Hungary mourns Baróti
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Article summary
Lajos Baróti, who coached Hungary to Olympic gold in 1964 and a victory against Brazil at the 1966 FIFA World Cup, has died aged 91.
Article body
Former Hungarian national coach Lajos Baróti has passed away at the age of 91.
Playing career
Born in Szeged on 19 August 1914, the man more famous for his coaching exploits also had an impressive playing career, appearing for Szegedi AK and Gyõri ETO FC, gaining an international cap in 1939 and again in 1941.
National team
He coached the national team in two spells from 1957-1966 and 1975-78, taking them to four FIFA World Cups, including the 1966 edition in England where on the way to the quarter-finals they defeated holders Brazil 3-1 at Goodison Park - that nation's first World Cup defeat since losing to Hungary in 1954.
Olympic glory
Under his stewardship Hungary were even more successful in the Olympics, taking bronze in Rome in 1960 and the gold medal four years later in Tokyo, while Baróti won the Hungarian league title while coach of Vasas SC in 1957, and led Újpesti TE to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final in 1969.
UEFA award
He also had stints at Gyõr and Austrian team FC Wacker Innsbruck, won the Portuguese league and cup with SL Benfica and had a spell in charge of Peru in 1971-72. In 2000 he was presented with a special award by UEFA in recognition of his achievements. Although in his nineties, reports say his death was not due to any known illness.
