Season review: Hungary

A fourth title in five seasons saw Debreceni VSC confirm their status as the pre-eminent force in modern Hungarian football, while cup success came as a relief for one-time titans Budapest Honvéd FC. BFC Siófok and Rákospalotai EAC were relegated.

Champions: Debreceni VSC
A fourth title in the space of five seasons saw Debrecen confirm their standing as the giants of modern Hungarian football, with the club from the west of the country now dominating to a degree only previously known among sides from the capital. This year's success was the Loki's first under András Herczeg, who was previously assistant to Attila Supka and Miroslav Beranek. They scored the most goals (70) and conceded the fewest (29), and their title was richly deserved.

Cup final: Győri ETO FC 0-1, 0-0 Budapest Honvéd FC (agg: 1-0 to Honvéd)
Tibor Sisa's Honvéd produced one of the biggest surprises of the season by winning their seventh Hungarian Cup. Guie Gneki Abraham's goal gave them a first-leg away win which they clung on to in Kispest despite both sides being reduced to ten men. "If I had to give a mark for the players today, I would give a ten to everyone," said Sisa.

European Places
Debrecen – UEFA Champions League second qualifying round
Honvéd – UEFA Europa League third qualifying round
Újpest FC – UEFA Europa League second qualifying round
Haladás FC – UEFA Europa League first qualifying round

Player of the Year: Péter Kabát (Újpest FC)
The official 2009 Player of the Year will not be announced until the start of the new season, but with Roland Juhász of RSC Anderlecht picking up the 2008 honour, it was international team-mate Kabát who was honoured as the best player in the domestic league last December.

One to watch: Gergely Rudolf (Debreceni VSC)
The 24-year-old striker had an excellent season with the champions, scoring 16 crucial goals and becoming the only home-based player to get a regular run-out in Erwin Koeman's Hungary squad. Rudolf did not find his feet at AS Nancy-Lorraine in a two-year spell between 2005 and 2007, but another move abroad could yet beckon.

Surprise package: Haladás FC
Regularly flitting between the top two divisions, the side from Szombathely are used to ups and downs, but have rarely enjoyed such a sweet season, finishing third. Aurél Csertői's men played some quality football and attracted regular crowds of around 10,000 at their Rohonci úti Stadium home games – the best figures in the top flight, exceeded only by Ferencvárosi TC, who were playing in the second division.

Leading scorer: Péter Bajzát, Győri ETO FC (20)

Number: 9
The number of goals scored in the season's most dramatic game as Zalaegerszegi TE's 13-match unbeaten run ended with a 7-2 home defeat against Győr in April.

Quote
"The grave-diggers were hovering just above our heads with the spade when we won the cup."
Honvéd coach Tibor Sisa explains how cup success saved his side from an ingnominious season.