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Match
Summary |
|
Officials
from Netherlands |
England |
Type |
Hungary |
Referee
("clad in a grey suit") -
Leonard Horn
x (-).
Linesmen -
Charles Schipper (flame flag)
and
Jon Bronkhorst (orange flag)
Teams presented to the Earl of Athlone, the FA President.
The FIFA ruling of allowing a substitute to replace an injured player prior to the 44th minute, and a goalkeeper at any time, is in
place.
|
|
Goal Attempts |
|
|
Attempts on Target |
|
|
Hit Bar/Post |
|
|
Corner Kicks Won |
|
|
Offside Calls Against |
|
|
Fouls Conceded |
|
|
Possession |
|
|
England
Team |
|
Rank: |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 3rd to 4th |
Colours: |
The 1949 home
uniform -
White collared jerseys, blue shorts, black socks
with white tops. |
Capt: |
Billy Wright, fortieth captaincy |
Manager: |
Walter Winterbottom, 40 (31 March 1913), appointed as FA national director of coaching/team manager on 8 July 1946;
58th match, W 37 - D 12 - L 9 - F 174 - A 77,
one abandoned. Team chosen by Selection Committee headed by Harold
Shentall on Thursday, 19 November 1953. |
England
Lineup |
|
Merrick, Gilbert H. |
31
303 days |
26 January 1922 |
G |
Birmingham City FC |
17 |
27 GA |
2 |
Ramsey, Alfred E. |
33
307 days |
22 January 1920 |
RB |
Tottenham Hotspur FC |
32 |
3 |
3 |
Eckersley, William |
28
132 days |
16 July 1925 |
LB |
Blackburn Rovers FC |
17 |
0 |
4 |
Wright, William A. |
29
292 days |
6 February 1924 |
RHB |
Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC |
55 |
3 |
5 |
Johnston, Harry |
34
60 days |
26 September 1919 |
CHB |
Blackpool FC |
10 |
0 |
6 |
Dickinson, James
W. |
28
215 days |
24 April 1925 |
LHB |
Portsmouth
FC |
32 |
0 |
7 |
Matthews, Stanley |
38
297 days |
1 February 1915 |
OR |
Blackpool FC |
36 |
10 |
8 |
Taylor, Ernest |
28
84 days |
2 September 1925 |
IR |
Blackpool FC |
1 |
0 |
9 |
Mortensen, Stanley H. |
32
183 days |
26 May 1921 |
CF |
Blackpool FC |
25 |
23 |
10 |
Sewell, John |
26
305 days |
24 January 1927 |
IL |
Sheffield Wednesday FC |
5 |
3 |
11 |
Robb, George |
27
177 days |
1 June 1926 |
OL |
Tottenham Hotspur FC |
1 |
0 |
unused
substitutes: |
Bert Williams (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC),
Joe Kennedy (West
Bromwich Albion FC) and
Harold Hassall (Bolton Wanderers FC). |
team notes: |
Tom Finney (Preston North End FC) was the original named
outside-left, a groin injury forced his withdrawal on 22 November. He
was replaced by Robb the day after. Either player would make this team
the oldest
starting XI since 1920, adding 61 days to the existing record.
The England team were set up in their Hendon headquarters prior to
this match, training on Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge ground.... at the
same time as the dog-racing trials, and at the Bank of England ground
at Roehampton the day before the match. Billy Wright extends his
record appearance tally, in another match that now equals the
most-experienced post-war England side, but for the first time, has an
average of over 30 years old. Ernie Taylor and George Robb become
the 74th & 75th players to be fielded by Winterbottom, they also
become the 89th and 90th to be named onto the teamsheets. |
records: |
This defeat ended a record sequence of six matches unbeaten at Wembley
by England. |
|
2-3-5 |
Merrick - Ramsey, Eckersley - Wright, Johnston,
Dickinson - Matthews, Taylor, Mortensen, Sewell, Robb. |
Averages: |
Age |
30.4 (214 days) |
Appearances/Goals |
21.0 |
3.5 |
|
|
Hungary
Team |
|
Rank: |
No official ranking system established; ELO rating 2nd to 1st |
Colours: |
"Cherry Red" buttoned-up collared jerseys, white shorts,
white socks
with green/red tops |
Capt: |
Ferenc Puskás |
Manager: |
Selection Committee headed by Gusztáv Sebes
Team chosen in London on Monday, 23 November 1953. |
Hungary
Lineup |
1 |
Grosics, Gyula, injured off 83rd
min. |
27 |
4 February 1926 |
G |
Budapest Honv�d SE |
28 |
21
GA |
2 |
Buz�nszky, Jenő |
28 |
4 May 1925 |
RB |
Dorogi FC |
20 |
0 |
3 |
Lantos, Mih�ly |
25 |
29 September 1928 |
LB |
V�r�s Lobog� SE |
27 |
1 |
4 |
L�r�nt, Gyula |
30 |
6 February 1923 |
CHB |
Budapest Honv�d SE |
22 |
0 |
5 |
Bozsik MP, J�zsef |
27 |
28 November 1925 |
CM |
Budapest Honv�d SE |
45 |
4 |
6 |
Zakari�s, J�zsef |
29 |
25 March 1924 |
CHB |
V�r�s Lobog� SE |
28 |
0 |
7 |
Budai, László |
25 |
19 July 1928 |
OR |
Budapest Honv�d SE |
19 |
7 |
8 |
Kocsis, S�ndor P. |
24 |
21 September 1929 |
CF |
Budapest Honv�d SE |
33 |
35 |
9
   |
Hidegkuti, Nándor |
31 |
3 March 1922 |
AM |
V�r�s Lobog� SE |
33 |
24 |
10  |
Puskás,
Ferenc |
26 |
1 April 1927 |
CF |
Budapest Honv�d SE |
52 |
61 |
11 |
Czibor, Zolt�n |
24 |
23 August 1929 |
OL |
Budapest Honv�d SE |
26 |
6 |
Hungary Substitutes |
|
Gell�r, S�ndor, on 83rd min. for Grosics |
28 |
12 July 1925 born in Romania |
G |
V�r�s Lobog� SE |
4 |
1 GA |
unused substitutes: |
Imre Kov�cs (V�r�s Lobog� SE), Lajos Csord�s
(Budapesti Vasas SE), P�ter Palot�s and
K�roly S�ndor (both V�r�s Lobog� SE), Mih�ly T�th and P�l
V�rhidi (Budapesti D�zsa SE). |
team notes: |
Ferenc
Puskás
extends his record appearance and goal tallies. Grosics was
eventually replaced after 83 minutes because of an arm injury he
sustained in attempting to save Ramsey's penalty. This is the most
experienced side Enland have faced so far. At an average of over
thirty appearances each, it breaks the previous post-war record by
over eleven appearances each. |
|
2-3-3-2(5) |
Grosics (Geller)
- Buz�nszky,
Lantos - L�r�nt, Bozsik, Zakari�s - Budai, Hidegkuti, Czibor -
Kocsis, Puskás. |
Averages: |
Age |
26.9 |
Appearances/Goals |
30.3 |
12.0 |
|
|
Match Report
by Mike Payne |
There
can be no words to adequately describe the feelings of the 100,000 people
present at Wembley Stadium on this dull and grey November afternoon. The
game, which was talked about for as long as football is played, produced
one of the most exciting and breathtaking team performances the world has
ever seen.
The disappointment that was felt by England, at last losing their long and
distinguished unbeaten home record against forein opposition, was
certainly tempered by the knowledge that the record was finally taken by
such a superb team. The current Olympic champions were simply magnificent!
Hungary tore through
the home defence almost at will and the goal tally in no way flattered
them. Indeed, England had a rude awakening to the true realities of world
football. Many regular supporters had realised before the game that the
writing had been on the wall for some time. Recent performances had not
been good but the sheer devastation of this result will take some getting
over.
Hungary scored after only 60 seconds. A forceful burst by
Bozsik, Zakari�s and Hidegkuti ended with the centre-forward selling the
England defence a perfect dummy before crashing home a firece shot.
England were stunned and never really fully recovered. To be fair they
did have their moments and they equalised after 15 minutes play. Just
before that goal, though, Hungary produced a brilliant move between Czibor
and the marvellous Puskás which was finished off by Hidegkuti.
Thankfully, from England's point of view, it was disallowed by the Dutch
referee for offside, but if it had counted it would have been one of the
greatest goals ever. As it was, England came away and somehow snatched an
equalizer.
This too came following a splendid move. Harry Johnstone
picked the ball up in his own half and fed a good pass forward for Stan
Mortensen to run on to. He, in turn, found Jackie Sewell and the
inside-left scored with a lovely left-foot shot wide of the driving
Grosics. Any thoughts England had of victory were soon nipped in the bud
as within 13 devastating minutes Hungary had forged a 4-1 lead.
They ripped open the heart of the England defence with some scintillating
football. On 20 minutes superb play by Puskás, Czibor and Kocsis
gave Hidegkuti the chance to score from close range, Straight after that,
Kocsis sent Czibor away down the right. Bill Eckersley had no answer to
his skills and the winger passed inside to Puskás. The podgy
inside-forward then produced a piece of sheer magic, a drag back that
totally fooled Billy Wright, and enabled hime to drill home a ferocious
left-foot shot into the roof of the net between Gil Merrick and the near
post.
Minutes later, Bozsik took a free-kick and the ball flew past
Merrick off of Puskás heel. England were in total disarray, having
no answer to the cherry red shirted marvels. To their credit and mainly
due to the skills of Stanley Matthews and Mortensen they managed a slight
rally which brought them a second goal. George Robb forced Grosics into a
spectacular save and then Mortensen sped through after receiving a
throw-in to score with a glorious shot. The crowd rose to that goal and it
was reminiscent of earlier glory days of English football.
Alas, it
was the only glimpse the crowd would get this day of England at their
beast as after the break the Hungarians put the finishing touch to their
famous victory. Only ten minutes of the second half had gone when the
score was 6-2. First Boszik hit a tremendous rising shot for number five
and then Hidegkuti completed his personal treble when he volleyed home
after a lob by Puskás.
Although England had the last say in
the goalscoring they never looked like producing the miracle they needed
to come back from such a scoreline. The final goal came from the penalty
spot after Mortensen was brought down on the hour. Alf Ramsey was the
scorer.
England's proud record was shattered. They were beaten in
every aspect of the game and history must now be rewritten. Hungary had
everything and their game was made up of long and short passing with
absolutely lethal finishing. The capacity crowd would never forget them.
|
Match Report
by Norman Giller |
This was England's first defeat by foreign
opponents on home territory, and the match that changed the face of
English football. The Hungarians, Olympic champions and on a run of
twenty-nine successive matches without defeat, played to a flexible 4-2-4
formation and made England's 2-3-5 pattern seem about as outdated as a
hansom cab on a motorway. Nandor Hidegkuti, a deep-lying centre-forward,
nipped in for a hat-trick as two-goal Ferenc Puskas pulled the defence
inside out. England were flattered by the 6-3 scoreline. Alf Ramsey, Bill
Eckersley, Harry Johnston, Ernie Taylor, Stan Mortensen and George Robb
never played for England again. Taylor and Robb were making their debuts.
Hungary had given just a taste of what was to come in the first minute
when Hidegkuti collected a through ball from Puskas, deceived centre-half
Johnston with a distracting dummy and then fired the ball high into the net
from twenty yards. Gil Merrick was left flapping at mid-air. Moments after
Sewell had equalised in the fifteenth minute England were flattened by a
thirteen minute burst of Magyar magic. Two goals from the purist Puskas and
another from the elusive Hidegkuti made it England 1, Hungary 4. The 100,000
Wembley spectators could not believe their eyes. Stan Mortensen pulled it back
to 4-2 by half-time. But any hope England had of getting back into the game
died within ten minutes of the second half. First the cultured Jozef Bozsik
scored with a rising drive, and then Hidegkuti completed his hurricane
hat-trick when he put the finishing touch to a dazzling succession of passes
that ripped the England defence apart. Alf Ramsey scored a late penalty after
his Tottenham team-mate George Robb, a schoolmaster, was pulled down by
goalkeeper Grosics. The final scoreline could easily have read 10-3 to the
Hungarians. Billy Wright had never been given such a chasing in all his life
as the one he got from Ferenc Puskas.
|
Match Report
by Glen Isherwood |
Hungary were the Olympic Champions. They had
beaten England 2-1 in 1934 in Budapest but had suffered heavy defeats in
all their other meetings. England still held their proud unbeaten home
record against foreign opposition (discounting the mainly British-based
players of the Republic of Ireland in 1949 at Goodison Park) but the
Hungarians had built a formidable side and they showed it in the opening
minute when Nandor Hidegkuti's dummy took Johnston out of the way and
enabled him to shoot past Merrick into the top corner.
Hungary kept on the pressure but England broke away to equalise when
Johnston intercepted a Hungarian attack and ran upfield, eventually
releasing a perfect pass to Mortensen, who provided Jackie Sewell with a
chance to drive a low shot past Grosics. This was merely a stay of
execution.
Within
the next quarter of an hour, England were ripped to shreds by an
overwhelming display of world-class skill and finishing. A Czibor cross
was flicked on by Kocsis for Hidegkuti to score again. Ferenc Puskas made
Wright look amateurish when he pulled the ball back as the defender
committed himself and then smashed it into the roof of the net in the same
movement. Five minutes later, a Bozsik free-kick was diverted past Merrick
by the heel of Puskas.
England, typically, refused to lie down.
Stan Mortensen forced his way through to score England's second before the
interval but Hungary were just too good for them. A Czibor header was
pushed onto the post by Merrick but Jozsef Bozsik drove home the rebound
and then Puskas lobbed the ball up from Hidegkuti to complete his
hat-trick with a volley.
Fifty six minutes had gone. England were
6-2 down and beginning to face up to the fact that Hungary were in a
different class to them.
Alf Ramsey scored a penalty for England
four minutes later after Robb had been brought down by Grosics, who went
off injured ten minutes from time but the scoreline flattered England and
the manner of their defeat made them realise that they would have to
change their attitude and approach to succeed in world football.
The Hungarians emphasised their superiority by thrashing Englamd 7-1 in
Budapest six months later. They went to the World Cup in Switzerland as
odds-on favourites, but after being unbeaten for four years lost the final
to West Germany despite being two goals up after eight minutes.
|
The
Top Twelve UK Music Chart
by New Musical Express |
On Friday, 15 November 1952, The
New Musical
Express
published the first ever singles chart in the UK. However, a year later,
when England lost their home record when they were beaten by Hungary,
Frankie Laine's version of Answer Me
was the best selling single. When the chart of Friday, 20 November
1953 was published, there were ten surviving songs from the last chart
when England played:-
1. |
(=) |
Answer Me
-
Frankie Laine (Philips) |
7. |
Vaya Con Dios
-
Les Paul & Mary Ford
(Capitol) |
2. |
(=) |
Answer Me
-
David
Whitfield (Decca) |
8. |
(11) |
Wish You Were Here
- Eddie Fisher
(HMV) |
3. |
(5) |
Swedish
Rhapsody-
Mantovani
(Decca) |
9. |
(8) |
Chicka Boom - Guy Mitchell (Philips) |
4. |
(7) |
I Believe
- Frankie Laine
(Philips) |
10. |
(3) |
Look At That Girl - Guy Mitchell (Philips) |
5. |
(6) |
Poppa Piccolino -
Diana
Decker (Colombia) |
11. |
Crying In The Chapel -
Lee Lawrence (Decca) |
6. |
(4) |
Hey Joe
-
Frankie Laine (Philips) |
12. |
(9) |
Where
The Winds Blow
-
Frankie
Laine (Philips) |
♪Most weeks at number one when
England played:
Frankie Laine five, Guy Mitchell two, Al Martino, Lita Roza and
David Whitfield one each |
|
Source Notes |
TheFA.com Magyarfutball.hu Original newspaper reports Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record
(Breedon Books Publishing Company, Derby, U.K., 1993)
Glen Isherwood's Wembley: The Complete Record (SportsBooks Ltd,
2006)
Norman Giller, Football Author officialcharts.com singles chart
____________________
CG
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