Budapest Honved - Bozsik Arena

Budapest Honved FC

Bozsik Arena

Budapest

Prince

Puskás Ferenc u. 1-3

1194 Hungary

Official Website

Facebook

Ground Number: 1397

Sunday 9th March 2025
Kispest Honved 3-2 Soroksar SC
Nezmeti Bajnoksag II

BUDAPEST HONVED FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established in 1909 and represents the Kispest area of Hungary's capital city. The word Honved means 'homeland defence'. Their original name was Kispest AC until they changed to Kispest FC before becoming Budapest Honved in 1946. From 1991 until 2003, they were known as Kispest Honved before reverting to the name that they have held for most of their history. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapesti Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian Army team. The club's top players from this era, Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik, Zoltán Czibor, and Gyula Grosics helped the club win the Hungarian League four times during the 1950s and also formed the nucleus of the legendary Hungary national team popularly known as the Mighty Magyars. During the 1980s and early 1990s, the club enjoyed another successful period, winning a further eight Hungarian League titles. They also won league and cup doubles in 1985 and 1989. A brief period of severe decline came in 2003 as the club suffered a rare relegation from the Hungarian top flight, bouncing back after a single season. A more serious battle came shortly after following a dispute with the Hungarian tax authorities due to them treating their players as self employed and thus drastically reducing their tax burden but eventually a compromise was reached following the intervention of the Hungarian Football League. Another relegation followed in 2023 and this time the recovery looks set to take longer with a modest 9th-place finish last season and this season spent in a similarly disappointing position.

They will be most well known to the wider world over their exploits in European Football. On 13 December 1954 they played Wolverhampton Wanderers, the reigning English League champions, in a prestige friendly. Honvéd were leading 2–0 at half-time but eventually lost 3–2. It was one fo the first-ever games played under floodlights. It was games like this that led to the establishment of the European Cup in 1955. The team contained many of the 'Magnificent Magyars' that had given England a rude awakening when they thumped England at Wembley, a couple of years prior for the Three Lions first loss at the national stadium. Given their level of success, it is somewhat surprising that their furthest progress in European Competition was the UEFA Cup Quarter Final of 1979. Adanaspor, Politehnica Timișoara and Ajax were beaten over two legs before they lost out to MSV Duisburg on the away goal rule.

MY VISIT

Back when I decided to go to Budapest for a football game, I was always going to favour games with unusual kickoff times. Sadly I could only manage two games but there was just one 5PM game. Happily, it was a famous old name in Budapest Honved or as I'd known them, Kipest Honved. I remembered the name from 1990s Amiga games such as Manchester United in Europe, Premier Manager and Sensible Soccer which I played a hell of a lot back in the day due to lack of work and other important commitments as well as my opinion that it's the best gaming platform ever. They had suffered a fall from grace in recent times but that did mean that I was able to secure a good seat in the second-highest price bracket for just £6.75. The process was both easy and great value compared to back home and most other European cities. 

From my game at Elore, it was a quick dash across the road to the tram stop with me getting on the first one I saw. Contrary to my fears, it was indeed going the right way, though I'd have been snookered before Google Maps. It was a 20-minute wait for the S21 to Kipest with the information not exactly breeding confidence that I'd be getting where I wanted. Happily, I was on course although once I'd handed over my ticket for scanning, I realised I'd given my Vienna pass rather than my Budapest one. Strangely, it was accepted. I got to Kipest as scheduled and walked to the ground. After getting some pictures of the outside, I went to the shop. My first and only bit of merch this weekend cost me £11.68 in the form of an Honved scarf. I joined the huge queues to get in although they did move at a reasonable pace.

Honved had gone to the bottom of the table prior to kickoff, this due to Tatabanya winning and leapfrogging them in an earlier game. They'd won three and lost two of their last five, most recently losing 2-0 at Ajka. Soroksar had less than 20 minutes drive to the game, yet they'd only brought a handful of fans. They were 13th but hadn't win in four since returning from the winter break. Last time out, they'd drawn 1-1 with Szeged The hosts went 1-0 up just as I got through the turnstile. It was a bit chaotic with everyone sitting where they fancied. Not that I minded standing at the back. The hosts were well on top, forcing a couple of good saves in succession from the Soroksar keeper around 26 minutes. Honved dominated but they had a scare when Soroksar thumped the bar from 25 yards on 40 minutes. Just after that, a shot was cleared off the line down the other end and this game was a real antidote to the snoozefest I saw earlier. On the halftime whistle, there was a scrap in what had been a feisty game. It inspired Soroksar to start well, a looping cross from the left gave Lovrencsics the chance to head home at the back post on 50 minutes. They seized the initiative and Honved were made to pay for their earlier profligacy. Szabo charged down the right on 63 minutes and finished from a tight angle. The real star though was their 23 Martin Kroner who had made a great saving tackle when a Honved man was away and in the clear just before half-time. Honved equalised on 75 minutes, a low cross from the right was poked home by Kantor. A ball into the box and an excellent overhead kick by Kevin Kantor on 84 minutes restored Honved's lead in what was a cracking game.

It had been a superb experience and the ground looked just as good in the dark as it did in the light. I hopped on a tram from near the ground to Hatar Ut Metro station. The connections were superb as I hopped straight on the U3 towards Budapest. I'd had a great day but had a couple of pubs to visit. First up, The Beer People where I had a big bottle of Budapres Nat cider for just over a tenner. It was excellent but the pub was very quiet. The next one, Parabolic Lazarus Brewpub was even quieter. I had a large cider, very good value at just over £4 but not as nice as the previous ones. I did consider calling it a night then, but it wouldn't be right to go without having a small cherry beer. A sensible drinking night by my standards, but I think that's the way to go now. I got the metro back to my room, getting in just after 9.30. My first blog of the day was published before bed with me prioritising sleep over getting this one done.

THE GROUND

THE BOZSIK ARÉNA is an excellent new build that looks great day or night. The capacity looks bigger than the 8,200 it holds over four stands but the corners are closed in. I didn't get the chance to see the food or drink but the club shop was decent and reasonably priced. The ground is located 10 minutes walk from Kispest train station and the bus and tram links make it easy to get back into central Budapest.