Northern Ireland v Hungary (29/03/2022)

THE SQUAD: HUNGARY

WORDS: LIAM BLACKBURN

PETER GULACSI GOALKEEPER RB LEIPZIG AGE 31 CAPS 46 GOALS 0 A name that may be familiar to Liverpool fans, Gulacsi moved to Anfield as a teenager and though he never made a senior appearance for the Reds he had loan spells with Hereford, Tranmere and Hull. Gulacsi is the captain of Leipzig and won his first international cap in 2014. ADAM LANG DEFENDER OMONIA AGE 29 CAPS 45 GOALS 1 Experienced central defender who has played club football in Hungary, France, Romania and currently Cyprus. Scored an own goal against PSG on his debut for Dijon. Lang made his senior Hungary debut in 2014 and scored his solitary goal so far in a 4-0 win over Andorra in 2016. ATTILA SZALAI DEFENDER FENERBAHCE AGE 24 CAPS 23 GOALS 0 Szalai started his club career in Austria with Rapid Wien and later played in Hungary and Cyprus before joining Fenerbahce in January 2021. A Hungarian international at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 level, he made his senior bow in a friendly against Uruguay in November 2019. Played in 15 games for his country in 2021.

LOIC NEGO DEFENDER FEHERVAR AGE 31 CAPS 18 GOALS 2 Right-back who was born in Paris and frequently appeared for France at various youth levels. Now in his seventh season with Hungarian top flight outfit Fehervar, Nego won his first cap in 2020 and scored in the qualification play-offs for Euro 2020. His list of former clubs includes Nantes, Roma and Charlton Athletic. ATTILA FIOLA DEFENDER FEHERVAR AGE 32 CAPS 42 GOALS 2 Fiola is a right back who has spent his entire career in his native Hungary. Won his only top flight title with current club Fehervar in 2017-18. Has been booked at least 10 times in the league in each of the past two seasons. Both of his international goals were scored in the previous calendar year. DENES DIBUSZ GOALKEEPER FERENCVAROS AGE 31 CAPS 19 GOALS 0 Currently in his ninth season with Ferencvaros, Dibusz has won four league titles and three Hungarian Cups with his club. He played against Barcelona and Juventus in last season’s Champions League. Made his Hungary debut in 2014 and started half of his country’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

PETER SZAPPANOS GOALKEEPER HONVED AGE 31 CAPS 0 GOALS 0

Came into this international window without a cap to his name. Szappanos plays his club football for Budapest-based Honved, having moved there before the start of the season. He won his first call-up to the Hungary senior squad back in November and was an unused substitute against Poland and San Marino.

WILLI ORBAN DEFENDER RB LEIPZIG

AGE 29 CAPS 28 GOALS 5 Club team-mate of Gulacsi who was born in Germany and represented Die Mannschaft at youth level, but chose to play senior internationals for Hungary, for whom he qualifies through his father. Made his Hungary debut in 2018 and scored at least one goal in each of the next four years.

ENDRE BOTKA DEFENDER FERENCVAROS

AGE 27 CAPS 17 GOALS 1 Botka has spent his entire career in Hungary and has won the past three league titles with Ferencvaros, for whom he is a regular. Represented his country at Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 level before winning his first senior call-up for the Euro 2016 qualifiers against Romania and Northern Ireland in September 2015.

ZSOLT NAGY DEFENDER PUSKAS AKADEMIA AGE 28 CAPS 5 GOALS 0

AKOS KECSKES DEFENDER NIZHNY NOVGOROD

BENDEGUZ BOLLA DEFENDER GRASSHOPPERS

AGE 26 CAPS 4 GOALS 0 Kecskes started his club

AGE 22 CAPS 4 GOALS 0 Right-back Bolla joined

Nagy was part of the Puskas Akademia team that finished runners-up in the Hungarian top flight last season. He won his first cap off the bench in a friendly against Uruguay in November 2019. Started three of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, playing as a left wing-back in the 1-1 draw with England at Wembley.

career in his native Hungary before moving to Poland and Switzerland, later joining Russian club Nizhny Novgorod in July 2021. He represented his country at various youth levels but did not win his first senior cap until 2020, when he played the full game in a 1-1 draw with Serbia.

Premier League side Wolves in July 2021 and was immediately sent out on a season-long loan to Swiss Super League side Grasshoppers. Bolla played in the Europa League with previous club Fehervar and was included in the Hungary squad for Euro 2020 last summer.

28

NIR V HUN