Puskás Ferenc
World Renown Soccer Champion
Born: April 2, 1927

For Hungarians who enjoy a good football (soccer) match the mention of the name Puskás Ferenc, whom most prefer to speak of as "Öcsi" (meaning "little brother"), is as if one were to speak of Pele to a Brazilian. Though this living legend of a football player is now seventyfive, his youthfull attitude about life, and game he was born into, is one to be admired. Football lovers think only the greatest of this humble, honest and rather simple man. Öcsi, or as the Spanish affectionately have called him, Pancho, was born in Budapest in an area of the city called Kispest, which is celebrating its 80th year as an official part of greater Budapest. For Öcsi Kispest ("Little Pest"), was where he spent his early childhood years running in the fields and kicking the ball.
"As a child I never had dreamt of being anything when I would grow up...I just knew I was born to be a football player ...however, my father, who was a serious football player, did not have any direct influence on my wanting to become a football player...I just grew up in a neighborhood of kids, friends, whose passion was playing ball."

From 1945 to 1956 played for Kispest AC and Budapesti Honvéd (Honvéd is the military’s football team), proving himself an exceptional player. In 1952 he was in the Hungarian Olympic Football Team that won the Olympic Gold Medal in Helsinki, and the year after that his great left foot won his team the Silver Medal at the 1954 World Soccer Championship Games in Switzerland.

"I can’t say that any one event or game in my life was the peak for me...I just love the game deeply..."
In 1956, at the height of the Revolution, Öcsi and his wife, Elizabeth (Erzsi), a handball player he married in 1950, left Hungary. From 1958 to 1967 he was the prized player for Real Madrid. He played spectaculary during the World Soccer Championship games of 1962 in Chile.His life in Spain was very fruitfull, and he still spends a lot of time in Spain, where his only child, daughter Anikó, lives and is married to a Spanish architect.

Öcsi speaks several languages, including Spanish and English, and now lives on the side of Castle Hill, Budapest, with his wife. He has plenty to do when he visits his grand-daughters Elizabeth, 28, and Réka 26, who live with their parents in San Sebastian. Öcsi has several dozens awards, medals and trophies to his name, including a world record in goals shot over a certain period of time. Budapest Pocket Guide salutes Puskás Ferenc and wishes him and his loved ones the best.
Puskás Ferenc Stadium (former Népstadion-People’s Stadium)