hungarian team to victory at the 1952 Summer Olympics. They won the gold medal in football.

A year later, in 1953, Hungary played against England in a game called "The Match of the Century". Hungary won 6–3, which was a huge deal. They were the first team from outside the British Isles to beat England on their home ground. Grosics was chosen as the best goalkeeper for the 1954 World Cup's All-Star Team.

1954 World Cup and Later Years

Hungary went into the 1954 FIFA World Cup as the top favorite. They had not lost a game in four years! But in the final, they surprisingly lost 3–2 to West Germany. This was a team they had beaten 8–3 earlier in the group stage. Even with the loss, Grosics was named the goalkeeper of the Tournament's Best Team. By 1954, Hungary had won 42 games, drawn 7, and lost only that one game with Grosics as goalkeeper.

During a time of big changes in Hungary (the 1956 Hungarian Revolution), Grosics and his family tried to leave the country. But they had to come back. Grosics then moved to play for Tatabánya Bányász SC.

The national team became less dominant after this period. However, Grosics still played in the 1958 and 1962 World Cups. After the 1962 season, the sports authorities at the time stopped him from joining Ferencvárosi TC. Because of this, he decided to retire from playing.

In total, Gyula Grosics played 86 games for the Hungarian national team. He also played in 390 games in Hungary's top football league. In 2011, the football stadium in Tatabánya was named after him to honor his contributions.

Grosics' Unique Playing Style

Gyula Grosics is famous for helping to create the "sweeper-keeper" style of play. This means the goalkeeper doesn't just stay in the goal. They also act like an extra defender when needed.

This style allowed his teammates to push further up the field and attack more. Grosics was also brave enough to come out of his goal to challenge opposing attackers. This often made them miss their shots.

Life After Football

After retiring from playing, Grosics became a football coach. He coached several Hungarian teams and even the Kuwait national team.

When Hungary became a democracy in 1990, Grosics tried to become a politician. He ran for parliament but was not elected.

In 2008, when he was 82 years old, Grosics got a special chance. He was finally able to play for Ferencvárosi TC, the team he was not allowed to join 46 years earlier. He performed the kick-off in a friendly match against Sheffield United. After that, he was substituted, and the crowd gave him a huge standing ovation.

Gyula Grosics passed away on June 13, 2014, at the age of 88. He had been suffering from heart and lung problems.

Honours and Achievements

Budapest Honvéd

• Hungarian League: 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955

Hungary National Team

• Balkan Cup Champions: 1947
• Olympic Champions: 1952
• Central European Champions: 1953
• World Cup runner-up: 1954

Individual Awards

• Hungarian Football Federation Player of the Year: 1949, 1950
• FIFA World Cup: All-Star Team 1954
• World Soccer World XI: 1960, 1961

Images for kids

• 

  Grosics in 2005

See also

In Spanish: Gyula Grosics para niños