László Kubala (June 10, 1927 in Budapest - May 17, 2002 in Barcelona),

Kubala's first team was Ganz TE, where he played among 14-16-year-olds even though he was only 11. At the age of 18, he was signed by Ferencváros.

As the communists took over the government, however, Kubala had to pay some smugglers to take him to Italy. Once there, he and others formed a team and played exhibition matches. The team, comprised of Hungarians living in the area, managed to beat Real Madrid 4-2 in Madrid, the Spanish national team (who were getting ready to play in the 1950 World Cup) and Espanyol. During the Espanyol match, scouts from Barcelona saw Kubala and offered him a contract. He signed it on June 15, 1950 and became a Barcelona player, beginning his career in a third country.

Many teams wanted to sign Kubala at various times, including Pro Patria, Inter Milan and Torino. In fact, Kubala agreed to play a friendly for Torino in Lisbon when the club was at the top of the game in Italy. However, in what turned out to be an incredible stroke of luck, Kubala didn't board the plane because his son was ill. On the return journey, the plane crashed, killing everyone on board.

​

Depite all this interest, Kubala stayed at Barcelona until 1963. While there, he played for Spain 19 times. After leaving Barcelona, he became player-manager of Espanyol, FC Zürich and the Toronto Falcons. He eventually retired in 1968.

As coach of Spain, he ended the national team's 12-year absence from the World Cup in 1978, but could not steer them through a first-round group that contained Brazil, Sweden and Austria. He also managed them at Euro 80, where they again went out in the first round.

Influence​

It was Kubala who recommended such great players as Kocsis, Czibor, Kaszas and Szalay to Barcelona.

At Barcelona's 100th anniversary in 1999, fans voted Kubala as the best player ever to play for the club. He beat players such as Johan Cruyff and Diego Maradona to this honour. He was also chosen as the second-best player in Spain during the 20th century by sports journalists. Only Alfredo Di Stefano was judged a better player than him. Finally, he was awarded the Grand Cross of Sports by the Spanish government.

 

'The greatest Barcelona player ever'​

László Kubala was the greatest player in FC Barcelona's history according to a poll conducted in the club's centenary year.

Halcyon days
As well as inspiring the Catalans to unprecedented success in the 1950s, he was also credited with revolutionising the Spanish game. Kubala won four league titles, five Spanish Cups and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups in 11 seasons at Camp Nou.

Barcelona break
Legend has it that Kubala was blind drunk when the ex-Barcelona star turned agent put him on a train from Madrid to Barcelona to initiate his transfer in 1950. Though Kubala sobered up enough to sign on and make his debut in April that year - the first of 329 appearances yielding 256 goals.

'Equipo de las cinco copas'
His arrival coincided with a golden era. Blessed with strength, technique and power in his boots, Kubala was the ideal attacking complement to the 'equipo de las cinco copas'. The so-called 'team of the five cups' lifted five trophies between 1951 and 1953. The pity was that their domestic achievements would be overshadowed by Madrid's early dominance of the European Champion Clubs' Cup.

Mightiest of Magyars
For a decade, though, Kubala was the hero of a city. And even after Ferenc Puskás and other Hungarians followed him to the Primera División, Kubala remained Spain's original Magyar - with ball skills and devastating shooting to match.

Goals galore
Kubala liked to enjoy himself off the field too, and his taste for the high life was a source of conflict with the club's management. But he stayed long enough to become the Barcelona's second-top goalscorer behind the man who had brought him to the Ciudad Condal, Samitier.

An Espanyol swansong
Then, after an ill-fated interlude as Barça coach, he moved across the city to end his playing days with Espanyol, alongside his old Madrid nemesis Alfredo di Stefano.

Coaching credits
By the time he hung up his boots, Kubala had played 19 times for Spain, registering 11 goals. Yet it was as a coach that he served his adopted country with distinction. He trained the national team between 1969 and 1980. His other coaching credits include Barcelona (again), Espanyol, Real Murcia CF, Elche CF, Córdoba CF, Málaga CF and spells in Switzerland, Canada, Paraguay and Saudi Arabia.

 

Award for Barcelona great​

Former FC Barcelona forward and Spain coach László Kubala has been awarded a posthumous Order of Merit by world football's governing body FIFA.

Many honours
Kubala, voted the greatest player in Barcelona's history during their centenary in 1999, died in May at the age of 74. With Barcelona, he won four league titles, five Spanish Cups and two Fairs Cups before retiring in the 1961/62 season.

'Distinguished service'
FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter said the Hungarian player was given the award for "the distinguished service that he gave to football during his long career". Kubala played 329 times for Barcelona, scoring 256 goals in his ten years at the club.

Vast experience
His other coaching credits include Barcelona (again), RCD Espanyol, Real Murcia CF, Elche CF, Córdoba CF, Málaga CF and spells in Switzerland, Canada, Paraguay and Saudi Arabia.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

 

didnt they want to change the name of Nou Camp to Kubala stadium or something ?

 

I never heard that, but what an honor that would be!

 

It was in the only Dutch footballmagazine a while ago (a year maybe?). They wanted to name the stadium after him because the stadium doesnt had an official name. Nou Camp was the nickname or something like that.

 

Bewntex,

Fantastic from you! How much I learn here about the past great Hungarians! Taanks man!

 

Thanks...it's amazing! :sweeteye:

 

I found some more pics.

Kubala

Kubala in 1950

click to enlarge​

 

Awesome report bro! Thanks alot!

What a legend!!!

 

it´s time to resurrect this great thread.

I´m interested in person of Kubala, genius who made 3 countries to be proud of him: Hungary, Slovakia and Spain.

Kubala married sister of Slovan-manager Ferdinand Daucik <Native of Sahy/Ipolyság>, Anna-Viola Daucikova .

They had 3 sons: oldest Branko - born in Sahy/Ipolyság in Slovakia in 1948, Laci born in Busto-Arzizio/Italy in 1950 and youngest Carlos born in Barcelona in 1958.

Branko played football prosfesisonally for Espanyol Barcelona, Toronto Falcons. Carlos played ice-hockey for CF Barcelona. Laci was proffesional footballer for Fc Zuerich, Toronto Falcons, lower divisions in Spain <Calella, Terassa etc>

Laci Kubala

Carlos Kubala

 

didnt they want to change the name of Nou Camp to Kubala stadium or something ?

http://elmundodeporte.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2002/05/18/futbol/1021746079.html

 

don´t you have some others pics of Kubala ?

I´m interested in pics of Kubala in Hungarian, Czechoslovakian and Spanish jersey as well in jersey of Ganz, FTC, Slovan, Vasas, Pro Patria, exulant team Hungaria and Espanyol

with son Laci

Czecho-Slovakian NT

Hungarian NT btw is it official or exulant´s team Hungaria ?

Spanish NT in 1954

PRO PATRIA

CF Barcelona

Espanyol

 

Szalay, kocsis,kubala, czibor, kaszas can a imagine they were all in the starting 11 a spanish club. Oh hungarian football where did you go?

 

don´t you have some others pics of Kubala ?

No I don't I used all the ones I have. I like yours :thumbsup:

 

I just googled and found something. Some of the pics <if any> existing probably in printed publications, f.e. Kubala in jersey of Ganz, FTC, Slovan, Vasas.

I wasn´t able to find pic of Branko Kubala, native of Sahy/Ipolyság.

 

have found nice interview with Juraj Mitosinka, former president of Slovak hockey association. In 1977 he took over managing spanish hockey team and Kubala´s youngest son Carlos played hockey for Barca and spanish NT. They became close friends.

Mitosinka and Kubala were often visiting small pub in centre of Barcelona, close to Tina´s shop. They were drinking and discussing together, sometimes drinking litle too much a signing folk songs

In 1992, Mitosinka worked for slovakian Olympic team. When some problem occured, Kubala´s name worked as little magic in Barcelona these days.

 

Ladislao Kubala

Personal information
Full name Ladislao Kubala Stecz
Date of birth June 10, 1927
Place of birth Budapest, Hungary
Date of death May 17, 2002 (age 74)
Place of death Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) / 82 kg
Position Midfielder

Youth clubs
1939-43 Ganz TE

Professional clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1944 Ganz TE 9 (2)
1945-46 Ferencváros TC 49 (27)
1946-48 ŠK Slovan Bratislava 33 (14)
1948-49 Vasas SC 20 (10)
1949-50 Pro Patria X (X)
1950 Hungaria X (X)
1951-61 CF Barcelona 186 (117)
1963-65 RCD Espanyol 29 (7)
1966-67 FC Zürich X (X)

National team
1946-47 Czechoslovakia 6 (4)
1948 Hungary 3 (0)
1953-61 Spain 19 (11)
1953 Europe XI 1 (2)
1954-93 Catalan XI 4 (4)



Teams managed
1961-63 CF Barcelona
1963-66 RCD Espanyol
1966-67 FC Zürich
1967 Toronto Falcons
1968 Toronto City
1968-69 Cordoba CF
1969-80 Spain
1980-82 FC Barcelona
1982-86 Al-Hilal
1986-87 Real Murcia
1987-88 CD Málaga
1988-89 Elche CF
1992 Spain Olympic Team
1995 Paraguay


Ladislao Kubala Stecz
(born June 10, 1927, Budapest; died May 17, 2002, Barcelona), also referred to as Kubala László or Ladislav Kubala, is a former footballer and manager who played as a forward with various European clubs including Ferencváros TC, ŠK Slovan Bratislava, Vasas SC, CF Barcelona and RCD Espanyol. He also played for three different national teams, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Spain, as well as a Europe XI and the Catalan XI. During the 1950s he was a leading member of the successful CF Barcelona team. During his playing career with that club he scored 256 goals in 329 appearances. In 1999, during the club's centenary celebrations, a fans' poll declared him the best player ever to play for the club. After retiring as a player he began a career as coach. He had two spells as coach of FC Barcelona and he also coached both the senior Spain national team and the Spain Olympic Team.

Contents1 Early life and career
1.1 Childhood and Youth
1.2 Refugee
1.3 CF Barcelona
2 International career
3 Coaching career
4 Honours
5 External links



Early life and career
Childhood and Youth
Kubala was born in Budapest, into a Slovakian family. His mother, a factory worker, was of Hungarian and Slovak descent while his father who was a bricklayer was of Polish and Slovak origin. He began his career as a junior player with Ganz TE, a factory that played in the Hungarian third division. At the age of 11 he was playing in teams with other players who were three to five years older. At the age of 18 he signed for Ferencváros TC where he was a teammate of Sándor Kocsis. In 1946 he moved to Czechoslovakia, allegedly to avoid military service, and joined ŠK Slovan Bratislava. In April 17th 1947 Kubala married Anna Viola Daučík, the daughter of the ŠK coach, Ferdinand Daučík. In 1948 he returned to Hungary, again to allegedly avoid military service, and joined Vasas SC.


Refugee
In January 1949, as Hungary became a communist state, Kubala fled the country in the back of a truck. Initially he arrived in the US zone in Austria and then moved onto Italy. While their he played briefly for Pro Patria. In May 1949 he also agreed to play for Torino in a testimonial against SL Benfica but pulled out after his son became ill. On the way back from Lisbon the plane carrying the Torino team crashed into the Superga hills, killing all 31 people on board.

Meanwhile the Hungarian Football Federation accused him of breach of contract, leaving the country without permission and failure to do military service. FIFA backed them and imposed a one-year international ban. In January 1950 Kubala, with Ferdinand Daučík as coach, formed his own team Hungaria. The team was made up of fellow refugees fleeing Eastern Europe. In the summer of 1950 the team arrived in Spain to play a series of friendlies against a Madrid Select XI, a Spain XI and RCD Espanyol.

During these games, Kubala was spotted by both Real Madrid and Josep Samitier, then chief scout at CF Barcelona. Kubala was offered a contract by Real but was persuaded by Samitier to sign for CF Barcelona. It has been suggested that Samitier used his connections within the Franco regime to help arrange the transfer. In the midst of the Cold War, Kubala’s escape to the West was used as propaganda by the Franco regime and was made into a film The Stars Search for Peace which saw Kubala and Samitier playing themselves.


CF Barcelona
Kubala signed for CF Barcelona on June 15 1950 and as part of the deal Ferdinand Daučík also became the CF Barcelona coach. However the ban imposed on Kubala was still in place and he did not make his La Liga debut until 1951. However he was permitted to play friendlies and in two consecutive games against Frankfurter S.V., which CF Barcelona won 4-1 and 10-4, he scored six goals and set-up another five. He also played in the Copa del Generalísimo and helped the club win the trophy in 1951.

In his first season in Primera División, 1951-52, Kubala scored 26 goals in 19 games. This included 7 goals in a 9-0 win over Sporting de Gijón, 5 against Celta de Vigo and hat-tricks against Sevilla CF and Racing de Santander. He also scored in the Copa final as CF Barcelona beat Valencia CF 4-2. This season proved to be one of the clubs most successful. Coach Daucik and Kubala, together with players like Emilio Aldecoa, Velasco, Joan Segarra and Ramallets, inspired the team to win five different trophies including La Liga, the Copa del Generalisimo, the Copa Latina and the Copa Eva Duarte. Kubala missed much of the 1952/53 season after contracting tuberculosis, which threatened to end his playing career. However he made a miraculous recovery and returned to help CF Barcelona retain both La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo. He also scored again in the Copa final win, a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.

In 1958 Kubala persuaded two fellow Hungarian refugees, Sándor Kocsis and Zoltán Czibor to join him at CF Barcelona and together with a young Luis Suárez and Evaristo, they formed the nucleus of the team that won a La Liga/Copa del Generalísimo double in 1959 and a La Liga/Fairs Cup double in 1960. However Kubala found himself out of favour with coach Helenio Herrera and lost his place in the team. As a result he missed the 1960 European Cup semi-final against Real Madrid which CF Barcelona lost 6-2 on aggregate. The result saw Herrera lose his job and Kubala restored to the team. In the 1961 European Cup, CF Barcelona became the first club to beat Real Madrid in the competition. Inspired by Kubala they won 4-3 on aggregate and subsequently reached the final were they lost to SL Benfica 3-2. Kubala briefly retired as a player in 1961 and initially became a youth coach at CF Barcelona before becoming coach of the senior team for the 1962/63 season. However after losing a Fairs Cup game to Red Star Belgrade he was dismissed.


International careerKubala played for three different international teams - Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Spain. While playing with ŠK Slovan Bratislava, he also played 6 times and scored 4 goals for Czechoslovakia between 1946 and 1947. After returning to Budapest in 1948, he played 3 games for Hungary but failed to score. After adopting Spanish nationality he played 19 times and scored 11 goals for Spain between 1953 and 1961. The highlight of his international career was a hat-trick for Spain against Turkey in 3-0 win in November 1957. Despite playing for three different countries, Kubala never played in the finals of a major international tournament. He was included in the Spain squad for the 1962 World Cup but, along with Alfredo Di Stéfano, he did not play due to injury.

As well as playing for three different international teams, Kubala also played for both a Europe XI and the Catalan XI. On October 21 1953, England played a Europe XI at Wembley Stadium to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the FA and Kubala scored twice in the 4-4 draw. He also played 4 games and scored 4 times for the Catalan XI. On January 26 1955 in a game against Bologna at Les Corts, he was joined by guest player Alfredo Di Stéfano. The Catalan XI won 6-2 with two goals from Kubala and one from Di Stéfano. His last game for the Catalan XI was his own testimonial on March 4 1993 at the Montjuïc against an International XI. He played the opening ten minutes of the game.


Coaching careerAfter leaving CF Barcelona, Kubala accepted a contract as a player/coach with RCD Espanyol and teamed up with Alfredo Di Stéfano. During his time at RCD Espanyol he gave a La Liga debut to his son, Branko. In 1966 he joined FC Zürich, again as player/coach, and made his last appearance in a European Cup game against the competitions eventual winners, Celtic. In 1967 Kubala went to Canada, where at Toronto Falcons he enjoyed something of family reunion with his father-in-law, Ferdinand Daučík, his brother-in-law, Yanko Daucik and his son Branko. In 1968 he joined Toronto City where he finally retired as a player.

By the end of 1968 he had returned to La Liga, and after a brief spell at Cordoba CF, he became coach of Spain. Kubala ended the team's 12-year absence from the World Cup in when he guided the team to the 1978 World Cup, but he could not steer them through the first-round group stage. He also managed them at Euro 80, where they again went out in the first round.

In 1980 he returned to FC Barcelona as a manager for a second short spell before moving to Saudi Arabia where he managed Al-Hilal. He subsequently managed three other La Liga clubs, including CD Málaga who guided to the Segunda División title in 1988. He then coached the Spain Olympic Team at the 1992 Olympic Games. His last coaching position was with Paraguay in 1995.


HonoursPlayer

CF Barcelona

Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 2
1958, 1960
Copa Latina: 1
1952
Spanish Champions: 4
1952, 1953, 1959, 1960
Copa del Generalísimo: 5
1951, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1959
Copa Eva Duarte: 2
1952, 1953
Manager

CD Málaga

Segunda División: 1
1987-88

 

Ladislao Kubala

Personal information
Full name Ladislao Kubala Stecz
Date of birth June 10, 1927
Place of birth Budapest, Hungary
Date of death May 17, 2002 (age 74)
Place of death Barcelona, Spain

Can´t you help me guys ?

Where in Budapest was Kubala born ? Do anybody of you exact place where he raised up ?

What means third name STECZ ?

Where in Barcelona is Kubala buried ?

 

I dunno about Stecz.. but his official name Kubala László. It was changed when he fled the Soviets. I've never heard of this Stecz name before.

 

Spanish naming customs

Spanish naming customs denotes the personal appellation practised in Spain, consisting of a given name (simple or composite) followed by two family names (surnames). The first surname is the father's first surname, and the second is the mother's first surname, but this traditional order is reversible per current gender equality law.

So STECZ is his mother´s maiden name

 

Bentex, do exists some Kubala´s biography in hungarian language ?

 

I dunno, but here are some articles about him.

http://www.eurobarca.hu/index.php?menu=hir&id=4501

http://kajakkenusport.origo.hu/sport/magyarfoci/20020518kubala.html

 

grave of family Kubala in Barcelona, cemetery Les Corts

 

song from spanish hitmaker Serrat Joan Manuel called "Kúbala" <1999>

Lyrics in Catalunyan

En Pelé eran en Peléi Maradona un i prou.Di Stéfano
era un poude picardia.Honor i glòria als quihan fet que brilli el soldel nostre futbolde cada
dia.Tots tenen els seus mèrits;lo seu a
cadascú,però per mi ningúcom en Kubala.Es prega al respectable silenci,que pels qui no
l'han gauditen faré cinc cèntims: La
para amb el cap, l'abaixa amb el pit,
l'adorm amb l'esquerra, travessa el mig
camp amb l'esfèrica enganxada a la
bota, se'n va del volant i entra en
l'àrea gran rifant la pilota,
l'amaga amb el cos, empenta amb el cul i
se'n surt d'esperó. Es pixa al
central amb un teva meva amb dedicatòria i la toca just per posa-la en el
camí de la gloria.Visca el coneixementi
l'alegria del jocadornada amb un tocde
fantasia.Futbol en colors,bocada de
'gourmet',punta de ganxet,canyella
fina. La para amb el cap, l'abaixa
amb el pit, l'adorm amb l'esquerra, travessa el mig camp amb l'esfèrica
enganxada a la bota, se'n va del volant i entra en l'àrea gran rifant la pilota, l'amaga amb el cos, empenta amb el
cul i se'n surt d'esperó. Es
pixa al central amb un teva meva amb
dedicatòria i la toca just per posa-la
en el camí de la gloria.Permeteu-me
glossarla glòria d'aquests fetscom ho feien els
grecsuns anys enreraamb la joia de quiha jugat
al seu costati du el seu retrata la cartera. La para amb el cap, l'abaixa amb el
pit, l'adorm amb l'esquerra.


Lyrics in spanish

Pelé era Pelé y Maradona uno y basta. Di Stéfano era un pozo de
picardía. Honor y gloria a quienes hicieron brillar el sol de
nuestro fútbol de cada día. Todos tienen sus méritos; a cada
quien lo suyo, pero para mí ninguno como Kubala. Se ruega al
respetable silencio, que para quienes no lo han gozado diré
cuatro cosas: La para con la cabeza, la baja con el pecho, la
duerme con la izquierda, cruza el medio campo con el esférico
pegado a la bota, se va del volante y entra en el área grande
rifando la pelota, la esconde con el cuerpo, empuja con el culo
y se sale de espuela. Se mea al central con un tuya mía con
dedicatoria y la toca justo para ponerla en el camino de la
gloria. Viva el conocimiento y la alegría del juego adornada con
un toque de fantasía. Fútbol en colores, bocado de
'gourmet', encaje de ganchillo, canela fina. La para
con la cabeza, la baja con el pecho, la duerme con la izquierda,
cruza el medio campo con el esférico pegado a la bota, se va del
volante y entra en el área grande rifando la pelota, la esconde
con el cuerpo, empuja con el culo y se sale de espuela. Se mea
al central con un tuya mía con dedicatoria y la toca justo para
ponerla en el camino de la gloria. Permitidme glosar la
gloria de estos hechos como hacían los griegos años atrás con la
alegría de quien ha jugado a su lado y lleva su retrato en la
cartera. La para con la cabeza, la baja con el pecho, la duerme
con la izquierda.