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Hungary national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Hungary women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Hungary
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Magyarok (Magyars)
Nemzeti Tizenegy (National Eleven)
Trikolór (Tricolours)
Association Magyar Labdarúgó Szövetség (MLSZ)
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Marco Rossi
Captain Dominik Szoboszlai
Most caps Balázs Dzsudzsák (109)
Top scorer Ferenc Puskás (84)
Home stadium Puskás Aréna
FIFA code HUN
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 52 Decrease 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest 18 (April–May 2016)
Lowest 87 (July 1996)
Elo ranking
Current 57 Steady (3 March 2019)
Highest 1 (1953–57, 1958, 1964, 1965)
Lowest 80 (November 2003)
First international
 Austria 5–0 Hungary 
(Vienna, Austria; 12 October 1902)
Biggest win
 Russia 0–12 Hungary 
(Moscow, Russia; 14 July 1912)
 Hungary 13–1 France 
(Budapest, Hungary; 12 June 1927)
 Hungary 12–0 Albania 
(Budapest, Hungary; 24 September 1950)
Biggest defeat
 Great Britain 7–0 Hungary 
(Stockholm, Sweden; 30 June 1912)
 Germany 7–0 Hungary 
(Cologne, Germany; 6 April 1941)
 Netherlands 8–1 Hungary 
(Amsterdam, Netherlands; 11 October 2013)
World Cup
Appearances 9 (first in 1934)
Best result Runners-up (1938, 1954)
European Championship
Appearances 5 (first in 1964)
Best result Third place (1964)
Medal record
Men's football
World Cup
Silver 1938 France Team
Silver 1954 Switzerland Team
European Championship
Bronze 1964 Spain Team
Olympic Games
Gold 1952 Helsinki Team
Bronze 1960 Rome Team
Gold 1964 Tokyo Team
Gold 1968 Mexico City Team
Silver 1972 Munich Team
European International Cup
Bronze 1931–32 Team
Bronze 1933–35 Team
Gold 1948–53 Team
Silver 1955–60 Team
Balkan Cup
Gold 1947 Team

The Hungary national football team (called magyar labdarúgó-válogatott in Hungarian) plays for Hungary in international football matches. The team is managed by the Hungarian Football Federation. They have played in the FIFA World Cup nine times and the UEFA European Championship five times. Hungary plays its home games at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, which opened in November 2019.

Hungary has a rich football history. They have won three Olympic titles. They also finished second in the 1938 and 1954 World Cups. In the 1964 European Championship, they came in third. In the 1950s, Hungary changed how football was played with their amazing "Golden Team". This team included the legendary Ferenc Puskás, one of the best goalscorers ever. FIFA even named an award after him, the Puskás Award, for the most beautiful goal each year. This team had the highest ever Football Elo Ranking in 1954. They also had one of the longest unbeaten streaks in football history, going 31 games without a loss over four years. This included the famous Match of the Century.

After the 1986 World Cup, the Hungarian team struggled for a long time. They didn't qualify for a major tournament for thirty years. Their FIFA ranking dropped to its lowest (87th) in 1996. However, they started to improve and qualified for three European Championships in a row: 2016, 2020, and 2024. They also moved up to the top division in the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A.

History of Hungarian Football

Main article: History of the Hungary national football team

Even though Austria and Hungary were part of the same empire, they had their own football teams early in the 1900s.

Early Years and Olympic Games

First Steps in the 1910s

Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics - Hungary squad
The Hungary national team at the 1912 Summer Olympics

Hungary's national team first played in the Summer Olympic Games in 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden. The team even had to ask for money to travel to the games. They lost 7–0 to England and were out of the tournament.

After the Olympics, Hungary played two games against Russia in Moscow. They won the first match 9–0 and the second 12–0. This 12–0 win is still a record for the team. Imre Schlosser scored seven goals in these two matches. World War I then affected Hungarian football, causing financial problems for clubs and the country. During the war, Hungary played Austria 16 times.

The 1920s and New Tournaments

Wawrzynieccyl
Poland-Hungary in 1924

Budapest was not allowed to host the 1920 Summer Olympics because of the war. The Hungarian team used a 2–3–5 formation, which was quite new at the time.

Famous players like the Fogl brothers (József and Károly Fogl) and Béla Guttmann played for the national team. At the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, Hungary beat Poland but then lost to Egypt. This led to changes in the coaching staff.

Between 1927 and 1930, Hungary played in the Central European International Cup, which was one of the first international tournaments. They played against teams like Austria, Czechoslovakia, Italy, and Switzerland. Hungary lost 0–5 to Italy in the final. On 12 June 1927, Hungary had a huge 13–1 win against France, with József Takács scoring six goals.

The Golden Era

The 1930s and World Cup Success

FRANCISCO SAS SOHN. JPG
Hungary preparing for the 1938 FIFA World Cup

Hungary did not play in the first World Cup in Uruguay. They first appeared in the 1934 World Cup in Italy. Their first World Cup game was a 4–2 win against Egypt. In the quarter-finals, they lost 2–1 to Austria.

At the 1936 Olympics, Hungary was knocked out by Poland.

The 1938 World Cup was held in France. Hungary started strong, beating Dutch East Indies 6–0. They then beat Switzerland 2–0 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Hungary defeated Sweden 5–1, with Gyula Zsengellér scoring three goals. In the final, Hungary played against Italy and lost 4–2.

The Amazing 1950s "Golden Team"

This Hungarian team was one of the best and most important teams in football history. They changed how the game was played. Key players included Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik, and Nándor Hidegkuti. This "Aranycsapat" (Golden Team) was known for its exciting style and new tactics.

Puskas Hidegkuti 1954
Puskás with Hidegkuti in 1954 in Budapest

From May 1950 until February 1956, they had an incredible record of 43 wins, 6 draws, and no losses, except for the 1954 World Cup Final.

At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Hungary won the gold medal for the first time. They beat Romania, Italy, Turkey, and Sweden. In the final, they defeated Yugoslavia 2–0.

On 25 November 1953, England played Hungary at Wembley Stadium in London. This game was called the "match of the century". England had not lost at home for 90 years. But Hungary won 6–3, with Nándor Hidegkuti scoring in the first minute. Ferenc Puskás also scored two goals.

Aranycsapat fortepan 84717
The Golden Team in 1954

On 23 May 1954, Hungary beat England again, this time 7–1 in Budapest. This is still England's worst defeat.

The 1954 World Cup was in Switzerland. Hungary won their first game 9–0 against South Korea. They then beat West Germany 8–3. In the quarter-finals, they won 4–2 against Brazil. In the semi-finals, Hungary beat two-time World Cup winners Uruguay 4–2 after extra time. In the final, Hungary played West Germany again. Even though Hungary had beaten them easily before, they lost 3–2 in the final. This game is known as "The Miracle of Bern".

The 1956 revolution affected the Golden Team. Many players left Hungary, including Puskás, who went to Real Madrid and later played for Spain. This marked the end of the Golden Team.

Hungary qualified for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. They drew 1–1 with Wales, lost 2–1 to Sweden, and beat Mexico 2–1. However, they were eliminated after losing a play-off match to Wales.

The 1960s: More Olympic Medals

Flórián Albert en Kálmán Mészöly
Flórián Albert (1941–2011) and Kálmán Mészöly (1941–2022)

In the 1960 Olympics in Italy, Hungary won the bronze medal. They lost to Denmark in the semi-finals but beat Italy 2–1 for third place.

Hungary qualified for the 1962 World Cup in Chile. They beat England 2–1 and Bulgaria 6–1. They drew 0–0 with Argentina, winning their group. But they lost 1–0 to Czechoslovakia in the quarter-finals.

In the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Hungary won their second gold medal. They beat Morocco 6–0, Yugoslavia 6–5, Romania 2–0, and United Arab Republic (Egypt) 6–0. In the final, they defeated Czechoslovakia 2–1.

Hungary also reached the 1964 European Nations' Cup semi-finals in Spain, losing 2–1 to Spain. They then beat Denmark 3–1 to finish third.

At the 1966 World Cup in England, Hungary lost 3–1 to Eusébio's Portugal. But they then famously beat Brazil 3–1 and Bulgaria 3–1. They reached the quarter-finals but lost 2–1 to the Soviet Union.

In the 1968 Olympics, Hungary won their third gold medal, becoming the most successful football team at the Olympics. They beat Guatemala 1–0, Japan 5–0, and Bulgaria 4–1 in the final. However, they did not qualify for the 1970 FIFA World Cup, which many see as the start of a difficult period.

Flórián Albert was named European Footballer of the Year in 1967. He was a very successful player for Ferencváros.

A Period of Change

The 1970s

Antal Dunai vs Parviz Ghelichkhani 1972
Dunai and Ghelichkhani at the 1972 Summer Olympics

Hungary reached the final of the 1972 Olympics in Munich, winning the silver medal after losing 2–1 to Poland.

They also qualified for the finals of UEFA Euro 1972 in Belgium. They lost 1–0 to the Soviet Union in the semi-finals and 2–1 to Belgium in the third-place play-off, finishing fourth. Hungary would not play in the European Championship again for 44 years.

Hungary played in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. They lost all three group matches against Argentina, Italy, and France, and were eliminated.

The 1980s

Ardiles argentina hungria
Zombori and Martos against Ardiles and Kempes at the 1978 FIFA World Cup

Hungary qualified for the World Cup twice in the 1980s. At the 1982 tournament in Spain, they had a huge 10–1 win against El Salvador. This is still the biggest win in World Cup finals history. However, they then lost 4–1 to Diego Maradona's Argentina and drew with Belgium, which meant they were out of the tournament.

Hungary's last World Cup appearance was the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. They lost 6–0 to the Soviet Union, which many see as a turning point for Hungarian football. They beat Canada 2–0 but then lost 3–0 to France, and were eliminated.

A Difficult Period and New Hope

The 1990s

In the 1990s, Hungary struggled and did not qualify for any major international tournaments, except for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. This was a very tough time for Hungarian football. The end of the Communist system in Hungary caused financial problems for many football clubs. This affected the national team because the big clubs used to produce most of the national players. Also, new rules in European football made it harder for Hungarian clubs to keep their best players.

Even Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskás was briefly the head coach in 1993, but he couldn't turn things around. The young team did qualify for the 1996 Summer Olympics, which was a surprise. They lost to Nigeria, Brazil, and Japan in their group. People hoped this would lead to better times, but it didn't happen right away. Hungary came closest to qualifying for the 1998 World Cup but lost badly to Yugoslavia in the play-offs.

The 2000s

Hunswe2009
Hungary in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification against Sweden at Ferenc Puskás Stadium on 5 September 2009

Hungary continued to miss out on major tournaments in the 2000s, including the European Championships and World Cups. In the Euro 2008 qualification, they finished last in their group and even lost to a smaller team, Malta. They tried different coaches, including foreign ones, but couldn't qualify for any tournaments.

A New Beginning

The 2010s

Hungary NT 2011
Hungary in a friendly tie against Poland on 15 November 2011 at the Stadion Miejski, Poznań, Poland. The line-up included Dzsudzsák, Juhász, Varga, Priskin, Koman, Laczkó, Tőzsér, Vanczák, Sándor, Bogdán and Gera

In 2011, Hungary's FIFA World Ranking reached its highest position at 27th. They played well in the Euro 2012 qualifiers, finishing third in their group.

For the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Hungary was in a tough group. They suffered a big 8–1 loss to the Netherlands, which led to the coach resigning. They finished third in their group and did not qualify.

After some coaching changes, Bernd Storck became the head coach in July 2015.

1 Zoltán Stieber
Stieber against Guðmundsson, Bjarnason and Sigurðsson of Iceland, during Hungary's second group match of UEFA Euro 2016

On 15 November 2015, Hungary qualified for its first European Championship (UEFA Euro 2016) in 44 years! They beat Norway in the play-offs. At Euro 2016, they beat Austria 2–0, drew with Iceland, and had an exciting 3–3 draw against eventual Euro winners Portugal. Hungary made it to the Round of 16, which was their best performance in over 40 years.

However, Hungary did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. They drew with the Faroe Islands and lost 1–0 to Andorra. After this, Bernd Storck resigned.

In June 2018, Marco Rossi became the new head coach. In the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League C, Hungary finished second in their group and were later promoted to the higher 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B.

For the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying, Hungary had mixed results. They beat Croatia and Wales at home but lost away games. They finished fourth in their group. However, because of their good performance in the Nations League, they got a second chance through the play-offs.

The 2020s: Rising Again

20210619smic0039
Szalai against Pogba of France, during Hungary's second group match of UEFA Euro 2020

In the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B, Hungary played against Russia, Turkey, and Serbia. They had an impressive 1–0 win against Turkey, with Dominik Szoboszlai scoring a great free kick. They also drew with Russia and Serbia, and won away against Serbia. A 2–0 home win against Turkey meant Hungary was promoted to the top division, 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A.

In October 2020, Hungary played in the play-offs for Euro 2020. They beat Bulgaria 3–1. In the final play-off match against Iceland, they won 2–1 with late goals from Loïc Nego and Dominik Szoboszlai, qualifying for the tournament!

Hun squad
Hungary national team in 2022 against Germany in Nations League

Euro 2020 was moved to 2021 because of COVID-19. Hungary was in a very tough group with Portugal, France, and Germany. Despite losing 3–0 to Portugal, Hungary showed great spirit and earned two draws against France and Germany.

In the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League, Hungary was again in a "group of death" with Italy, Germany, and England. Many thought they would struggle, but they surprised everyone. They beat Euro 2020 runner-up England 1–0. After a 2–1 loss to Italy, they drew 1–1 with Germany. On 14 June, Hungary had a stunning 4–0 victory against England in Wolverhampton, taking the lead in their group. In September, Ádám Szalai scored a goal to win 1–0 against Germany. Hungary needed a draw against Italy to reach the Nations League Finals, but they lost 2–0.

Team Image

Rivalry

Main articles: Hungary–Romania football rivalry and Austria–Hungary football rivalry

Hungary has a long-standing rivalry with its neighbor Romania. This rivalry goes back to the Treaty of Trianon after World War I, when Hungary lost Transylvania to Romania. Matches between these two teams are often very intense.

The games between Austria and Hungary are the second most-played international football matches in history.

Supporters

Hungarian supporters in England
Hungarian supporters in Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

The Carpathian Brigade is an official group of supporters for the Hungary national football team. This group first appeared at a Hungary vs. Malta match in 2009.

The group officially formed on 15 May 2009. This date is celebrated as their birthday each year, with members organizing marches. Over the years, the Carpathian Brigade became well-known for their strong support at the Ferenc Puskás Stadium.

Hungarian fans also travel from other areas with Hungarian communities, like Transylvania, Slovakia, Vojvodina, and Zakarpattia, to support the national team.

Kits and Crest

Hungary's traditional home colors are cherry red shirts, white shorts, and green socks. These colors represent the Hungarian flag. Sometimes, the team wears an all-white kit for away games. The Hungarian coat of arms is worn on the left side of the shirt, over the heart. When the players hear the national anthem of Hungary, "Himnusz", they often place their hands over their chests. Adidas designs Hungary's kits.

Kit Suppliers

Kit supplier Period
Hungary In-House 1902–1976
United Kingdom Umbro 1966
West Germany Adidas 1976–1989
United Kingdom Umbro 1990–1994
Germany Adidas 1995–present

Home Stadium

Main articles: Puskás Aréna, Groupama Arena, and Nagyerdei Stadion
Photograph from air of a modern football stadium
Exterior of the Puskás Aréna
Photograph of a modern football stadium's interior; the stands are full of spectators
Interior of the Puskás Aréna

The main home stadium for the Hungary national team is the Puskás Aréna. Before this, they played at the Ferenc Puskás Stadium (also known as the Népstadion). This older stadium was built between 1948 and 1953 with the help of many volunteers. It was here, on 23 May 1954, that England lost 7–1 to Hungary. The Puskás Aréna opened on 15 November 2019, with a match against Uruguay.

Ferencváros' Groupama Arena was the temporary home for the national team from 2014 to 2019 while the new Puskás Aréna was being built.

Results and Fixtures

Main article: Hungary national football team results (2020–present)

Here are some recent and upcoming match results for Hungary.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

2025 Matches

Coaching Staff

Main article: List of Hungary national football team managers
Position Name
Head Coach Italy Marco Rossi
Assistant Coaches Italy Cosimo Inguscio
Hungary Ádám Szalai
Goalkeeping Coach Hungary István Kövesfalvi
Technical Manager Hungary Attila Tömő
Fitness Coaches Hungary Gábor Schuth
Hungary Szabolcs Szusza
Doctor Hungary Ádám Szilas
Chief Press Officer Hungary Gergő Szabó
Masseur Hungary Tamás Halmai
Kit Manager Hungary László Hegyesi

Players

Current Squad

These players were chosen for the UEFA Nations League matches in November 2024.

Caps and goals are updated as of 19 November 2024, after the match against  Germany.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Dénes Dibusz (1990-11-16) 16 November 1990 (age 34) 41 0 Hungary Ferencváros
12 1GK Patrik Demjén (1998-03-22) 22 March 1998 (age 27) 0 0 Hungary MTK Budapest
22 1GK Péter Szappanos (1990-11-14) 14 November 1990 (age 34) 1 0 Saudi Arabia Al-Fateh
2 2DF Kornél Szűcs (2001-09-24) 24 September 2001 (age 23) 1 0 England Plymouth Argyle
3 2DF Botond Balogh (2002-06-06) 6 June 2002 (age 23) 7 0 Italy Parma
4 2DF Márton Dárdai (2002-02-12) 12 February 2002 (age 23) 11 0 Germany Hertha BSC
5 2DF Attila Fiola (1990-02-17) 17 February 1990 (age 35) 62 2 Hungary Újpest
6 2DF Willi Orbán (1992-11-03) 3 November 1992 (age 32) 54 6 Germany RB Leipzig
21 2DF Endre Botka (1994-08-25) 25 August 1994 (age 30) 30 1 Hungary Ferencváros
7 3MF Loïc Négo (1991-01-15) 15 January 1991 (age 34) 39 2 France Le Havre
8 3MF Ádám Nagy (1995-06-17) 17 June 1995 (age 29) 88 2 Italy Spezia
11 3MF Dániel Gera (1995-08-29) 29 August 1995 (age 29) 4 0 Hungary Diósgyőr
13 3MF András Schäfer (1999-04-13) 13 April 1999 (age 26) 34 3 Germany Union Berlin
14 3MF Tamás Nikitscher (1999-11-03) 3 November 1999 (age 25) 6 0 Hungary Kecskemét
17 3MF Mihály Kata (2002-04-13) 13 April 2002 (age 23) 4 0 Hungary MTK Budapest
18 3MF Zsolt Nagy (1993-05-25) 25 May 1993 (age 32) 28 3 Hungary Puskás Akadémia
9 4FW Szabolcs Schön (2000-09-27) 27 September 2000 (age 24) 9 0 England Bolton Wanderers
10 4FW Dominik Szoboszlai (captain) (2000-10-25) 25 October 2000 (age 24) 51 15 England Liverpool
15 4FW Zsombor Gruber (2004-09-07) 7 September 2004 (age 20) 1 0 Hungary Ferencváros
16 4FW Levente Szabó (1999-06-06) 6 June 1999 (age 26) 1 0 Germany Eintracht Braunschweig
19 4FW Barnabás Varga (1994-10-25) 25 October 1994 (age 30) 20 7 Hungary Ferencváros
20 4FW Roland Sallai (1997-05-22) 22 May 1997 (age 28) 58 14 Turkey Galatasaray
23 4FW Kevin Csoboth (2000-06-20) 20 June 2000 (age 24) 15 1 Switzerland St. Gallen

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been chosen for Hungary in the last year.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Balázs TóthINJ (1997-09-04) 4 September 1997 (age 27) 0 0 England Blackburn Rovers v.  Netherlands, 16 November 2024
GK Péter Gulácsi (1990-05-06) 6 May 1990 (age 35) 58 0 Germany RB Leipzig v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 10 September 2024
DF Bence Gergényi (1998-03-16) 16 March 1998 (age 27) 0 0 Hungary Újpest v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 10 September 2024
DF Gábor Vas (2003-08-29) 29 August 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Hungary Paks v.  Germany, 7 September 2024
DF Antal Yaakobishvili (2004-07-12) 12 July 2004 (age 20) 0 0 Spain Girona v.  Germany, 7 September 2024
DF Ádám Lang (1993-01-17) 17 January 1993 (age 32) 70 2 Cyprus Omonia UEFA Euro 2024
DF Attila Szalai (1998-01-20) 20 January 1998 (age 27) 46 1 Germany TSG Hoffenheim UEFA Euro 2024
DF Attila Mocsi (2000-05-29) 29 May 2000 (age 25) 1 0 Turkey Çaykur Rizespor v.  Kosovo, 26 March 2024
DF Gábor Szalai (2000-06-09) 9 June 2000 (age 25) 0 0 Hungary Ferencváros v.  Kosovo, 26 March 2024
MF Bendegúz BollaINJ (1999-11-22) 22 November 1999 (age 25) 24 0 Austria Rapid Wien v.  Netherlands, 16 November 2024
MF Milos KerkezINJ (2003-11-07) 7 November 2003 (age 21) 21 0 England Bournemouth v.  Netherlands, 16 November 2024
MF László Kleinheisler (1994-04-08) 8 April 1994 (age 31) 53 3 Greece Panathinaikos UEFA Euro 2024
MF Callum Styles (2000-03-28) 28 March 2000 (age 25) 23 0 England West Bromwich Albion UEFA Euro 2024
FW Martin Ádám (1994-11-06) 6 November 1994 (age 30) 28 3 Greece Asteras Tripolis v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14 October 2024
FW Palkó Dárdai (1999-04-24) 24 April 1999 (age 26) 1 0 Germany Hertha BSC v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14 October 2024
FW Dániel GazdagINJ (1996-03-02) 2 March 1996 (age 29) 27 4 United States Philadelphia Union v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14 October 2024
FW Krisztofer HorváthINJ (2002-01-08) 8 January 2002 (age 23) 2 0 Hungary Újpest v.  Netherlands, 11 October 2024
FW Zalán Vancsa (2004-10-27) 27 October 2004 (age 20) 2 0 Belgium Gent v.  Kosovo, 26 March 2024

INJ Injured player.
PRE Preliminary squad.
RET Retired from international football.
SUS Suspended for the next match.
WD Withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.
QUA Placed in quarantine after a contact with COVID-19.

Player Records

Main article: List of Hungary international footballers

Players in bold are still active with Hungary.

Most Appearances

Balázs Dzsudzsák is Hungary's most capped player with 109 appearances.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Balázs Dzsudzsák 109 21 2007–2022
2 Gábor Király 108 0 1998–2016
3 József Bozsik 101 11 1947–1962
4 Zoltán Gera 97 26 2002–2017
5 Roland Juhász 95 6 2004–2016
6 László Fazekas 92 20 1968–1983
7 Ádám Nagy 88 2 2015–present
8 Gyula Grosics 86 0 1947–1962
Ádám Szalai 86 26 2009–2022
10 Ferenc Puskás 85 84 1945–1956

Top Goalscorers

Ferenc Puskas en 1965
Ferenc Puskás is Hungary's all-time top scorer with 84 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Ferenc Puskás (list) 84 85 0.99 1945–1956
2 Sándor Kocsis (list) 75 68 1.1 1948–1956
3 Imre Schlosser (list) 59 68 0.87 1906–1927
4 Lajos Tichy 51 72 0.71 1955–1971
5 György Sárosi 42 62 0.68 1931–1943
6 Nándor Hidegkuti 39 69 0.57 1945–1958
7 Ferenc Bene 36 76 0.47 1962–1979
8 Gyula Zsengellér 32 39 0.82 1936–1947
Tibor Nyilasi 32 70 0.46 1975–1985
10 Flórián Albert 31 74 0.42 1959–1974

Captains

Dominik Szoboszlai in 2020
Dominik Szoboszlai is the current captain.
Name Captained Major tournaments as captain
Tibor Nyilasi 1981–1985 1982 FIFA World Cup
Antal Nagy 1985–1986 1986 FIFA World Cup
Imre Garaba 1986–1991
Lajos Détári 1991–1994
István Kozma 1995
János Bánfi 1996–1997
Béla Illés 1998–2001
Gábor Király 2002–2003
Zoltán Gera 2004–2005
Pál Dárdai 2006
Zoltán Gera 2007–2013
Balázs Dzsudzsák 2014–2019 UEFA Euro 2016
Ádám Szalai 2020–2022 UEFA Euro 2020
Dominik Szoboszlai 2022– UEFA Euro 2024

Competitive Record

FIFA World Cup

Main article: Hungary at the FIFA World Cup

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place  

FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Position Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Did not enter Declined invitation
Italy 1934 Quarter-finals 6th 2 1 0 1 5 4 Squad 1st 2 2 0 0 8 2
France 1938 Runners-up 2nd 4 3 0 1 15 5 Squad 1st 1 1 0 0 11 1
Brazil 1950 Did not enter Did not enter
Switzerland 1954 Runners-up 2nd 5 4 0 1 27 10 Squad Qualified automatically by W.O. due to Poland's withdrawal
Sweden 1958 Group stage 10th 4 1 1 2 7 5 Squad 1st 4 3 0 1 12 4
Chile 1962 Quarter-finals 5th 4 2 1 1 8 3 Squad 1st 4 3 1 0 11 5
England 1966 6th 4 2 0 2 8 7 Squad 1st 4 3 1 0 8 3
Mexico 1970 Did not qualify P/O 7 4 1 2 17 11
West Germany 1974 3rd 6 2 4 0 12 7
Argentina 1978 Group stage 15th 3 0 0 3 3 8 Squad P/O 6 4 1 1 15 6
Spain 1982 14th 3 1 1 1 12 6 Squad 1st 8 4 2 2 13 8
Mexico 1986 18th 3 1 0 2 2 9 Squad 1st 6 5 0 1 12 4
Italy 1990 Did not qualify 3rd 8 2 4 2 8 12
United States 1994 4th 8 2 1 5 6 11
France 1998 P/O 10 3 3 4 11 20
South Korea Japan 2002 4th 8 2 2 4 14 13
Germany 2006 4th 10 4 2 4 13 14
South Africa 2010 4th 10 5 1 4 10 8
Brazil 2014 3rd 10 5 2 3 21 20
Russia 2018 3rd 10 4 1 5 14 14
Qatar 2022 4th 10 5 2 3 19 13
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Runners-up 9/22 32 15 3 14 87 57 — Total 132 63 28 41 235 176

UEFA European Championship

Main article: Hungary at the UEFA European Championship

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place  

UEFA European Championship record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Position Pld W D L GF GA
France 1960 Did not qualify FR 2 0 0 2 1 4
Spain 1964 Third place 3rd 2 1 0 1 4 3 Squad QF 6 4 2 0 14 8
Italy 1968 Did not qualify QF 8 5 1 2 17 8
Belgium 1972 Fourth place 4th 2 0 0 2 1 3 Squad QF 9 5 3 1 17 9
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1976 Did not qualify 2nd 6 3 1 2 15 8
Italy 1980 2nd 6 2 2 2 9 9
France 1984 4th 8 3 1 4 18 17
West Germany 1988 3rd 8 4 0 4 13 11
Sweden 1992 4th 8 2 4 2 10 9
England 1996 4th 8 2 2 4 7 13
Belgium Netherlands 2000 4th 10 3 3 4 14 10
Portugal 2004 4th 8 3 2 3 15 9
Austria Switzerland 2008 6th 12 4 0 8 11 22
Poland Ukraine 2012 3rd 10 6 1 3 22 14
France 2016 Round of 16 13th 4 1 2 1 6 8 Squad 3rd (PO winners) 12 6 4 2 14 10
Europe 2020 Group stage 20th 3 0 2 1 3 6 Squad 4th (PO winners) 10 6 0 4 13 13
Germany 2024 18th 3 1 0 2 2 5 Squad 1st 8 5 3 0 16 7
England Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland Scotland Wales 2028 To be determined To be determined
Italy Turkey 2032
Total Third place 5/17 14 3 4 7 16 25 — Total 139 63 29 47 226 181

UEFA Nations League

UEFA Nations League record
Season Division Group Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA RK P/R
2018–19 C 2 Group stage 2nd 6 3 1 2 9 6 31/55 Rise
2020–21 B 3 Group stage 1st 6 3 2 1 7 4 20/55 Rise
2022–23 A 3 Group stage 2nd 6 3 1 2 8 5 8/55 Same position
2024–25 A 3 Group stage 3rd 6 1 3 2 4 11 11/55 TBD (preliminary)
Total Group stage 4/4 24 10 7 7 28 26 8th

Olympic Games

Medal
The gold medal of the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki

The first few Olympic football events were not official tournaments. Starting in 1908, football became an official Olympic sport. After 1988, the Olympic football event changed to only include players under 23 years old.

     Gold medalists        Silver medalists        Bronze medalists  

Summer Olympics record
Year Host Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad
1896 Greece Athens No football tournament
1900 France Paris Not invited
1904 United States St. Louis
1908 United Kingdom London Withdrew
1912 Sweden Stockholm Round 2 10th 1 0 0 1 0 7 Squad
1920 Belgium Antwerp Did not enter
1924 France Paris Round 2 9th 2 1 0 1 5 3 Squad
1928 Netherlands Amsterdam Did not enter
1932 United States Los Angeles No football tournament
1936 Nazi Germany Berlin Round 1 13th 1 0 0 1 0 3 Squad
1948 United Kingdom London Did not enter
1952 Finland Helsinki Gold medalists 1st 6 6 0 0 20 2 Squad
1956 Australia Melbourne Did not enter
1960 Italy Rome Bronze medalists 3rd 5 4 0 1 17 9 Squad
1964 Japan Tokyo Gold medalists 1st 5 5 0 0 22 6 Squad
1968 Mexico Mexico City Gold medalists 1st 5 5 1 0 18 3 Squad
1972 West Germany Munich Silver medalists 2nd 7 5 1 1 21 5 Squad
1976 Canada Montreal Did not qualify
1980 Soviet Union Moscow
1984 United States Los Angeles Boycott
1988 South Korea Seoul Did not qualify
Since 1992 See Hungary national under-21 football team
Total 3 Gold medals 8/19 32 26 2 5 103 38 —

Team Records

Puskas Top scorer of 20th century
Puskás, top scorer of the 20th century

The match between Austria and Hungary in Vienna in 1902 was the first international game between two non-British European countries.

Hungary was the first team from outside the United Kingdom and Ireland to beat England at home. They famously won 6–3 at Wembley on 25 November 1953. Six months later, they beat England 7–1 in Budapest in 1954. This is still England's biggest defeat.

Gusztáv Sebes has the highest winning percentage as a coach (for coaches with over 30 matches), with 72% wins.

Hungary holds the highest ever Elo football rating for a national team, reaching 2230 in 1954. This happened after their 4–2 victory over Uruguay in the 1954 World Cup semi-final.

The Hungarian team also had a remarkable 31-game unbeaten streak from May 1950 to July 1954. This is the third-longest unbeaten streak in football history.

Ferenc Puskás is recognized as the top scorer of the 20th century by the IFFHS.

Top International Goalscorers of the 20th Century

Two of the top six international goalscorers of the 20th century were Hungarian, both from the famous Golden Team of the 1950s.

# Player Nation Goals scored Games played Years active
1. Ferenc Puskás  Hungary 84 goals 85 internationals 1945–1956
2. Kunishige Kamamoto  Japan 80 goals 84 internationals 1964–1977
3. Pelé  Brazil 77 goals 91 internationals 1957–1971
4. Sándor Kocsis  Hungary 75 goals 68 internationals 1948–1956
5. Majed Abdullah  Saudi Arabia 71 goals 116 internationals 1978–1994
6. Gerd Müller  West Germany 68 goals 62 internationals 1966–1974

Record Defeats Against Hungary

Ten countries have suffered their biggest ever football defeat against the Hungarian national team. The 10–1 win against El Salvador is the largest scoreline in men's FIFA World Cup finals history.

All-time Team Record

This table shows Hungary's overall international record, as of 19 November 2024.

Against Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD
Total 999 471 218 310 2004 1464 +540

Head-to-Head Record

This table shows Hungary's international record against specific teams. Updated 19 November 2024.

      Positive Record       Neutral Record       Negative Record

FIFA Ranking

Last updated on 16 June 2024

Key to FIFA World Rankings table
Highest position
Lowest position
Notes
  • Note 1: in January 1999 FIFA changed the system of the ranking calculation
  • Note 2: in July 2006 FIFA changed the system of the ranking calculation
  • Note 3: in August 2018 FIFA changed the system of the ranking calculation

Honours

Major Competitions

Regional Competitions

  • Balkan Cup
    • 1 Champions (1): 1947
  • Central European International Cup
    • 1 Champions (1): 1948–53
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 1955–60
    • 3 Third place (2): 1931–32, 1933–35

Friendly Tournaments

  • Nehru Cup
    • 1 Champions (2): 1983, 1989
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 1991
  • Kirin Cup
    • 1 Champions (1): 1993
  • LG Cup
    • 1 Champions (1): 1998
  • King's Cup
    • 3 Third place (1): 2004
  • Orange Trophy
    • 1 Champions (1): 1981

Summary of Medals

Competition 1 2 3 Total
World Cup 0 2 0 2
European Championship 0 0 1 1
Olympic Games 3 1 1 5
Total 3 3 2 8

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Hungría para niños

  • Austria–Hungary football rivalry
  • Hungary men's national under-17 football team
  • Hungary men's national under-19 football team
  • Hungary men's national under-21 football team
  • Hungary-Romania football rivalry
  • Hungary women's national football team
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Hungary national football team Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.