1921 Hungary Vs Poland Football Match - The Game

The Game

The game took place on December 18, 1921 at the Hungaria Stadium in Budapest. For the Hungarians, this was just another friendly game. Since 1902, their national team had already played about 80 international matches, so the hosts did not treat this match in a special way. For the Poles however, it was a historic 90 minutes; for the first time ever, 11 players were to appear on the field dressed in jerseys emblazoned with the white eagle of Poland.

The audience turnout was not impressive. Only around 8000 spectators showed up, which was a disappointment; at previous games there usually were up to 30,000 supporters. This may have been due to the weather, as the ground was slushy. As a result of the weather, the turf was wet and muddy, which proved to be an advantage for the Poles. The Hungarians, regarded as first-quality dribblers, were unable to play their fast, energetic style.

In the 18th minute, Jenő Szabó of Hungary scored what would be the only goal of the game. The Hungarians had another chance to score in the 41st minute, but Karoly Fogl’s penalty kick missed the goal. From what can be gathered, the home team should have scored more goals than one, but the Poland’s goal keeper played an extraordinary game.

The final blow of the referee, the Czech-German Ernst Gratz, was welcomed with relief by both sides. The Hungarians were happy because they had won, while the Poles were pleased because the defeat to a renowned opponent was not as severe as some had predicted, and the match had helped to establish them on the international football scene.