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Ferenc Puskás: Football (Soccer)

Ferenc Puskás (April 2, 1927 – November 17, 2006) was a Hungarian football legend that led his national team to unprecedented success during the early 50s. He first played for Kispest and Budapest Honved, becoming a top scorer for the Hungarian League and became the top goal scorer in Europe. Puskás also played for Spain’s Real Madrid club and became a manager later on. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary and scored 514 goals in 529 matches in 1952 that led his country to the finals of the 1954 World Cup. That same year, Ferenc Puskás was named the tournament’s best player. He was a hugely astute leader.



Greatest Sporting Achievements

Puskás won three European Cups (1959, 1960, 1966), 10 national championships (5 Hungarian and 5 Spanish Primera Division) and 8 top individual scoring honors.

During his time with Real Madrid, he won four Pichichis and scored seven goals during two European Champions Cup finals.

He was later recognized as the top scorer of the 20th century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.

Puskás became a FIFA/SOS Charity ambassador in 1998 and renamed the Nepstadion in Budapest to Puskás Ferenc Stadion in his honor.

UEFA Jubilee Awards declared him as the best Hungarian player of the last 50 years.

Why Was He So Good?

He was a striker whose short heavy built contradicted his exceptional performance and ball-control abilities, becoming the pride and joy of the most leading sides in the history of football. Puskás was not nicknamed as the “Magical Magyars” or “The Galloping Major” for nothing. He had such control of the ball – he could make long, accurate passes and could score goals – a lot of goals.

What You May Not Know

Was he a legend?

Do you agree with Ferenc Puskás being a legend of football / soccer?

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Football (some call it soccer) is the world's most popular sport. There are many major football tournaments, the pinnacle is the FIFA World Cup. See a calendar of what is coming up. There have been many legends of the game, particularly winners of the Ballon d'Or. For players, there are articles about Football Fitness and Fitness Testing.

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There are profiles of past athlete champions from a large range of sports. See also profiles of Olympic athletes and pages about sporting heroes.

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