Ferenc Puskas: Cañoncito Five Five

Last update 13 December, 2022 por Alberto Llopis

Remember to Pancho Puskas?, sure the most veterans place if. Hanged for football picks his time machine to travel to the middle of the last century, to remember a man, that after the war, He changed his surname from “Gunsmith”.

We talked about a legendary player, that put the eye where, He puts the ball. Possessor of a cannon on his left, rival networks broke almost more times than games played. His real name was changed Purcelzd but Puskas means “Gunsmith” in Hungarian, nickname that came in handy. For the chroniclers of the time was a real see him shoot past.

Ferenc Puskas, was born on 2 de abril de 1927 one Budapest. He began to make his career in his country, in the rows of Honved, club that belonged to the army. Allí, He reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and earned his stripes and off the field.

Esstuvo from 1943 hasta 1956, year in which he defected after the invasion of the USSR to Hungary. During the trip to Bilbao to play a match of the European Cup, Puskas, along with other Hungarian stars like Czibor, He defected and fled into exile in Spain. Curiously, another legend, Giving birth, He had done the same a few years earlier.

As in the case of Kubala, Puskas was banned in his country and was disowned, She is branded a traitor to the fatherland which cost him the loss of their gallons of lieutenant colonel. When this happened, Puskas, He had left behind 358 goals in 349 parties, which testified to his excellent performance scorer.

The punishment lasted for two years, until in 1958, enough fatter and veteran joined Real Madrid. And nobody would have bet a lot for a player 31 años, it was not the same in the time today and after two years of inactivity seemed to have passed their best times.

The truth is that what happened then could not be further from what appeared. Puskas, He formed next Di Stefano, Ask, Rial, Gento and other terrible team. It was from 1958 hasta 1966, marking 191 goals in 223 official matches with white.

Thanks to its ease to break rival networks was christened “Cañoncito Five Five” or more colloquial, “Pancho” Puskas. With white and surrounded by players dream, ganó 5 diseases, 1 Spain Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup. He managed to be four times top scorer in the league championship and 3 European Cups. He was also the top scorer in the final of the European Cup 1960 against Eintracht Frankfurt with four goals in a match that ended 7-3 and that was the fifth consecutive European Cup won by Real Madrid.

International participated with two teams, with Hungarian and the Spanish. With hungara got 84 goals in 85 parties, with the Spanish zero in four. He was part of the mythical selection “Magyar mágicos” (see here). With the national team got in 1952 the title of Olympic champion in Helsinki, as well as the historic victory 6-3 against England at Wembley (being captain), in December 1953. This selection was that dazzled the world in World 1954 in Switzerland, with players like Kocsis, Bozsik, Czibor o Hidegkuti, besides their Puskás, getting the runner-up World. En 1962 He participated in the World Cup in Chile with Spain, but since doldrums, did not shine at all as before.

He retired with almost 40 años, then he devoted himself to train a lot of teams and selections and 1992 he was able to settle his country, where even not only he recovered its gallons of lieutenant colonel but was promoted to Colonel. En el 2000 It was found to have Alzheimer's disease and 2006, at the age of 79 Years he passed away leaving behind a legend and many many afternoons of glory. Enjoy goals from Cañoncito Pum Pum.