In keeping with tradition, on the 98th anniversary of Ferenc Puskás's birth the Municipality of District XIX and our club commemorated one of the greatest footballers of all time at Budapest's first public Puskás statue, in front of KöKi. The statue was created by Kispest artist Lajos Kristóf, who died in 2023 and also shared a friendship with our legend.
Following the welcome from Mayor Péter Gajda, Deputy Mayor György Vinczek delivered a speech in which he praised our former world-class forward not only as a player but also as a person. Kálmán Kaszás likewise highlighted the human qualities of the 'philanthropist' Puskás.
"Ninety-eight years ago, a football genius was born in the person of Ferenc Puskás, a genius of Kispest, Hungarian and world football. Even as a child it was clear that he was an extraordinary talent. He made his top-flight debut at the age of 16 and scored his first goal the very next week. The president of Panathinaikos at the time once told Puskás: I'd rather transfer your salary to your wife, because you spend all of it on Hungarians."
"As both a footballer and a person, he was one of the greatest figures in the game. Puskás's legacy is enormous, and it is very difficult to carry that on, but we very much hope Honvéd will return to the place it deserves and perhaps we can also develop another Puskás. Honvéd can be very proud that he grew up here, and that alongside him the club gave Hungarian and international football so many players, such as Bozsik and Tichy." – said our managing director, Árpád Séllei.
To close the event, the participants laid wreaths at the statue of Ferenc Puskás:
Representing our club, managing director Árpád Séllei and Kálmán Kaszás, representing the municipality, Mayor Péter Gajda and Deputy Mayors András Ternyák, Attila Varga and György Vinczek bowed their heads before the statue of the Nation's Athlete. Wreaths were also placed at the foot of the statue by Tibor Vámos, representing the Hungarian Football Federation, Tibor Koncsik, president of the Honvéd Baráti Kör, Member of Parliament Gergely Arató, Gusztáv Mravik, representing the Puskás International Football Foundation, and András Bacsó, president of the Kispesti Székelyország Tündérkertje Egyesület.
