One
of the greatest footballers of all time, Ferenc Puskas, star
of the Hungary team that dominated world football in the 1950s,
is to sell more than 100 of his personal mementos including
the Golden Boot awarded to him for scoring a formidable 83 goals
in 84 International appearances – a world record that still
holds today.
Coming directly from Puskas, this outstanding collection will
feature awards, trophies and gifts that he won, collected and
treasured throughout his long and extraordinary career. It will
be sold in Bonhams’ Sporting Memorabilia Sale in Chester on
2 November.
In addition to the Adidas Golden Boot, which is estimated to
fetch £1,000 – 1,500, other trophies commemorating
his achievements include:
• The 1954 World Cup Runners-up medal awarded to Puskas
after a nail-biting final in which Germany won 3-2, with a late
goal by Puskas controversially disallowed to deny favourites
Hungary a chance to maintain their four-year unbeaten record.
Estimate £3,000 – 5,000
The following two items were presented to Puskas recognising
that he was the world’s top scorer in the 20th Century,
with an unbelievable 511 goals to his name in top division football:
• Top Goal Scorer trophy, presented by the Hungarian Football
association, inscribed “World Record Holder of the Top
Division Goals (511) Ferenc Puskas (Hungary and Spain) by IFFHS”
Estimate £2,500 – 3,000
• 511 Goals Cup, presented by the press in Spain which
reads “Pancho Puskas, Pichichi Del Siglo” – The
Best in the World. Puskas was the leading top scorer for five
consecutive years. Estimate £1,500 – 2,500
Also included are personal gifts and presentations such as
a stunning silver model of the Bernabeu Stadium, 2002, given
to Puskas on his 75th birthday by Real Madrid, (estimate £1,500
– 2,000), and a Brazil shirt sent by Pele and signed to
the front: “To Puskas Happy Birthday do Amigo Edson Pele”.
Estimate £1,000 – 1,500.
Ferenc Puskas, born in Budapest in 1927, made his debut as
a 16-year old ‘boy wonder’ in his father’s team, Kispest, and
two years later he was playing for his country. Kispest was
required by the authorities to become the official Hungarian
Army team between 1948 and 1956, giving rise to Puskas’
affectionate nick-name ‘the Galloping Major’. He also captained
the Olympic Gold-winning side in 1952 – the team already dominating
world football .
On the pitch, Puskas was a one-off. Short and stocky, he spearheaded
a revolutionary attacking line-up with a fearful left-foot –
a talent made all the more remarkable for his refusal to head
the ball or use his right foot.
"Look at that that little fat chap. We’ll murder the lot."
was a comment that came back to haunt the England side in 1953.
Hungary, with Puskas as captain, beat them 6-3 – they became
the first foreign team ever to beat England at Wembley. The
return match in Budapest provided even greater humiliation for
England with Hungary winning 7-1.
Puskas was one of the most prolific goal-scorers of all time
and he was snapped up by Real Madrid in 1958, despite being
out of shape and at 31, no spring-chicken. He forged a remarkable
partnership with fellow attacker Di Stefano and Puska remains
the only player ever to score four goals in a European Cup Final.
Whether he was playing for Hungary, Real Madrid, or latterly,
Spain, his strike-rate was formidable.
Scrolling back through the decades, only one or two footballers
stand out as truly great – Pelé, Moore, Maradona and
Zidane have their place in the history books along with the
Hungarian national hero Ferenc Puskas. With 0-0 scorelines being
all too common these days, the exploits of the Galloping Major
seem even more remarkable.
The Ferenc Puskas Collection will be offered in the Bonhams
Chester sale with other important items of sporting memorabilia,
including the World Cup Final Winner’s medal from 1950 presented
to Uruguay’s full back, Mataias Gonzalez, known as ‘the
Lion’. Estimate £6,000 – 8,000
For more details visit the Bonhams
web site.
