Hungary’s national football team suffered a devastating 5–0 defeat to Germany in the first round of the UEFA Nations League Division A in Düsseldorf on Saturday.
Hungarian national team captain Marco Rossi’s side were worthy opponents for the first 20–25 minutes, but after that, Germany took control, gradually gaining dominance and ultimately securing a commanding victory in front of their home crowd. The goals for the home team were scored by Niclas Füllkrug (27th minute), Jamal Musiala (58th minute), Florian Wirtz (66th minute), Aleksandar Pavlovic (77th minute), and Kai Havertz (81st minute, penalty).
The Hungarian national team had never conceded five goals in a match under Marco Rossi, and the disappointment was evident in the post-match comments. Austrian Rapid Wien’s winger Bendegúz Bolla didn’t mince words either, stating that nothing worked during Saturday’s match. The 24-year-old told M4 Sport that their plan was to put pressure on the Germans, but after ten minutes, they were unable to execute it. ‘It all went wrong; we were always late, and we gave them too much space. When they have the ball, we know what happens. We need to correct these mistakes for the next game,’ said Bolla, emphasizing that although they had a few chances in the first half, ‘overall, it didn’t look good.’
According to right back Botond Balogh, the Germans are a very strong team, but losing 5–0 was unacceptable. ‘We have to apologize to the fans because this is a defeat for which there is no explanation. We need to reassess our match-ups and the way we approach the individual components of the team because we have to perform against Bosnia on Tuesday. Until then, we must discuss what needs improvement and then focus entirely on that game,’ Balogh pointed out.
‘We have to apologize to the fans because this is a defeat for which there is no explanation’
Captain and standout player of the Hungarian national team Dominik Szoboszlai did not speak to the media after the final whistle but shared a message with fans on social media on Sunday. ‘Thank you for your support, which we need just as much in these difficult moments as we do when achieving our greatest successes. Looking ahead, we will be back on the pitch on Tuesday,’ Liverpool’s midfielder wrote, referring to the upcoming match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Puskás Arena in Budapest.
At his press conference on Monday, Marco Rossi stated: ‘The slap still hurts, but we have to overcome the 5–0 defeat in Germany.’ The manager recalled a similar setback after the 2021 European Championship, when the team lost 4–0 to England but managed to recover. ‘The only way out of the current slump is to win on Tuesday night. We knew it wouldn’t be easy in Düsseldorf, but this defeat is a dark stain on what we have achieved so far. If we look at the results clearly, there are a lot of positive memories on the other side of the scales as well. I hope that when we finish, the overall balance will be positive,’ Rossi said. He also acknowledged communication issues during Saturday’s game, for which he took responsibility.
Szoboszlai also spoke at the press conference on Monday, mentioning that several meetings had been held following Saturday’s defeat to review what needed to be changed. ‘It’s about reassessing the realistic place of the national team. It depends on many factors. During our unbeaten run, we were considered the best, and now, after the 5–0 defeat, we are seen as the worst. We are too extreme. On Tuesday, we want to show a response that will bring joy and happiness again,’ the Liverpool star emphasized.
In the other Division A, Group 3 match on Saturday, the Netherlands defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 5–2, leaving the Hungarian national team in last place in the group due to their worse goal difference.
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