Real Madrid ran out 3-1 winners yesterday against "Team Puskas" - a combined Hungarian XI in a benefit game for the player known as the "Galloping Major". The match was played in the Budapest stadium bearing the legendary Hungarian's name.
The game was the final outing of the pre-season tour for Vanderlei Luxemburgo's men and a chance to see what could well be the Madrid first-choice side this season. Though not short on quality, the team lacked a little sharpness, which they will be hoping to regain in time for the start of the new domestic season which begins in a fortnight's time.
Zinedine Zidane missed from the penalty spot on 15 minutes after Haalmosi was adjudged to have fouled Michel Salgado. However, three minutes later the French midfielder got a chance to redeem himself after Ronaldo was brought down in the area, and this time made no mistake.
The Hungarian XI, coached by national team manager Lothar Matthäus, were determined to play their part in front of a crowd of some 50,000 and soon carved out some good chances at the other end. One of these resulted in Salgado conceding a penalty and Kenesei equalising from the spot.
The second half saw the Hungarians create a lot more opportunities, but an on-form Iker Casillas was equal to the best of them. Madrid, making great use of the counter-attack, went ahead thanks to the speed and strength of Ronaldo. Shortly afterwards, Michael Owen was at his opportunistic best, firing home from a superb Baptista cross to round off the scoring.
As full time approached, the stadium's video scoreboard flashed up some of Puskas's most memorable goals. Due to ailing health, the former Real Madrid star could not be there in person to witness the standing ovation, though his wife thanked everyone for the moving gestures of kindness shown to her husband.
The greatest goalscorer of the 20th century
With an impressive list of honours both at club and national level, Ferenc Puskas is rightly considered his country's greatest ever footballer. Five league titles in Hungary and another five in Spain, one Spanish Cup, three European Cups and one Intercontinental Cup all came his way at club level.
On the international stage, he was a cornerstone of the Hungary side that won gold at the Olympic Football Tournament in Helsinki and finished runners-up at the 1954 FIFA World Cup Switzerland™. Furthermore, the striker with the booming left foot had the honour of being named the greatest goalscorer of the 20th century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
Puskas was born on 2 April 1927 in Budapest. His father, a professional player with Kispest Budapest, passed on his love of the game to young Ferenc, who was soon showing a remarkable talent of his own. By the time he was 16, the diminutive striker was a first-team regular at his father's old club (then known as Honved) in the Hungarian first division. Two years later Puskas made his international debut against Austria and scored his first goal for his country.
An unlikely footballer in many respects, Puskas was small and rotund, not particularly strong in the air and exclusively left-footed. For all of that, he had a goal-scoring instinct that was second to none. He was the central figure in the great Hungary side that dominated world football in the early 50s, although he would be denied the ultimate prize of a FIFA World Cup™. The closest he came was in the Final at Switzerland 1954, when the previously unbeaten Hungarians went down 3-2 to West Germany.
Puskas played his final game for Hungary on 14 October 1956, coincidentally also against Austria. Fittingly he scored, taking his tally to a formidable 83 goals in 84 games for the "Magical Magyars".
With his country in the throes of a national uprising in 1956, Puskas famously disappeared in Spain, where his club were playing an international fixture. Almost 18 months later, with his family having given him up for dead, the player emerged from his sanctuary to sign for Real Madrid. By then 31 and a good few kilos heavier, many people felt the player was past his best. However, Puskas was determined to prove them wrong and soon won a place in the hearts of Madrid supporters.
After using his first season to re-acquaint himself with the rigours of professional football, he emerged the following year as his team's top scorer in every competition, even outgunning his close friend and strike partner Alfredo Di Stefano. At Madrid he would go on to become La Liga's top scorer on four occasions and earn the nickname 'The Little Cannon'. Puskas starred alongside such greats as Di Stéfano, Kopa, Rial, Santamaría, Gento and Domínguez, in what was a golden era for Real Madrid.
Together they helped Madrid become Europe's dominant side and lift the inaugural Intercontinental Cup with victory over Uruguayan side Penarol. After drawing 0-0 in Montevídeo, the Merengues romped to a 5-1 win in the Spanish capital with their Hungarian star grabbing the opening goal.
Puskas would lift three European Cups in all and experience his crowning glory in the 1960 Final in Scotland's Hampden Park, where Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3. Di Stefano grabbed a hat-trick, but the evening belonged to Puskas, who scored four times in a legendary victory, and ended the season with an incredible 35 goals in 39 games.
In 1961, at the age of 34, Puskas took up Spanish nationality and went on to play four times for his adopted country team at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. In his brief spell with La Roja, he played in two wins, one draw and one defeat.
On 30 June 1967, at the age of 39, Puskas finally hung up his boots. He would later turn to coaching and enjoy spells in charge of Panathinaikos of Greece, Paraguayan side Sol de América and Chile's Colo-Colo among others.
Team line-ups at Ferenc Puskas benefit game:
Puskas XI: Fulop, Takacs (Vadocz 45'), Komlósi, Balog, Boor (Baranyos 14'), Illes (Kenesei 25'), Coth (Priskin 45'), Halmosi (Vanczak 45'), Eger (Vincze 45'), Nikolov (Rosa 61') and Kerekes (Torghelle 61').
Real Madrid: Casillas, Salgado (Diogo 78'), Pavon, Helguera, Roberto Carlos, Beckham (De la Red 78'), Gravesen (Pablo Garcíi 71'), Baptista, Zidane (Guti 71'), Raúl (Owen 74') and Ronaldo (Soldado 82').