It has become a case of ‘waiting for a bus, then two arrive at once,’ for Hungary. Before qualifying for the European Championship in France in 2016, the Magyarok hadn’t appeared in the European competition since 1972. By that time, their golden generation had already passed and they’d become also-rans. Between 1972 and 2016, the only tournament the men’s senior national team appeared was the 1986 World Cup, where they won one game and conceded nine goals to leave Mexico early.
But thanks to a brilliant comeback against Iceland comeback in a fan-less Ferenc Puskas Arena, Hungary are heading for successive Euro tournaments. Coach Marco Rossi was absent, but his side rallied like warriors, as he called them, to make their way to the rescheduled Euros.
Hungary in 2016 European Championship
Second Successive Qualification
After years of faltering, Hungary were drawn in Group F of the Euro 2016 qualifying. Their potential battlers for a place in France were Romania and Greece. But Greece failed, leading to chain events that saw Claudio Ranieri win the Premier League title with Leicester City. It was Northern Ireland who seized the initiative in the pot. The British nation finished with six wins and just one defeat, topping Group F, in what was their first tournament appearance since 1986 as well.
Hungary meanwhile, finished four points below second-placed Romania and had to settle for a play-off place. There, they beat Norway home and away to make their way to France. At the Euros proper, Hungary began by beating neighbours Austria, thanks to goals from Adam Szalai and Zoltan Stieber. Draws with Iceland (incidentally) and Portugal took them to the last 16, where they were demolished Belgium.
Hungary in the 2020 European Championship
Hungary began the qualifying – initially the Nations League – with a change of manager. Belgian coach Georges Leekens was done with and replaced by the Italian Rossi. There would be no passage to the multi-national tournament – which they will also host – via the Nations League. Hungary only won three games as they finished second in Group C2, behind Finland. That left them needing to qualify via the orthodox path; the Euro qualifying itself.
In qualifying, Hungary would only finish fourth, after four wins and the same number of defeats. But finishing second in the Nations League would then prove to be pivotal, as Finland won their Euro qualifying group and granted Hungary passage to the playoffs via the Nations League spot.
Hungary’s Euro 2020 Play-offs
Like for the 2016 tournament, Hungary would need to go through the play-offs. The new format was different from four years before, in which it was a straight home and away fight between two teams. This time, four teams jostled for one spot, from the semi-final stage.
Post-pandemic lockdown, Hungary would face Bulgaria in their semi-final last October. Willi Orban was among the goals in a 3-1 win in Sofia, giving them a home final against Iceland. With a place in the Euros at stake, Hungary looked to be in trouble, after goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi fumbled a Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick to hand Iceland the lead.
It looked to be all over, but with two minutes of normal time left, fortune would smile on the Hungarians, on two instances. First was the goal-scorer, Loic Nego, who, a month ago, hadn’t even been cleared to play for the national side. But the French-born midfielder, who came on in the final 20 minutes would benefit from a lucky break. A ricochet in the box left him one-on-one with Icelandic goalie Hannes Halldorsson, and he didn’t miss.
The crowning glory came four minutes later, in the second minute of extra-time. A moment of magic from RB Salzburg man, and Arsenal target, Dominik Szoboszlai, who was influential all game gave them a late winner. From the cusp of nothing, Hungary had qualified. From European Championship no-goers, they’ll now appear in two in a row. When the architecture of the Puskas Arena in Budapest hosts the Euros, it will do so to the noise of the Hungarian national anthem.
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