 | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "József Bozsik" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 Bozsik in 1954 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1925-11-28)28 November 1925 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kispest, Hungary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 31 May 1978(1978-05-31) (aged 52) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Budapest, Hungary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1937–1943 | Budapest Honvéd | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 1943–1962 | Budapest Honvéd | 477 | (33) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1947–1962 | Hungary | 101 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1967 | Budapest Honvéd | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1974 | Hungary | |||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||
József Bozsik (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈjoːʒɛf ˈboʒik]; 28 November 1925 – 31 May 1978) was a Hungarian footballer who played as a central midfielder. He spent his entire club career at his hometown club, Budapest Honvéd. Bozsik was a key member of the legendary Golden Team as he represented Hungary in various international tournaments. Honvéd named their stadium, Bozsik József Stadion, after him.
Early life
József Bozsik was born in Kispest, now a district of Budapest. Given the nickname "Cucu" by his grandmother, he grew up playing football on the local football grounds in Kispest with his best friend and neighbour Ferenc Puskás.
Playing career
As an 11-year-old, Bozsik attracted the attention of Budapest Honvéd and the club signed him to the youth team. In 1943, he made his debut for the first team against Vasas SC. He made his debut for Hungary at the age of 21 against Bulgaria on 17 August 1947 and went on to win 101 caps and score 11 goals by the time he last played for the national side on 18 April 1962 against Uruguay. He remained the most capped Hungarian player until 2016, when his record was broken by goalkeeper Gábor Király.
Bozsik won the Olympic gold medal with his country in 1952 in Helsinki and finished second with the Hungarian team in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. He also took part in Hungary's famous 6–3 win over England at Wembley and the team's 7–1 win over England in Budapest.
In 1956–57, Bozsik returned from Honvéd's winter tour to play in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. A year later, he won the Mitropa Cup with Honvéd. In all, he played 477 top-level games for KAC (and its legal successor BHSE) and scored 33 goals.
Style of play
In his prime, Bozsik was considered one of the best attacking half-backs in the world, possessing good technique, flair, tactical nous, passing accuracy and creativity, although he suffered from a lack of pace. He was often used as a deep lying playmaker where his tackling ability was also helpful. He is considered one of the greatest Hungarian footballers.
Post-playing career
Throughout his career, Bozsik won many honours and was even made a Member of Parliament. After his retirement, he became a member of the board at his old club. He also managed the team for 47 matches between January 1966 and September 1967, after which he returned to his position on the board. In 1974, he was chosen to manage the Hungarian national team, but illness forced him to resign soon after he got the job.
Death
József Bozsik died in Budapest, aged 52, due to heart failure. He was made a Freeman of Kispest posthumously.
Honours
Budapest Honvéd
Hungary
- Olympic Champions: 1952
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1954
Individual
- Hungarian Football Federation Player of the Year: 1952
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1954
- Ballon d'Or: 6th place 1956
See also
References
- "József Bozsik". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
- "Válogatott: Király lehagyta Bozsikot, egyedül rekorder". nso.hu. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
- József Bozsik, Sports-Reference / Olympic Sports. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
- Europe's best Player of the Century – IFFHS
External links
| Awards | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||
| Hungary squads | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||
| József Bozsik managerial positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
- 1925 births
- 1978 deaths
- Footballers from Budapest
- Members of the National Assembly of Hungary (1949–1953)
- Members of the National Assembly of Hungary (1953–1958)
- Hungarian men's footballers
- Hungary men's international footballers
- Budapest Honvéd FC players
- Budapest Honvéd FC managers
- Men's association football midfielders
- Footballers at the 1952 Summer Olympics
- Olympic footballers for Hungary
- Olympic gold medalists for Hungary
- Hungarian football managers
- 1954 FIFA World Cup players
- 1958 FIFA World Cup players
- Hungary national football team managers
- FIFA Men's Century Club
- Olympic medalists in football
- Medalists at the 1952 Summer Olympics
- Nemzeti Bajnokság I players
- Burials at Farkasréti Cemetery
- 20th-century Hungarian sportsmen