Football

Ferencvaros, MTK and Debrecen!

Even though Hungary did not make it to the World Cup 2006 in Germany football is one of the most popular sports in Hungary. Football is played everywhere in Budapest in clubs and on the streets in the poorer parts of Budapest.

• Players

The biggest stars of Budapest that are still playing are Zoltan Gera (West Bromwich), Gabor Kiraly (Crystal Palace) and Imre Szabics (FC Köln). In former times when Hungary almost won the World Championship in 1954 the biggest star was and still is Ferenc Puskas.

• Clubs

In the season 05/06 the Hungarian league called NB1 exists of 16 clubs. Most of them are from Budapest or suburbs the rest is from big cities over the country. Last years champion of the league is VSC Debrecen. 
Besides Debrecen there are Ferencvaros Budapest, MTK Budapest, Ujpest Budapest, FC ETO Györ, TE Zalaegerszegi FC, FC Sopron, FC Fehérvár, Diosgyöri BFC, Pecsi NFC, Honvéd Budapest, Kaposvari Rakoczi FC, Vasas Budapest, Lombard Papa FC, Rakospalotai EAC, Tatabánya FC.

• National team

The national team is managed by the German record national player Lothar Matthäus. Hungary did not qualify for the World Cup 2006 in Germany. In the qualification they reached the fourth place wit 14 points behind Croatia (24 points), Sweden (24 points) and Bulgaria (15 points).

But still the excitement for football is very big. If you want to visit a football match in Hungary Google for your favorite club.