Ferenc Puskás Has Died

INDEX
17 November 2006, 8:41

The legendary captain of the Golden Team died at the age of 79. In the last six years of his life, the football hero was treated at the Kútvolgyi Hospital and transferred to the intensive care unit in mid September 2006..

After a serious, chronic illness, Ferenc Puskás passed away at 7 a.m., on Friday, 17 November, at the age of 79. György Szöllősi, the family's spokesman, informed the Hungarian News Service (MTI) that with his death, Hungary had lost the greatest footballer of all time.

The football star was treated at the Kútvőlgyi Hospital for the past six years, before being transferred to the intensive care unit. The hospital allowed Ferenc Puskás to leave the hospital for a few hours on special occasions.

His death was caused by breathing and circulatory complications.

Hungarian fans elected the captain of football's Golden Team the greatest sportsman of the 20th century.

Sixteen Years Old in Kispest

In the world's greatest football encyclopaedia (edited by Keir Radnedge), former English footballer Gary Lineker devoted two whole pages to Ferenc Puskás's talents. He called him the footballer with the "magic left foot". Puskás's name appeared with football stars like Diego Maradona, Eusebio, Pelé, Johann Cruyff, Bobby Charlton, Franz Beckenbauer, Alfredo di Stefano, Stanley Matthews, and Lev Jasin.

At 16, Puskás became a member of the Kispest football team. His father worked as his trainer the first few years and took the left-footed "Buddy" on as an inside left. It was in this position that, at the age of 18, Puskás made his debut, playing against Austria in 1945.

Not to Return

The goalie Gyula Grosics, the right half-back József Bozsik, and the three forwards Sandor Kocsis, Nándor Hidegkuti, and Ferenc Puskás formed the backbone of the team. For four years, they were unbeatable. These fantastic victories came to an end at the very worst time, during the World Cup final against Germany (2-3), when Puskás suffered an injury.

At the outbreak of the 1956 Revolution, Puskás and his Honvéd team were playing in Spain against Bilbao in the European Cup. After the match, they did not return to Hungary. Initially, Puskás intended to sign a contract to play in Italy, but the Italian football clubs turned him down, because they thought he was too old.

Canoncito

In 1958, with the help of his old manager Emil Östreicher, Puskás signed a contract with Real Madrid, where he achieved unrivalled success. He became top scorer within the Spanish football league four times, and together with Alfredo di Stefano, they made up one of the best offensive duos of all time. In the European Cup final against Eintracht Frankfurt, Real Madrid won 7-3, Puskás scoring 4 goals in the match in Hampden Park, Glasgow, watched by 130,000 spectators. (The other 3 goals were scored by Di Stefano.).

The Spanish supporters raved about Puskás, nicknaming him Canoncito (little cannon). The Spanish National Team took part in the World Cup in Chile in 1962.

European Cup with Panathinaikos

Four years later, at the age of 39, Puskás stepped down and invested the money he had earned from his football career in various enterprises (including a Madrid sausage factory). He then worked as a trainer and achieved his greatest success with the Greek team Panathinaikos. In the 1971 European Cup, the Greek football team reached the final in Wembley Stadium, London, but were beaten by the Amsterdam team Ajax (2-0).

MWhen Puskás returned to Hungary many years later, supporters from all over the country welcomed him as a real hero. He had never worked as a trainer for any sports club in Hungary, but he was appointed manager of the Hungarian National Team in 1993, from April to July. This was the last post in his career as a trainer.

Puskás received several awards for his achievements. In a festive event on 28 August 2006, his footprint was placed on the Walk of Champions in Monte Carlo, where outstanding players in the history of football are immortalized.

Real Madrid President: A Role Model Lost

Ramon Calderon, President of Real Madrid, stated that Ferenc Puskás's death was a terrible loss to him, and 17 November 2006 was one of the most painful days of his office and painful for the Real Madrid Club as a whole.

"Puskás was the mythical forward of our mythical team. His friends were numerous, because everybody loved him both as a footballer and a person. We'll remember his countless marvellous goals and his record as a four-time top scorer is one-of-a-kind. The people of Madrid and my generation feel the loss painfully, because we've lost a great role model," said the Real Madrid President on the club's home page. Calderon was among the first to express his condolences to Mrs. Ferenc Puskás, whom he assured of the club's all-round support.

Gyurcsány: The Legend Lives On

Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány said Puskás's death leaves no Hungarian untouched.

The prime minister referred to the legendary footballer, who died at 79, as the most famous Hungarian of the 20th century, and whose name is still identified with Hungary. "We knew it when he was alive, and we'll never forget after his death, how lucky a nation can feel that is associated with and known by his name. Buddy Puskás was one of the great ones who created a great nation. We are grateful to him for this.

"Ferenc Puskás himself represented not only the Golden Team, but the Golden Age of Hungarian Football. With his death now, we say farewell to the most glorious period of the history of Hungarian Football as well," runs the communiqué.

Ferenc Gyurcsány's communiqué ends, "The legend lives on.""

Flags of Mourning on Sports Establishments

News of the death of Ferenc Puskás, one of the best footballers of all time and the most famous Hungarian sportsman, was received with grief by Mónika Lamperth, Minister of Sports Affairs for Municipal and Regional Development. The minister expressed her condolences and sympathy to the football legend's family and the Hungarian Sports Society at the irrevocable loss.

Mónika Lamperth's communiqué reads, "Ms. Mónika Lamperth kindly asks the leaders of all Hungarian sports establishments to place a flag of mourning on the buildings and duly commemorate at the weekend's sporting events the football legend who died 79.".

Our Departed

In its leading article, the website of the Hungarian Football Association (MLSZ) gives a detailed account of Puskás's death and the most important stations of his career. The article stresses that it was the initiative of the Hungary Football Association to rename Népstadion (People's Stadium) Ferenc Puskás Stadium and to give the most gifted player at Hungarian championships an award bearing Puskás's name.

The Hungarian Football Association, the Hungarian Olympic Committee, and the Ministry of Municipal and Regional Development consider Ferenc Puskás their own departed.

"We are filled with unbelievable sadness at the death of Ferenc Puskás," István Kisteleki, President of the Hungarian Football Association, told the Hungarian News Service (MTI). "Naturally, the MLSZ will work to aid the family with every means at its disposal. I believe, after such a tragedy, it is worthwhile for everyone to stop a moment and think over certain things, since several things in this country are not going the way they should. This is one hundred times true of Hungarian football."

George F. Hemingway, the owner of Budapest Honvéd, Ferenc Puskás's one and only football club in his home country, was shocked to learn of the passing of the greatest Hungarian footballer of all time. He stressed that the league considered him its own departed. "He was not just an outstanding player, he was an outstanding human being as well. It sums up everything about him that he made two teams, Honvéd and Real Madrid - indeed, two countries, Hungary and Spain - greats in the world of football," Hemingway remarked to MTI.

Between 1942 and 1956, Ferenc Puskás scored 358 goals in 349 championship matches for Kispest AC and later its legal successor, Budapest Honvéd. With this club, he became a champion five times, as well as the top scorer altogether four times. By then, the league had already retired the No. 10 strip.

FIFA and UEFA Remember Him

The International (FIFA) and European (UEFA) Football Associations alike put the news of Ferenc Puskás's death in leading positions on their internet web pages.

FIFA's website included the deceased among their list of the greatest football players of all time, adding that he had won championship titles with both Honvéd and Real Madrid, capturing the European Cup with the latter team three times, as well as serving as the motor for the "Magical Hungarians", the Golden Team.

With extensive material, FIFA recalls how the 84 goals he scored on the Hungarian National Team earn the classic player a prominent place on the list of all-time greats. Moreover, the IFFHS, an organisation dealing with football history and statistics, voted him the fourth best player in the 20th century.

On UEFA's internet website, two separate articles recall the important stages in Puskás's career as a player and as a coach, as well as his achievements. They emphasise that the striker was blessed with one of the best left feet in the sport's history. They also quote a statement of Puskás's, which reveals that the ball was truly his talisman. "I am only at ease when it is with me," he claimed.

Source: Index