Zoltán Czibor

Zoltán Czibor Suhai (23 August 1929 – 1 September 1997),^[1] also referred to as Czibor Zoltán, was a Hungarian footballer who played for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencváros TC and Honvéd, and Hungary before joining CF Barcelona. Czibor played as a left-winger or striker and was notable for having a powerful shot, good finishing skills and excellent ball control. During the 1950s he was part of the Magical Magyars. After the 1956 Hungarian Revolution he moved to Spain where he became a prominent member of the successful FC Barcelona team of the late 1950s. After three seasons at CF Barcelona, he joined their local rivals RCD Español for the 1961/62 season. After brief spells at FC Basel, FK Austria Wien and Primo Hamilton FC, he retired as a professional footballer and returned to Hungary. He died there in 1997, aged 68.

Early career

As a youth Czibor played for Komárom AC and Komárom MÁV and was working as a train engine driver before he was noticed by Sándor Mezei, the coach of the Hungary youth team. He subsequently played for Ferencváros TC where he won his first Hungarian League title in 1949. After a spell with Csepel SC he conscripted into the army team, Honvéd. During his playing career in Hungarian club football, Czibor scored 100 goals in 175 matches.

The Mighty Magyars

Czibor made his debut for the senior Hungary team in 1949. He went onto play 43 times for Hungary and scored 17 goals. Together with Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he formed the nucleus of the Golden Team that went unbeaten for an 32 consecutive games. During this run they became Olympic Champions in 1952, beating Yugoslavia in the Helsinki final with Czibor scoring in a 2-0 win. They also beat England twice, winning 6-3 at Wembley Stadium and then in 7-1 in 1954. In 1953 they also won the Central European International Cup. The run came to an end in the 1954 World Cup Final when they lost 3-2 to Germany.

Honvéd

In 1953 Czibor joined Honvéd where his team mates included fellow internationals Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis and József Bozsik. During his time at the club he won a further two Hungarian League titles in 1954 and 1955. He finished 1955 as top goalscorer in the league after scoring 20 goals. In 1956 Honvéd FC entered the European Cup and in the first round they were drawn against Athletic Bilbao. Honvéd FC lost the away leg 2-3, but before the home leg could be played, the Hungarian Revolution had erupted back in Budapest. The players decided against going back to Hungary and arranged for the return with Athletic to be played at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels. However early in the game the Honvéd FC goalkeeper was injured and, with no substitutes permitted, Czibor had to go into goal. Despite drawing 3-3 they went out on 6-5 on aggregate.

Elimination left Honvéd in limbo. The players summoned their families from Budapest and, despite opposition from FIFA and the Hungarian football authorities, they organised a fundraising tour of Italy, Portugal, Spain and Brazil. After returning to Europe, the players parted ways. Some, including Bozsik, returned to Hungary while others, including Czibor, Kocsis and Puskás, found new clubs in Western Europe.

FC Barcelona

Czibor initially went to Italy and played a couple of unofficial games for AS Roma before another Hungarian refugee, Ladislao Kubala, persuaded him and Sándor Kocsis to join him at FC Barcelona. He subsequently scored on his La Liga debut in a 6-0 win over Valencia CF and as part of a team that also included Ramallets, Evaristo and Luis Suárez, Czibor won a Copa del Generalísimo/La Liga double in 1959 and a La Liga/Fairs Cup double in 1960. Although he didn’t play in the Copa final, he scored twice in the Fairs Cup final as CF Barcelona beat Birmingham City 4-2. CF Barcelona and Czibor also reached the final of the European Cup in 1961, where Barcelona lost 3-2 to S.L. Benfica.

Honours

Hungary

• Olympic Champions
  • 1952
• Central European Champions: 1
  • 1953
• World Cup
  • Runner-up: 1954

Ferencváros TC

• Hungarian Champions: 1
  • 1949

Honvéd

• Hungarian Champions: 2
  • 1954, 1955

CF Barcelona

• Spanish Champions: 2
  • 1958-59, 1959–60
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1
  • 1958-60

See also

• List of Eastern Bloc defectors

Sources

• Behind The Curtain - Travels in Eastern European Football: Jonathan Wilson (2006) [1]
• The World Cup - The Complete History: Terry Crouch (2002) [2]
• 50 Years of the European Cup and Champions League: Keir Radnedge (2005) [3]

External links

• Hungary stats
• Memorial in Komárom