Led by versatile Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, Hungary has excessive expectations coming into Euro 2024 in Germany.
Hungary could not but have reached the identical heights as their crew’s golden period in the midst of final century however they may very well be darkish horses at Euro 2024 having stormed by means of qualifying and narrowly missed out on reaching the Nations League finals.
Led by Italian supervisor Marco Rossi, Hungary are set for his or her third successive Euros, having beforehand missed out since 1972. They have been unbeaten in Euro 2024 qualifying Group G, recording spectacular house and away victories over Serbia within the course of.
Ferencvaros ahead Barnabas Varga and midfield dynamo Dominik Szoboszlai have been the crew’s four-goal joint main scorers in qualifying and can be essential to Hungary’s hopes of reaching the final 16, as they did in France in 2016.
Szoboszlai, already Hungary’s captain at 23 years previous, has impressed for his new facet Liverpool this season since shifting from RB Leipzig and appears to have recovered from damage in good time to face Switzerland, Germany and Scotland in Group A.
Denes Dibusz will possible preserve the No 1 jersey forward of Peter Gulacsi, whereas they’ve expertise in abundance on the again as Attila Szalai, Willi Orban, Adam Lang, Loic Nego and Endre Botka have greater than 250 caps between them.
Hungary tackle Germany in Stuttgart of their second group match on June 19. Nonetheless, slightly than being daunted by dealing with the match hosts, they are going to be buoyed up by their current document in opposition to the three-time European champions.
Hungary have been anticipated to complete backside of Nations League Group A3 in 2022 however as a substitute shocked their extra illustrious opponents, beating England house and away and drawing 1-1 with Germany at house. They then defeated the Germans 1-0 in Leipzig with an early aim from veteran former ahead Adam Szalai.
They completed second to Italy by one level, narrowly lacking out on final yr’s finals however went by means of 2023 unbeaten.
Hungary have a storied historical past in soccer with the golden period of the Magical Magyars, led by one of many best gamers of all time Ferenc Puskas, profitable Olympic gold in 1952 and ending runners-up on the 1954 World Cup.
Their affect led to extra Olympic success in 1964 and 1968 however since reaching the semifinals of Euro 1972 Hungary have struggled to reside as much as the previous.
Now, Rossi, who has been teaching for greater than 10 years in Hungary and joined the nationwide crew in 2018, feels the facet are prepared to jot down their very own historical past in Germany.
“I not really feel a burden, particularly these days. And never as a result of we really feel we’re at that stage of glory, however just because we’ve got managed to get the soccer followers again on our facet,” the 59-year-old mentioned in January.
“We managed to carry enthusiasm again to Hungary and that may be a nice legacy that we are going to go away to those that come sooner or later.”
Hungary start their Euro 2024 marketing campaign in opposition to the Swiss on June 15, earlier than dealing with Germany. Their last group recreation is in opposition to Scotland on June 23.