A full-length bronze statue of József Bozsik, the legendary footballer of the Golden Team, has been unveiled in a ceremony in front of the Budapest Honvéd stadium that bears his name.
“It is time to recognize József Bozsik as one of the world’s greatest footballers and a standout defender for both Honvéd and Hungary’s Golden Team,” said Zoltán Lomnici, president of the Golden Team Committee, at Tuesday’s ceremony. The committee president emphasized that it was particularly important that the statue, financed by the Hungarian Olympic Committee, was erected in Budapest’s 19th district (Kispest). József Bozsik was not only born there, but also had strong ties to the area throughout his life. He spent his entire career at Honvéd, even though, like his best friend Ferenc Puskás, he had offers from Spain, Zoltán Lomnici explained.
Mayor Péter Gajda said: “Two world stars as big as József Bozsik and Ferenc Puskás started their journey to world fame from this few hundred square meters. Bozsik was so loyal that he never left Kispest. With this statue, not only will he remain here forever, but we are also creating a fitting memorial to him.” The mayor recalled that Bozsik, an Olympic champion and World Cup silver medalist, was the first footballer to reach 100 caps for the national team.
At the invitation of Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, Kaha Kaladze, the two-time Champions League-winning mayor of Tbilisi, Georgia, also attended the ceremony. The former AC Milan left-back considered Bozsik to be one of the greatest representatives of Hungarian football. “As an athlete, there is no greater glory than winning for your country and your hometown,” said the former footballer, who believes that Bozsik has earned a place in the hearts of Hungarian fans forever.
In his speech, the Hungarian Foreign Minister emphasized that when we talk about the late legendary footballer, “we are also talking about Hungarian history.”
We know that neither the Golden Team nor the Honvéd teams of the 1950s and 1960s would have existed, or would have been the same, without József Bozsik (…) József Bozsik’s name is synonymous with the history of football in Kispest. He showed the football world what it means to be loyal to your beloved club throughout your life.”
Minister Szijjártó pointed out that the Golden Team was not just an Olympic champion and World Cup silver medalist, but also represented the preservation of national self-esteem during a difficult period.
“The Golden Team restored a nation’s self-confidence and offered hope at a time when people did not have much to be happy about. The Golden Team was born during a difficult period and became great during a difficult period. A period when the country was groaning under the weight of a dictatorship,” he emphasized. The minister also recalled that the Golden Team was admired by the whole world, as was Honvéd in the 1950s and 1960s. The minister promised that József Bozsik’s legacy would be preserved and carried on in a fitting manner. “This means that we will restore Honvéd to its rightful place: at the forefront of Hungarian and international football,” he concluded.
The legendary Hungarian national football team of the 1950s, known as the Golden Team. L-R: Gyula Lóránt, Jenő Buzánszky, Nándor Hidegkúti, Sándor Kocsis, József Zakariás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik, László Budai II, crouching: Mihály Lantos, Ferenc Puskás, Gyula Grosics. Photo: Fortepan / Erky-Nagy Tibor
The bronze statue was unveiled by Péter Szijjártó, Péter Gajda, Zoltán Lomnici, and József Bozsik’s son, former national team captain Péter Bozsik. The erection of the statue and the Bozsik 100 anniversary celebrations were initiated by the Golden Team Committee.
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Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Illyés Tibor
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