History of Ferencvárosi TC facts for kids
Ferencvárosi Torna Club is a famous Hungarian professional football club from Budapest, Hungary. They are the most successful club in Hungary, having won a record 31 national titles and 23 national cups.
Contents
- The Early Years: 1900s
- A New Home and War: 1910s
- Ups and Downs: 1920s
- More Titles and European Adventures: 1930s
- War and Milestones: 1940s
- A Challenging Decade: 1950s
- European Glory and a Legend: 1960s
- League and Cup Success: 1970s
- A New Decade, More Challenges: 1980s
- Champions League Debut: 1990s
- New Millennium, New Challenges: 2000s
- Return to Form and European Nights: 2010s
- Recent Success and European Adventures: 2020s
- See also
The Early Years: 1900s
Ferencvárosi TC was started on May 3, 1899, by people living in the ninth district of Budapest. Ferenc Springer, a lawyer, became the club's first chairman. Money for the club was raised at a special party. Their first football field was built on Soroksári avenue.
The football part of Ferencváros officially began on December 3, 1900. Their first league match was in February against Budapesti TC. However, their first official match was on April 21, 1900, against Műegyetemi AFC, which Ferencváros lost 5–3. Gáspár Borbás scored the club's first goal. They got their first championship point with a draw against Műegyetemi AFC. Their first victory came on June 16, 1901, when they beat Budapesti SC 5–1.
In 1902, Ferencváros had their biggest defeat ever, losing 16–0 to Oxford United.
The team played their first international competition match on April 27, 1902, in the Challenge Cup. They lost 5–1 to Budapesti TC in the Hungarian final.
In the 1902–03 Challenge Cup, Ferencváros won the Hungarian Final by beating 33 FC 1–0. They played their first official international match in the semi-finals against Wiener Athletiksport Club on May 3, 1903, losing 5–1.
Ferencváros won their first Hungarian League title in 1903. Two years later, in 1905, they became Hungarian champions for the second time. They also won the 1906–07 season.
In the 1908–09 Challenge Cup, Ferencváros played well, beating VfB Leipzig 4–1 and MTK Budapest 2–1. They won the final on June 13, 1909, beating Wiener Sport-Club 2–1.
Ferencváros also won the 1908–09 and 1909–10 seasons of the Hungarian League.
A New Home and War: 1910s
Ferencváros continued their winning streak in the Hungarian League, taking titles in 1910–11, 1911–12, and 1912–13. In the 1911–12 season, they beat III. Kerületi TUE 11–3. Imre Schlosser scored 8 goals in that match, which is still a club record for one game!
On February 12, 1911, the club's new stadium was opened. Imre Schlosser scored the first goal there.
In December 1911, Ferencváros went on a tour in Europe. They won matches in Germany and even won for the first time in England, beating Woking 3–2 in London.
The First World War started in 1914, which greatly affected Ferencváros. Many players joined the army, and some never came back. Because of the war, the Hungarian Football Federation did not organize any competitions between the 1913–14 and 1916–17 seasons.
Ups and Downs: 1920s
The 1920s started tough for Ferencváros. Their rivals, MTK Budapest, won five league titles in a row. In the 1924–25 season, Ferencváros suffered their biggest league defeat, losing 14–2 to MTK Hungária FC. However, in 1926, Ferencváros became Hungarian champions again after 13 years. They also won the 1926–27 and 1927–28 seasons.
Ferencváros played in the Mitropa Cup 1928, a big European competition. They won their first match against BSK Beograd 7–0. In the semi-finals, they beat SK Admira Wien 2–1. In the final, Ferencváros beat Rapid Wien 7–1 in their home stadium, winning the cup!
In 1929, Ferencváros went on a special tour to South American countries like Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. They played in big cities like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo, and Buenos Aires. They even beat famous teams like River Plate and the Uruguay national team.
Ferencváros also played in the Mitropa Cup 1930, reaching the semi-finals before being knocked out by Rapid Wien.
More Titles and European Adventures: 1930s
In the 1930s, Ferencváros won the Hungarian League four more times: in 1932, 1934, 1938, and 1940.
In the 1931–32 season, Ferencváros won all 22 of their matches, which is still a record in the Hungarian League! During this amazing season, the team scored their 400th goal in the championship.
Ferencváros played in the Mitropa Cup 1932 but lost to Juventus. A French magazine, L'Auto, even said Ferencváros was the seventh best team in Europe in 1933.
They continued to play in the Mitropa Cup in 1934, 1935, and 1936, showing their strength in Europe. In the Mitropa Cup 1937, Ferencváros had a fantastic run. They beat Slavia Prague, First Vienna FC, and Austria Wien to reach the final. In the final, they beat Lazio twice, winning the Mitropa Cup for the second time!
War and Milestones: 1940s
In the 1940s, Ferencváros won two more Hungarian League titles, in 1941 and 1949. In the 1940–41 season, the team scored over one hundred goals.
Ferencváros was the first Hungarian team to fly to the United States. On October 31, 1948, they played their 1000th match in the Hungarian National Championship I. In the 1948–49 season, the team celebrated their 50th anniversary by winning the league. They scored an incredible 140 goals in 30 matches that season, with Ferenc Deák scoring 59 of them! The team also won the Hungarian Cup three times in a row: in 1942, 1943, and 1944.
A Challenging Decade: 1950s
The 1950s were tough for Ferencváros in the league, as Budapest Honvéd dominated. Ferencváros didn't win any Hungarian League titles during this time. However, they did win the Hungarian Cup in 1958. For a period, from 1951 to 1956, the team's name was changed to Kinizsi due to political reasons.
European Glory and a Legend: 1960s
The 1960s were a great time for Ferencváros! They won the Hungarian League four times: in 1963, 1964, 1967, and 1968.
They also reached three European finals: the 1964–65 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup against Juventus, the 1967–68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup against Leeds United, and the 1974–75 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup against Dynamo Kyiv. Ferencváros won the 1964–65 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, making them the only Hungarian team to win a major European trophy!
In the 1964–65 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Ferencváros beat tough teams like Roma, Athletic Bilbao, and Manchester United. The final was played on June 23, 1965, in Turin, Italy, against Juventus. Máté Fenyvesi scored the only goal in the 74th minute, securing the historic win for Ferencváros.
Flórián Albert was a huge star for Ferencváros. In 1967, he was named European Footballer of the Year, a very prestigious award. He is one of the most successful players in the club's history, scoring 255 goals in 351 matches between 1958 and 1974.
Ferencváros reached another Inter-Cities Fairs Cup final in 1967–68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, but lost to Leeds United. They also won the 1968 Hungarian League title.
League and Cup Success: 1970s
In the 1970s, Ferencváros won the Hungarian League once, in 1976. However, they were very successful in the Hungarian Cup, winning it four times: in 1972, 1974, 1976, and 1978.
They also had some exciting European matches. In the 1971–72 UEFA Cup, they reached the semi-finals, losing to Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C..
In the 1974–75 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Ferencváros had another great run. They beat teams like Cardiff City and even drew with Liverpool to advance. They reached the semi-finals, beating Malmö FF and Red Star Belgrade. In the final, however, they lost 3–0 to Dynamo Kyiv.
On March 17, 1974, the legendary Flórián Albert played his last match for the club, scoring a goal to say goodbye.
A New Decade, More Challenges: 1980s
Ferencváros won the 1980–81 season of the Hungarian League. This allowed them to enter the 1981–82 European Cup season. They beat Baník Ostrava at home but were eliminated after losing the away match.
They also played in the UEFA Cup in the 1980s, facing teams like Athletic Bilbao and PSV Eindhoven.
Tibor Nyilasi, a key player, was awarded the Silver Shoes for scoring 30 goals in one season, showing his incredible talent.
Champions League Debut: 1990s
In the 1990s, Ferencváros won the Hungarian League three times: in 1992, 1995, and 1996. They also won the Hungarian Cup four times: in 1991, 1993, 1994, and 1995.
A huge moment for the club was in the 1995–96 UEFA Champions League. Ferencváros qualified for the group stage, which was a big achievement. They beat Anderlecht in the qualifying round. In the group stage, they played against famous clubs like Grasshopper, Ajax, and Real Madrid. They even defeated Grasshopper 3–0 away from home!
Ferencváros continued to play in European competitions like the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Cup throughout the 1990s, facing teams from all over Europe.
New Millennium, New Challenges: 2000s
Ferencváros won the 2000–01 season of the Hungarian League. This allowed them to enter the 2001-02 UEFA Champions League qualifiers, but they were eliminated after a penalty shootout.
In 2003, Ferencváros became the first Hungarian club to be listed on the Budapest Stock Exchange, meaning people could buy shares in the club.
They won the league again in 2002–03. In the 2004-05 UEFA Champions League qualifiers, they reached the third round but were knocked out by Sparta Prague. However, they then entered the 2004-05 UEFA Cup and made it to the group stage, playing against teams like Feyenoord, Schalke 04, FC Basel, and Hearts.
In 2004, Ferencváros started an important anti-racism campaign to fight against intolerance in football. Players and the coach supported the message "Silence Racism."
In 2006, the club faced financial problems and was moved down to the Hungarian League 2. They fought this decision and eventually reached an agreement. After a few tough seasons in the second division, Ferencváros finally returned to the Hungarian League on May 22, 2009.
Return to Form and European Nights: 2010s
In the 2010–11 season, Ferencváros finished third in the Hungarian League, which meant they could play in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League. They won their first two qualifying rounds but were eliminated in the third.
On October 31, 2011, the beloved club legend Flórián Albert passed away at 70 years old.
Ferencváros continued to improve, finishing second in the 2014–15 season and winning the Hungarian Cup by beating Videoton 4–0 in the final.
On April 2, 2016, Ferencváros won their 29th Hungarian League title! They also won the 2017 Magyar Kupa Final against Vasas SC in 2017 after a penalty shootout.
Ferencváros won their 30th Nemzeti Bajnokság I title in the 2018–19 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season. This meant they could enter the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League qualifiers. They had a strong start, beating PFC Ludogorets Razgrad twice to advance.
Recent Success and European Adventures: 2020s
On June 16, 2020, Ferencváros secured their 31st league trophy.
In the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League qualifiers, Ferencváros had an amazing journey. They beat Djurgårdens IF Fotboll, Celtic, and Molde to reach the group stage for the first time since 1995–96! In the group stage, they played against giants like FC Barcelona, Juventus FC, and Dynamo Kyiv. They scored goals against these top teams and showed their fighting spirit.
On April 20, 2021, Ferencváros won the 2020-21 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season by beating their big rival Újpest FC 3–0.
After some coaching changes, Stanislav Cherchesov became the new manager in December 2021. Under his leadership, Ferencváros won their 33rd league title on April 24, 2022.
In the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League qualifiers, Ferencváros had some thrilling matches, including a comeback win against ŠK Slovan Bratislava. Although they were knocked out by Qarabağ FK, they continued their European journey in the 2022–23 UEFA Europa League group stage. They had a great run, beating Trabzonspor and AS Monaco FC, and finishing first in their group to reach the knockout stage! They were eventually beaten by Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the Round of 16.
On May 5, 2023, Ferencváros won the 2022–23 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season, marking their fifth consecutive league title, which is a rare achievement!
However, they had an unexpected early exit from the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League qualifiers, losing to Klaksvíkar Ítróttarfelag from the Faroe Islands. This meant they continued in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League. They performed very well, beating teams like Shamrock Rovers F.C., Ħamrun Spartans F.C., and FK Žalgiris to reach the group stage.
In the Europa Conference League group stage, Ferencváros was drawn with ACF Fiorentina, K.R.C. Genk, and FK Čukarički. They played well, drawing with Fiorentina and Genk, and winning against Čukarički. They managed to qualify for the knockout stage.
On April 20, 2024, Ferencváros secured their 35th championship title in the 2023–24 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season.
On May 16, 2024, coach Dejan Stanković resigned. Soon after, on June 13, 2024, Pascal Jansen was appointed as the new manager of the club.
See also
