Analysis of EURO 2021: Hungary is going to enjoy the tournament, chances of qualification are minimal

Hungary goes to the Euros with perhaps the lowest percentage chance of qualifying from the group. Not because of the squad itself, but because of the quality of the opponents (Germany, France, Portugal). Moreover, they will be without their biggest star Dominik Szoboszlai.

Goalkeepers: Péter Gulácsi (Leipzig), Dénes Dibusz (Ferencváros), Ádám Bogdán (Ferencváros)

In goal we find unusually a player from a European big club. Peter Gulácsi is a regular in Leipzig and is absolutely indispensable for Hungary. He is backed up by the quality Dénes Dibusz.

Defenders: Gergő Lovrencsics (Ferencváros), Endre Botka (Ferencváros), Ádám Lang (Omonia Nicosia), Ákos Kecskés (Lugano), Attila Fiola (Fehérvár), Willi Orbán (Leipzig), Attila Szalai (Fenerbahçe), Bendegúz Bolla (Fehérvár)

Hungary’s coach Marco Rossi sets up his team in a three-defender system, using a 3-5-2 formation. In it, he has been using two experienced and one young stopper in recent months.

The youngster is Attila Szalai, who joined Fenerbahce Istanbul in January and has been getting regular chances in their jersey. Attila Fiola, already a bit of an icon of Hungarian football, is on the other side of the stopper trio.

Willy Orban, another Leipzig player, holds the middle spot. He has been playing quite regularly this year as well and managed to score four goals and assist twice in twenty-nine league games. These numbers clearly confirm what a great header he is.

Midfielders:: Loïc Négo (Fehérvár), Ádám Nagy (Bristol City), László Kleinheisler (Osijek), Dávid Sigér (Ferencváros), Dániel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union), András Schäfer (Dunajská Streda) Tamás Cseri (Mezőkövesd), Filip Holender (Partizan)

A big question mark hangs over the left wing-back position. The first choice Szilveszter Hangy is surprisingly absent in the nomination, and the Dunajská Streda midfielder András Schäfer should probably step in.

Zsolt Kalmár, a stalwart in the lineup who played alongside Ádám Nagy and László Kleinheisler, also dropped out of the nomination due to injury. They should not be missing from the starting eleven at the tournament, the latter having experience from the physically demanding English second division.

Who will replace Kalmar himself? Probably the versatile Kevin Varga from Turkish Kasimpaşa. And after his right-back position we will see already thirty-two-year-old Gerg Lovrencsics, still an important player for Ferenscáros, running at the second wing-back position.

Forwards: Ádám Szalai (Mainz), Roland Sallai (Freiburg), Nemanja Nikolić (Fehérvár), Kevin Varga (Kasımpaşa), Roland Varga (MTK Budapest), Szabolcs Schön (FC Dallas), János Hahn (Paks)

Up front, we find several candidates for the two spots. Only Ádam Szalai has a certainty in the line-up. The experienced striker has not done well this year, scoring only once in Mainz, but he has a solid place in the national team.

Roland Sallai, Nemanja Nikolić and Roland Varga will share the second spot. Sallai is the biggest favourite for the starting line-up, he was successful in Freiburg (8+6) and scored three goals in the last four games for Hungary.

Key success factors: Playing relaxed and using players on the break

On the face of it, Hungary have no chance to go further, but let’s remember Costa Rica’s famed run at the 2014 World Cup, when they advanced from the first place of the group of death (Italy, England, Uruguay). Why? She played relaxed and enjoyed the matches.

And she succeeded by taking a large percentage of her (break) chances. The Hungarians have to try this way too, but they don’t have many fast bowlers in their squad. The only ones worth mentioning are Sallai and Schön, the others don’t have much speed.

Location tip: Basic group

Source: Transfermarkt