Wembley memories haunt Buzánszky

By Jonathan Wilson and Márton Dinnyés

Jenö Buzánszky was the forward-thinking right-back of Hungary's Golden Squad, a defender who unsettled opposing teams with his forward forays. Now in his late 70s, the 50 years that have passed since Hungary's epochal 6-3 win against England on 25 November 1953 have not dimmed Buzánszky's memories.

Marvellous reception
"We got a train back to Hungary [after the match], and right from the Austrian border people came out to greet us," he told uefa.com. "When we arrived at Geleti station [in Budapest] there were hundreds of thousands of people packed into the streets. People were hanging from trees just to get a view."

Easy victory
It was a marvellous reception, but entirely fitting for a game in which the magical Magyars completely routed England. "It was a surprise to me that we beat them with such ease, especially after we had struggled to draw 2-2 against Sweden in a friendly only ten days before," admitted Buzánszky.

Tactical genius
For Buzánszky, coach Gusztáv Sebes and his 4-2-4 tactics were the key to the victory. "He had a decisive role in putting it together," said the defender. "It was like arranging cogs in a wheel - everything had to fit. It was a very attack-minded team with five forwards. If you play with such a formation you have to have a strong defence as well."

Brilliant Puskás
Of course, it helped to have a team containing truly brilliant players, and in Ferenc Puskás - Sebes' lieutenant on the pitch - Buzánszky has no doubt that Hungary had one of the very best. "He was one of the greatest footballers of the 20th century," said his former team-mate.

Captain's role
"The role of the coach ends at the moment the whistle goes to start the game; you talk about tactics in the dressing-room, but from then on it's the team who carry out those tactics, whether well or badly," added Buzánszky. "You have to have a captain like Puskás who can say, 'OK, the tactic isn't working - let's play like this'."

Nervous moments
It was a credit to that sense of calm that Sebes and Puskás instilled in the team that Hungary did not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the atmosphere at Wembley - although Buzánszky freely admitted that there were more than a few nervous moments as his side walked out on to the pitch.

'A holy place'
"It was like a holy place for footballers, so there was a certain anxiety in going out there," he said. "But that feeling only lasts until the first touch of the ball. It was lucky that [Nándor] Hidegkúti scored with the first touch of the game."

Mystery opponents
Buzánszky is keen to emphasise that, with Hungary behind the Iron Curtain, they knew little about England before taking the field. "The Hungarian press hardly wrote about English football, so we didn't know what to prepare for," he said. "We didn't know anything about our opponents because of the political situation.

Pre-match tension
"We played a 2-2 draw ten days before the game against Sweden in Budapest," he added. "It was a very bad sign because we thought the Scandinavian team played in a similar style to the English. There was a great tension inside the team because we thought that the English team would easily win on home soil."

Wonderful memory
Those fears proved to be unfounded. Buzánszky will always have his memories of Hungary's grandstand reception at Geleti station, but his side's performance at Wembley has left a memory for all of football to savour.