Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Péter Kocsis entered the world on the 21st of September 1929 in Budapest. He started his football journey as a junior with Kőbányai TC before joining Ferencváros in 1946. That club secured his first Hungarian League title in 1949. Military service then redirected his path to the army club Honvéd. His teammates at Honvéd included Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor and József Bozsik. The group won three more Hungarian League titles in 1952, 1954 and 1955. Kocsis finished as top goalscorer in the league on three occasions between 1951 and 1954. He scored 30, 36 and 33 goals respectively during those seasons. On two of those occasions he was also the top scorer in any European league. During the 1952 season at Honvéd, Kocsis became the world's top goalscorer in first division football with 36 goals. He repeated that feat in 1954 with 33 goals.
Kocsis made his debut for the senior Hungary team in 1948. Together with Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he formed the offensive nucleus of the Golden Team. This unit went unbeaten for 32 consecutive games. The Hungarian national team suffered no defeats in Class-A international matches between the 4th of June 1950 and the 4th of July 1954. They lost to Germany in the 1954 FIFA World Cup Final. Kocsis scored his first international hat trick against Sweden on the 20th of November 1949. He added another one on the 22nd of June 1952 against Finland. Six goals came from him at the Olympics in Helsinki as Hungary won Olympic Champions in 1952. His third international hat trick arrived on the 19th of October 1952 against Czechoslovakia. In 1953, Hungary defeated England 6, 3 at Wembley Stadium. A year later they beat them 7, 1 in Budapest. Kocsis added two more goals during that second match.
Kocsis finished the 1954 World Cup as top goalscorer with 11 goals. These included two hat tricks, making him the first player to score two hat-tricks in a single tournament. An opening game saw him score his first hat trick of the tournament against South Korea. Hungary cruised to a 9, 0 win in that match. The next game against Germany saw him score four of the goals in an 8, 3 victory. Coach Sepp Herberger led the understrength German team. Hungary played Brazil in the quarter-finals during a game referred to as the Battle of Berne. Kocsis scored twice in an encounter which saw Hungary win 4, 2. They reached the final after defeating reigning World champions Uruguay in the semi-finals. The game was 2, 2 in extra time until Kocsis scored twice to seal another 4, 2 win. In the final they met Germany once again. For the first time in the competition Kocsis failed to score and the Germans won 3, 2. He also scored six goals at the Olympics in Helsinki as Hungary became Olympic Champions in 1952.
In 1956 Honvéd entered the European Cup and faced Athletic Bilbao in the first round. They lost the away leg 3, 2 before the home leg could be played. The Hungarian Revolution had erupted back in Budapest. Players decided against going back to Hungary and arranged for the return with Athletic to be played at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels. Despite drawing 3, 3, they went out on aggregate 6, 5. Elimination left Honvéd in limbo. The players summoned their families from Budapest despite opposition from FIFA and the Hungarian football authorities. They organized 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 found new clubs in Western Europe. Czibor, Kocsis and Puskás joined new teams abroad.
Kocsis spent one season with Young Fellows Zürich before László Kubala persuaded him to join FC Barcelona. Kubala was another Hungarian refugee who convinced Zoltán Czibor to come along too. He scored on his La Liga debut in a 4, 1 win over Real Betis. As part of a team that included Ramallets, Evaristo and Luis Suárez, Kocsis won a Copa del Generalísimo and La Liga double in 1959. A La Liga and Fairs Cup double followed in 1960. FC Barcelona reached the final of the European Cup in 1961. This saw Czibor and Kocsis return to the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern where they had lost the World Cup Final in 1954. On the 23rd of February 1958, Kocsis had lost 5, 1 to BSC Young Boys while playing for Young Fellows Zürich. Despite both scoring, they finished on the losing side once again against S.L. Benfica. He scored twice in the 1959 Copa del Generalísimo final as FC Barcelona defeated Granada CF 4, 1. In the 1960 European Cup he scored four goals in a 5, 2 quarter-final win over Wolves.
Kocsis retired as a player in 1966 and opened a restaurant in Barcelona called Tete D’Or. He also worked as a coach with FC Barcelona and managed Hércules CF between 1972 and 1974. His coaching career was cut short when he was diagnosed with leukemia and then stomach cancer. On the 22nd of July 1979, aged 49, he fell to his death from the fourth floor of a hospital in Barcelona. It has been alleged that he died of suicide though it may have been only an accident. He totalled 556 goals in 537 official games among which 123 goals in national team matches at all levels ranked third in recorded history. Kocsis was particularly known for scoring headers. His 1.103 goals/game average is ranked No.1 for players past 43 caps in FIFA class-A competition.
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Common questions
When was Sándor Kocsis born and where did he start his football career?
Sándor Péter Kocsis entered the world on the 21st of September 1929 in Budapest. He started his football journey as a junior with Kőbányai TC before joining Ferencváros in 1946.
What achievements did Sándor Kocsis reach during the 1954 FIFA World Cup?
Kocsis finished the 1954 World Cup as top goalscorer with 11 goals. These included two hat tricks, making him the first player to score two hat-tricks in a single tournament.
How many goals did Sándor Kocsis score for the Hungarian national team?
He totalled 123 goals in national team matches at all levels which ranked third in recorded history. His 1.103 goals/game average is ranked No.1 for players past 43 caps in FIFA class-A competition.
Which clubs did Sándor Kocsis play for after leaving Honvéd following the 1956 revolution?
Kocsis spent one season with Young Fellows Zürich before László Kubala persuaded him to join FC Barcelona. He won a Copa del Generalísimo and La Liga double in 1959 and another double in 1960.
When did Sándor Kocsis die and what were the circumstances surrounding his death?
On the 22nd of July 1979 aged 49 he fell to his death from the fourth floor of a hospital in Barcelona. It has been alleged that he died of suicide though it may have been only an accident.