MLSZ: Plans ready for future development

2021. május. 14., 13:19 |

The Hungarian Football Federation held its annual general meeting on Friday, and in a repeat of last year's format, the delegates again attended the meeting online. In his presentation, MLSZ President Dr Sándor Csányi emphasised that the efficiency of youth education should be improved by committing to the maintenance of high standards of training. Delegates approved the federation’s professional and financial report and the professional and financial plan for next year.

As last year, adapting to the situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, MLSZ's senior figures met online in the presence of a representative of European football's governing body, UEFA. Of the 76 delegates in MLSZ, 51 attended the discussions.

In his report, President Sándor Csányi emphasised that, thanks to the efforts of recent years, a stable system and set of circumstancess for effective work had been established - both for amateurs and professionals.

Infrastructure has evolved significantly over the past ten years: the federation has largely caught up with the decades-long lack of progress in this area. Pitches, changing rooms, sports grounds and stadia have been built and the new national stadium, the Puskás Arena, has also been completed. A total of 1305 pitches were renovated or opened throughout the country, in the smallest villages all the way up to the capital city. Every top-tier club has been able to take possession of a new or renovated facility, and most second-tier clubs have benefited in a similar way.

The number of players in almost every age group and in every county has doubled. The number of certified footballers has increased from 127,000 to 281,000 between 2010 and 2020. In addition to the traditional category of men's football, women's football and the discipline of futsal are making great strides to catch up. Today, 50,000 women play football in some form, and the number of footballers has grown to 37,000. The adult women’s team is now led for the first time by foreign coach Margret Kratz of Germany, who aims to lead the team to one of the next three major tournament finals.

The president of the federation then spoke about the men's full national team, which will this summer take part in its second consecutive European championship:

"In addition to the results, it is important to emphasise that a generational change has taken place in the squad, with such talented young people as Dominik Szoboszlai, Roland Sallai, Attila Szalai, Kevin Varga, Ákos Kecskés and András Schäfer joining the group. Since 2019, the team has risen fifteen places in the FIFA rorld rankings and is on a nine-match unbeaten run, lying in second spot behind England after three matches of its World Cup qualifying group", Csányi concluded.

Hungary's matches at the European Championship:
Hungary-Portugal: 15/06/2021 18:00 Puskás Arena
Hungary-France: 19/06/2021 15:00 Puskás Arena
Germany-Hungary: 23/06/2021 21:00 Allianz Arena