Golden Team

The Golden Team (; also known as the Mighty Magyars, the Magical Magyars, the Magnificent Magyars, or the Marvellous Magyars) refers to the Hungary national football team during the 1950s. It is associated with several notable matches, including the "Match of the Century" against England in 1953. The team inflicted notable defeats on then-footballing world powers England, Uruguay and the Soviet Union. The 1956 Hungarian Revolution caused the breakup of the side. The team is considered by many as one of the greatest Football teams of all time.

Between 1950 and 1956, the team played 50 matches, which included 42 victories, 7 draws and just 1 defeat. The defeat came in the 1954 FIFA World Cup Final against West Germany. Under the Elo rating system they achieved the highest rating recorded by a national side (2231 points, 30 June 1954), just ahead of 2nd place Germany (2223 points, 13 July 2014). In 2016, the BBC listed the team as the best international football team in football history.

The team is generally credited for successfully implementing an early form of "Total Football", which would later be used by the Netherlands during the 1970s. 


All-time team highs and lows
The following is a list of national football teams ranked by the highest Elo rating they ever reached.World Football Elo Ratings; under the columns tab choose "Highest Rank / Rating" as well as "Lowest Rank / Rating" The table also includes the highest ranking as well as the lowest rating and ranking reached by each nation. The team that has achieved the highest rank in each confederation is shown in color.

 Rank Nation  High rating High ratingdateHigh rank  Low rating/ low rankLow ratingdate 1   Golden Team  2230   30 June 1954 1st   1527 / 75th  19 November 2003 2    2223   13 July 2014  1st   1639 / 24th  26 September 1920 3    2216   9 September 1912  1st   1790 / 17th  31 March 1928 4    2194  17 June 1962  1st   1813 / 20th  24 September 1922 5    2165   11 July 2010  1st   1800 / 19th  25 June 1969 6    2159   3 April 1957  1st   1751 / 26th  8 June 1990 7    2154   12 July 2014  1st   1550 / 53rd  24 October 1954 8    2137   30 May 2001  1st   1506 / 40th  18 May 1930 9    2132   11 June 1939  1st   1604 / 22nd  29 August 1920 10    2108   13 June 1928  1st   1635 / 44th  5 September 1979 11    2104   10 March 1888  1st   1600 / 64th  26 March 2005 12  2088   23 July 1966  1st  1449 / 48th  14 September 1913 13   2084   12 October 2018  3rd   1498 / 70th  29 March 1936 14   2083   1 September 1974  2nd   1526 / 61st  26 August 1956 15    2077   25 June 1916  1st   1536 / 61st  24 May 1967 16    2068   31 May 1934  1st   1550 / 74th  2 September 2011 17    2041   26 June 2016  2nd   1384 / 60th  6 July 1916 18    2037   27 June 2004  1st   1670 / 46th  4 September 2017 19    2035   28 June 2014  3rd   1304 / 100th  13 March 1957 20    2022   28 July 1966  2nd   1619 / 42nd  7 November 1962

 Results 
DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompHungary scorersAttendance1949-05-08 Budapest Austria6–1 Central European CupPuskás (3), Kocsis, Deák (2) 50,0001949-06-12 Budapest Italy1–1 Central European CupDeák47,0001949-06-19 Stockholm Sweden2–2 FriendlyKocsis, Budai38,0001949-07-10 Debrecen Poland8–2FriendlyDeák (4), Puskás (2), Egresi, Keszthelyi30,0001949-10-16 Vienna Austria4–3 FriendlyDeák (2), Puskás (2)65,0001949-10-30 Budapest Bulgaria5–0 FriendlyPuskás (2), Deák, Budai, Rudas 36,0001949-11-20 Budapest Sweden5–0 FriendlyKocsis (3) Puskás, Deák 50,0001950-04-30 Budapest Czechoslovakia5–0 FriendlyKocsis (2) Puskás (2), Szilágyi47,0001950-05-14 Vienna Austria3–5FriendlyKocsis, Puskás, Szilágyi65,0001950-06-04 Warsaw Poland5–2 FriendlyPuskás (2), Szilágyi (3)60,0001950-09-24 Budapest Albania12–0FriendlyPuskás (4), Budai (4), Palotás (2), Kocsis (2)38,0001950-10-29 Budapest Austria4–3 FriendlyPuskás (3), Szilágyi45,0001950-11-12 Sofia Bulgaria1–1 FriendlySzilágyi35,0001951-05-27 Budapest Poland6–0 FriendlyKocsis (2), Sándor, Puskás (2), Czibor42,0001951-10-14 Ostrava Czechoslovakia2–1 FriendlyKocsis (2)45,0001951-11-18 Budapest Finland8–0 FriendlyHidegkuti (3), Kocsis (2), Czibor, Puskás (2)40,0001952-05-18 Budapest East Germany5–0 FriendlyHidegkuti (2), Szusza, Kocsis, Sándor38,0001952-06-15 Warsaw Poland5–1 FriendlyKocsis (2), Puskás (2), Hidegkuti50,0001952-06-22 Helsinki Finland6–1 FriendlyPuskás, Bozsik, Kocsis (3), Palotás25,0001952-07-15 Turku Romania2–1 1952 OlympicsCzibor, Kocsis14,0001952-07-21 Helsinki Italy3–0 1952 OlympicsPalotás (2), Kocsis20,0001952-07-24 Kotka Turkey7–1 1952 OlympicsPalotás, Kocsis (2), Lantos, Puskás (2), Bozsik20,0001952-07-28 Helsinki Sweden6–0 1952 OlympicsPuskás, Palotás, Lindh (o.g.), Kocsis (2), Hidegkuti35,0001952-08-02 Helsinki Yugoslavia2–0 1952 OlympicsPuskás, Czibor60,0001952-09-20 Bern Switzerland4–2 Central European CupPuskás (2), Kocsis, Hidegkuti35,0001952-10-19 Budapest Czechoslovakia5–0 FriendlyHidegkuti, Egresi, Kocsis (3)48,0001953-04-26 Budapest Austria1–1 FriendlyCzibor44,0001953-05-17 Rome Italy3–0 Central European CupHidegkuti, Puskás (2)90,0001953-07-05 Stockholm Sweden4–2 FriendlyPuskás, Budai, Kocsis, Hidegkuti40,0001953-10-04 Sofia Bulgaria1–1 FriendlySzilágyi45,0001953-10-04 Prague Czechoslovakia5–1 FriendlyCsordás (2), Hidegkuti, M. Tóth, Puskás50,0001953-10-11 Vienna Austria3–2 FriendlyCsordás, Hidegkuti (2)65,0001953-11-15 Budapest Sweden2–2 FriendlyPalotás, Czibor80,0001953-11-25 London England6–3FriendlyHidegkuti (3), Puskás (2), Bozsik105,0001954-02-12 Cairo Egypt3–0 FriendlyPuskás (2), Hidegkuti28,0001954-04-11 Vienna Austria1–0 FriendlyHappel (o.g.)65,0001954-05-23 Budapest England7–1 FriendlyLantos, Puskás (2), Kocsis (2), M. Tóth, Hidegkuti92,0001954-06-17 Zurich South Korea9–0 1954 World CupPuskás (2), Lantos, Kocsis (3), Czibor, Palotás (2)15,0001954-06-20 Basel West Germany8–31954 World CupKocsis (4), Puskás, Hidegkuti (2), J. Tóth53,0001954-06-27 Bern Brazil4–21954 World CupHidegkuti, Kocsis (2), Lantos60,0001954-06-30 Lausanne Uruguay4–2 (a.e.t.) 1954 World CupCzibor, Hidegkuti, Kocsis (2)50,0001954-07-04 Bern West Germany2–31954 World CupPuskás, Czibor 65,0001954-09-19 Budapest Romania5–1FriendlyKocsis (2), Hidegkuti (2), Budai93,0001954-09-19 Moscow Soviet Union1–1 FriendlyKocsis85,0001954-10-10 Budapest Switzerland3–0FriendlyKocsis (2), Bozsik94,0001954-10-24 Budapest Czechoslovakia4–1 FriendlyKocsis (3), Sándor93,0001954-11-14 Budapest Austria4–1 FriendlyKocsis, Czibor, Sándor, Palotás94,0001954-12-08 Glasgow Scotland4–2 FriendlyKocsis, Hidegkuti, Bozsik, Sándor134,0001955-04-24 Vienna Austria2–2 Central European CupHidegkuti, Fenyvesi65,0001955-05-08 Oslo Norway5–0 FriendlyPuskás, Kocsis, Palotás (2), Tichy34,0001955-05-11 Stockholm Sweden7–3 FriendlyPuskás (2), Kocsis (3), Hidegkuti, Szojka 40,0001955-05-15 Copenhagen Denmark6–0FriendlyKocsis (2), Sándor (3), Palotás41,0001955-05-19 Helsinki Finland9–1 FriendlyPalotás (3), Puskás, Tichy (2), Csordás (2), J. Tóth30,0001955-05-29 Budapest Scotland3–1 FriendlyKocsis, Hidegkuti, Fenyvesi100,0001955-09-17 Budapest Switzerland5–4 Central European CupPuskás (2), Kocsis, Machos (2)45,0001955-09-25 Budapest Soviet Union1–1 FriendlyPuskás103,0001955-10-02 Prague Czechoslovakia3–1 Central European CupKocsis, Tichy, Czibor50,0001955-10-16 Budapest Austria6–1 Central European CupKocsis, Puskás, Czibor (2), Tichy, J. Tóth104,0001955-11-13 Budapest Sweden4–2FriendlyPuskás, Tichy, Czibor (2)90,0001955-11-27 Budapest Italy2–0 Central European CupPuskás, J. Tóth103,0001956-06-03 Brussels Belgium4–5FriendlyPuskás, Kocsis (2), Budai75,0001956-09-23 Moscow Soviet Union1–0 FriendlyCzibor105,000

Records and statistics

 World Record: (4 June 1950 to 19 February 1956) 42 victories, 7 draws, 1 defeat ("Miracle of Bern") – 91.0% winning percentage ratio.
 Team Record (4 June 1950 to 3 July 1954) 31 game undefeated narrative.
 World Record: most consecutive games scoring at least one goal: 73 games (10 April 1949 to 16 June 1957).
 World Record: longest time undefeated in 20th and 21st centuries: 4 years 1 month (4 June 1950 to 4 July 1954).
 World Record: most collaborative goals scored between two starting players (Ferenc Puskás & Sándor Kocsis) on same national side (159 goals).
 World Record: Highest rating ever attained in the sport's history using the Elo rating system for national teams with 2230 points on 30 June 1954.
 20th Century Record: Hungary manager Gusztáv Sebes holds the highest ratio of victories per game past 30 matches with 82.58% (49 wins, 11, draws, 6 defeats).  Brazil legend Vicente Feola (1955–1966) owns the second highest with 81.25 (46 wins, 12 draws, 6 defeats).
 20th Century Record: Most International Goals: Ferenc Puskás (84 goals).
World Cup Record: 27 goals scored in a single World Cup finals tournament.
World Cup Record: 5.4 goals-per-match in a single World Cup finals tournament.
World Cup Record: +17 goal differential in a single World Cup finals tournament.
World Cup Record: 2.2 goals-per-match average for individual goal scoring in a single World Cup finals tournament (Sándor Kocsis 11 goals in 5 games).
World Cup Record: highest margin of victory ever recorded in a World Cup finals tournament match ( Hungary 9, South Korea 0 – 17 July 1954).
World Cup Precedent: first national team to defeat two-time and reigning World Cup champion Uruguay in a World Cup finals tournament (Hungary 4, Uruguay 2, semi-final — 30 July 1954).
World Cup Precedent: Sándor Kocsis, first player to score two hat tricks in a World Cup finals tournament (Hungary 8, West Germany 3 – 20 July 1954 & Hungary 9, South Korea 0 – 17 July 1954).
National Record: Highest margin of victory recorded by Hungarian national team (Hungary 12, Albania 0 – 23 September 1950).
Precedent: first national side from outside the British Isles to defeat England at home since the codification of association football in 1863, a span of 90 years (Hungary 6, England 3, see "Match of the Century" – 25 November 1953).
 Hungary's 7–1 defeat of England in Budapest the next year is still England's record defeat.
Precedent: first national side in the world to eclipse an 1888 Scottish record of being undefeated in 22 consecutive matches (32 games).
Precedent: first non-South American national side to defeat Uruguay (Hungary 4, Uruguay 2, semi-final — 30 July 1954), breaking a 17-game Uruguayan unbeaten run against non-South American competition dating from 26 May 1924.
Precedent: first national side to defeat the Soviet Union at home (Hungary 1, Soviet Union 0 – 23 September 1956).
Precedent: first national team in history to simultaneously host the No.1 and No. 2 world record holders for most goals scored internationally (Ferenc Puskás 84 goals, Sándor Kocsis 75 goals) from 11 May 1955 to 14 October 1956.
 Team Record vs. Elo Ranked Opponents: (4 June 1950 – 14 October 1956), vs. world Top 10 ranked opponents: 11 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss / vs. world Top 5 opponents: 4 wins, 0 draw, 1 loss.

Honours

Central European International Cup
1948-53
Olympic Champions
1952
World Cup
Finalist : 1954

References

Bibliography





 Diego Mariottini, "Tiki-taka Budapest: leggenda, ascesa e declino dell'Ungheria di Puskás", Bradipolibri, 2016, 

Other websites
Aranycsapat – dedicated web page 
Gusztáv Sebes biography 
Hungary's Famous Victory
Dr. Gerő Cup 1948–53
National football teams' rankings

Category:European national football teams
Category:Football in Hungary
Category:Sports organizations of Hungary