About his return and his last game
– My heart beats a little faster than usual before a regular game, but I think that’s normal. I’m more nervous approaching the game like this, but I’ll still finish 12-13 very serious years. So I’m excited, but it’s really nice to be here, it’s a good feeling to be a member of the team again. Obviously the setting is a little different from the last time I was here, but the atmosphere, thank God, hasn’t changed at all. So I really feel this kind of childish fandom and I want to live every moment of it, enjoy every single training session, every single discussion or even joking, so for now we are like this, and luckily everyone is open to this, and everyone has welcomed me with great joy and respect – he said in his press conference on Friday, preparing for his last, 109th match for the national team Balazs Dzudsakwho thanked MLSZ and especially Sándor Csányi, Márton Vági and Sándor Berzi for giving him the opportunity to say goodbye.
What do you expect from your last meeting, both in terms of welcome and atmosphere?
– We still didn’t know how much I would play. (…)
It doesn’t bother me anymore, but it obviously did bother me a little bit and I won’t shy away from the story, because if there’s anything I don’t like in my life, it’s when someone is being unfair to me or questioning my career and my decisions. I’ve always been honest about what, why, when and how I did it. I’ve always been aware that the sun would always shine no matter what I did. When I scored two against the Portuguese, there were still those who said it was only from a free kick and rebound. Whenever you want, you can get involved in anything.
This is such a historic moment in both my life and the life of the national team, that this is the almost perfect year from the point of view of the team, the national team and the country have achieved almost nothing but success. We were in a euphoric state over the summer, so I don’t think this story, Balázs Dzudzák’s farewell match, should make anyone question the whole thing, although I accept it. Everyone has his opinion and I respect that. However, I don’t think it is necessary to point out that anyone would receive 108 international matches as a gift or could reach them with an alibi. So I think the numbers, the years, the goals, the assists and the fact that I’ve always been available to anyone, I think that’s enough for this answer. It’s just kind of positive feedback that there may be fifty or sixty thousand people at the game. I personally can no longer buy tickets in different categories due to the high interest. So I’m very happy and I think there are a lot more people in the country who are respectful and positive towards me. (…) this is not “Balázs Dzudzsák’s farewell match”, I never put myself above anyone, and I won’t now, it’s about the Hungarian national team, not about breaking the record.
I didn’t “dead” because of this game, but it’s about the fact that I achieved something, to pass something on to the next generation, to pass it on to Szobós, Ádi Nagy, Gula or anyone else, which is now not 108, but 109 games they must be reversed.
Let this be an example of a shot, a peak that they must want to jump. Because it will mean that we will have one or more regular players present every year without injuries. This is very, very important, so I wish and hope it happens as soon as possible. And this is all.
How many tickets did you buy for the game?
– At the moment, I have about 600 tickets. Nyírlugos will also be represented with 210 people. A big thank you here at the MLSZ as well, they have provided me with all the help in all kinds of organizational and logistic matters and they respect what I will accomplish on Sunday.
Is there an ideal scenario for this?
– I’m not preparing a more unusual scenario. Being here with the boys from the beginning of the week gives me an extra boost. I want to play an absolutely free match, I expect the same from the team, so I don’t want and don’t want so much to be built around me, getting a good result is much more important than the circumstances under which I am fired. I’m sure everything will go well and I hope I can contribute to a good result, even with a goal or an assist. But if this is not given, but the team stands up with integrity and I can show my face, which I have carried so far for many years, that I can cheer up the team so that we do everything to win, then I am already very- I will be very happy to give my farewell speech after the game.
About his scheduled speech
– Let’s leave a small surprise given my great honesty… but I don’t think it’s a big secret, on the contrary, I would like everyone to know that we would be happy – even if it’s late and the weather conditions aren’t the most ideal – if the match ends many more would be there later because there will be a real thank you from me. We hope everyone hears it.
Of his greatest experience with a crest shirt
– Just to better understand why I choose the European Championship against Portugal rather than the 1-1 draw in Romania… After a long time, we have managed to give our generation, or even the slightly older ones, something like this Hungary qualified for the Euro. And I managed to score two goals against a team that wasn’t just any team, so obviously it’s an experience, a moment in my career that I’m sure nothing will surpass.
Of his worst moments in the national team
– I have to, and I can’t think of anything but Andorra, so it was about the Dutch greatest jacket, or Andorra, because that match didn’t meet the standards of the Hungary national football team either in terms of quality or attitude. So this is absolutely what I would call a bad memory. I wouldn’t write him off as I think he learned a lot from him, both for Hungarian football and for me personally. I have become much stronger, even if that menacing scream of mine happened in that game, but on the other hand I have drawn so much for the future, also considering my personality, that – even if it is a stupid expression to say that I am grateful, but as they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It was a very, very big step forward for me, both in front of the team and in front of the fans, to accept that I will stand up and that I am still the captain of this team. So it had its silver lining to some extent.
Szoboszlai, the captain
Balázs Dzudzsák also spoke about his successor, Dominik Szoboszlai, who wore the captain’s armband during Thursday’s warm-up match in Luxembourg:
– This role suits him, he is the most characteristic player of his generation, who needs this step to achieve what is expected of him. I’ve always tried to convey to him what needs to be done here.
From Greeks to Greeks
On 2 July 2007, Dzuzdsák made his debut for the Greek national team, and is now making his salute against the Greeks. As he said, this frames his national team career, and the period that has taken place in the meantime clearly shows the development of the team, which was still in “baby shoes” at the beginning, as also shown by, among other things, things, the fact that they went to the meeting with a transfer.
The Hungarian-Greek friendly starts on Sunday at 20.15 with the whistle of the Italian Daniele Chiffi at the Puskás Arena.
