N

Euro 2016: Magic Magyars prepare to rule European football

Euro 2016 is Hungary's first major tournament since the 1986 Football World Cup

Euro 2016 marks Hungary's first major tournament since the 1986 Football World Cup and there is quiet confidence brewing within the team.

 

Hungary is renowned for being a strong and highy-respected footballing nation and one of the first great teams to emerge from the end of World War II.

 

If Euro 2016 would have been Euro 1950, the ‘Magic Magyars’ would have wiped the floor with the rest of the tournament.

 

However, a slump in talent and questionable management choices have seen them fall out of form and put them out of the European elite - until now! 

 

The Hungarian side has a strong forward line with Balazs Dzsudzsak, Adam Szalai, Krisztian Nemeth and Daniel Bode all strong players able to trouble a back line.

 

Besides Portugal, Iceland and Austria are the two other sides in their group which gives them a good chance of winning through to the final rounds.

 

There are expectations aplenty from 37-year-old Zoltan Gera, who will be familiar to fans in the English Premier League. Peter Gulacsi and Kristian Nemeth also had stints with Liverpool.

 

The problem here is that Hungary have never faced the creme de la creme of Europe. They were in an easy group during the playoffs and were hammered by Germany just days before the start of the tournament. 

 

Even in the qualifiers, it was the forward line of theirs that came together well. Like most European teams, Hungary also like to play two banks of four without the ball.

 

The defense has a crucial role to play and is the weakest link of the side. Despite having a wealth of options up front, it is almost certain that Nemanja Nikolics is the man who will lead the line for the Hungarians.

 

Apart from Gera, Gabor Kiraly at goal also comes armed with a lot of experience; having won more than 100 caps. 

 

Bernd Storck has reviewed the fortunes of the Hungarians remarkably and comes across as a coach whom the players trust a lot. Among midfielders, Laszlo Kleinheisler, will be one of the driving forces.

 

The 21-year-old is an emerging talent and has clubs running for his signature. Don’t count out Storck, who comes with an old school, hard-nosed German attitude.

 

Squad:

 

Goalkeepers: Gabor Kiraly (Haladas), Denes Dibusz (Ferencvaros), Peter Gulacsi (Leipzig).

 

Defenders: Attila Fiola (Puskas Academy), Barnabas Bese (MTK Budapest), Richard Guzmics (Wisla Krakow), Roland Juhasz (Videoton), Adam Lang (Videoton), Tamas Kadar (Lech Poznan), Mihaly Korhut (Debrecen).

 

Midfielders: Adam Pinter (Ferencvaros), Gergo Lovrencsics (Lech Poznan), Akos Elek (Diosgyor), Zoltan Gera (Ferencvaros), Adam Nagy (Ferencvaros), Laszlo Kleinheisler (Werder Bremen), Zoltan Stieber (Hamburg).

 

Forwards: Balazs Dzsudzsak (Bursaspor), Adam Szalai (Hoffenheim), Krisztian Nemeth (Al Gharafa), Nemanja Nikolics (Legia Warsaw), Tamas Priskin (Slovan Bratislava), Daniel Bode (Ferencvaros)