Football World Cup 1978 / Hungary

This article covers the Hungarian national football team at the 1978 World Cup .

qualification

rank	country	Gates	Points
1	Hungary	6: 4	5
2	Soviet Union	5: 3	4th
3	Greece	2: 6	3

Greece	-	Hungary	1: 1
Hungary	-	Soviet Union	2: 1
Soviet Union	-	Hungary	2-0
Hungary	-	Greece	3-0

As the worst of the group winners, Hungary had to go to the intercontinental playoff.

Intercontinental playoff

Hungary	-	Bolivia	6-0
Bolivia	-	Hungary	2: 3

Hungarian contingent

Number / name		Association at the time	birthday	International matches
goalkeeper
1	Sándor Gujdár	Honvéd Budapest	11/08/1951
21st	Ferenc Mészáros	Vasas Budapest	04/11/1950
22nd	László Kovács	Videoton FC Fehérvár	04/24/1951
Defense
2	Péter Török	Vasas Budapest	04/18/1951
3	István Kocsis	Honvéd Budapest	10/06/1941
4th	József Tóth	Újpest Budapest	12/02/1951
6th	Zoltan Kereki	Haladás Szombathely	07/13/1953
12	Győző Martos	Ferencváros Budapest	December 15, 1949
14th	László Bálint	Ferencváros Budapest	02/01/1948
15th	Tibor Rab	Ferencváros Budapest	10/02/1955
midfield
5	Sándor Zombori	Vasas Budapest	10/31/1951
8th	Tibor Nyilasi	Ferencváros Budapest	January 18, 1955
10	Sándor Pinter	Honvéd Budapest	07/18/1950
13	Károly Csapó	Tatabányai BSC	02/23/1952
16	István Halász	Tatabányai BSC	10/12/1951
18th	László Nagy	Újpest Budapest	10/21/1949
20th	Ferenc Fülöp	MTK Budapest	02/22/1955
attack
7th	László Fazekas	Újpest Budapest	October 15, 1947
9	András Törőcsik	Újpest Budapest	05/01/1955
11	Béla Várady	Vasas Budapest	04/12/1953
17th	László Pusztai	Ferencváros Budapest	03/01/1946
19th	András Tóth	Újpest Budapest	09/05/1949
Trainer
	Lajos Baroti		08/19/1914

Hungarian team games

First round

rank	country	Gates	Points
1	Italy	6: 2	6th
2	Argentina	4: 3	4th
3	France	5: 5	2
4th	Hungary	3: 8	0

• Argentina - Hungary 2: 1 (1: 1)

Stadium: Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti ( Buenos Aires )

Spectators: 71,615

Referee: Garrido ( Spain )

Goals: 0: 1 Csapó (10th), 1: 1 Luque (15th), 2: 1 Bertoni (83rd)

• Italy - Hungary 3: 1 (2: 0)

Stadium: Estadio José María Minella ( Mar del Plata )

Spectators: 26,533

Referee: Barreto ( Uruguay )

Goals: 1-0 Rossi (34th), 2-0 Bettega (36th), 3-0 Benetti (60th), 3-1 Tóth (81st) 11m

• France - Hungary 3: 1 (3: 1)

Stadium: Estadio José María Minella ( Mar del Plata )

Spectators: 23,127

Referee: Coelho ( Brazil )

Goals: 1-0 Lopez (22nd), 2-0 Berdoll (37th), 2-1 Zombori (41st), 3-1 Rocheteau (42nd)

Bargaining in the run-up to the final group draw ensured that Group 1 became a veritable 'death group' with four strong teams, as the French were 'thrown into the same pot' with Tunisia, Iran and Austria. The Italians (outstanding: the midfield with Benetti, Causio, Tardelli and Antognoni) turned out to be the strongest team thanks to surprisingly offensive qualities. Only the very optimistic Tifosi would have expected them to have three wins beforehand . Two narrow defeats caused the strong French to be eliminated (with Platini, Tresor, Six and others). Argentina made it through mainly thanks to Luques 2-1 goals against the French, while the Hungarians did not disappoint, but had nothing to order in this group.