Ferenc Puskas

**tone** · 17-11-2006, 08:28

Hungarian football legend Ferenc Puskas has died at the age of 79.

During a brilliant playing career, Puskas established himself as one of the game's genuine greats.

Nicknamed 'The Galloping Major', Puskas was the focal point of the Hungarian team widely regarded as international football's best in the early 1950s.

The 'Magical Magyars' reached the final of the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, with Puskas scoring in the 3-2 defeat to West Germany.

He had gone into the game with an ankle injury sustained in a group meeting with the West Germans which forced him to miss the quarter final and semi-final.

Puskas concluded his Hungarian career with a remarkable 83 goals in 84 appearances before he represented Spain at the 1962 World Cup in Chile.

At club level, he made his name with the army team Honved and he won four Hungarian domestic titles prior to signing for Spanish giants Real Madrid in 1958 after almost two years in exile.

The goals continued to flow at the Bernabeu, with Puskas netting an incredible 324 times in 372 appearances for the club.

Puskas was a four-time leading scorer in the Spanish league and won multiple domestic and continental titles with Real.

He won the European Cup three times, with arguably his finest hour coming in the 1960 final against Eintracht Frankfurt when he scored four in a 7-3 victory at Hampden Park.

After retirement, Puskas moved into coaching and took Greek outfit Panathinaikos to the 1971 European Cup final.

In recent years he had been suffering from an Alzheimer's-like illness and passed away in hospital on Friday.

**zaphod** · 17-11-2006, 08:44

RIP

Saw some of his goals, he was an absolutely immense player, he´d score with thundering headers from anywhere in the box and back in those days the balls they played with would knock Titi out if he tried to head them. Or break his ankle if he´d try to kick them.

**TA#6** · 17-11-2006, 08:44

Another great dies....RIP.

Invincibles2004 · 17-11-2006, 08:51

RIP to a footballing great.

**Leper Messiah** · 17-11-2006, 10:22

Indeed, great player RIP.

Walsho · 17-11-2006, 12:35

Never seen any of his goals, but I know enough to know he was a true legend...RIP

Gooner-Wasp · 17-11-2006, 13:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaphod

RIP

Saw some of his goals, he was an absolutely immense player, he´d score with thundering headers from anywhere in the box and back in those days the balls they played with would knock Titi out if he tried to head them. Or break his ankle if he´d try to kick them.

His goal at Wembley, when he leaves Billy Wright sat on his aris, pure genius!

RIP