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Zoltán Varga (footballer, born 1945)

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Zoltán Varga
Varga in 1973
Personal information
Date of birth (1945-01-01)1 January 1945
Place of birth Vál, Hungary
Date of death 9 April 2010(2010-04-09) (aged 65)
Place of death Budapest, Hungary
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1959–1961 Ferencváros
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1961–1968 Ferencváros 135 (53)
1968–1969 Standard Liège 0 (0)
1969–1972 Hertha BSC 34 (9)
1972–1973 Aberdeen 26 (10)
1973–1974 Ajax 12 (2)
1974–1976 Borussia Dortmund 56 (11)
1976–1977 FC Augsburg 8 (1)
1977–1978 Gent 0 (0)
Total 271 (86)
International career
1964–1968 Hungary 12 (2)
Managerial career
1981 Preußen Münster
1996–1997 Ferencváros
1997 Budapest Honvéd
2000 Diósgyőr
2001 Győr
2003 Győr
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Hungary
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1964 Tokyo Team competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Zoltán Varga (1 January 1945 – 9 April 2010) was a Hungarian footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s.[1] He was an Olympic gold medalist at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He played for Ferencvárosi TC when they won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1965, beating Juventus 1–0 in the final. He also played for Ajax Amsterdam.

He played in Germany for Borussia Dortmund and Hertha BSC, but was banned after he was caught taking bribes to lose matches.[2]

During the period of his ban he played for Aberdeen F.C. in Scotland.[2]

Club career

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Career in Hungary

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The Ferencváros his professional career. In the professional team played between 1961–1968, a period which is the club's history after World War II was one of the most successful. Varga made 135 career appearances, scoring 53 goals. The club became champion in 1962 and '63, 1964, 1967 and 1968 NB I-season as well.

In these years, Fradi, as one of Europe's best club teams, qualified for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup series called the International Festival of the major European Football Confederation tournament as well. Today's successor to the European leagues.

In 1962–63 seasons in the semi-finals in a row Varga, and two years later, 1964–65 they won it. Success is not interrupted in 1967, 68 in the runner. Since the Mexican Olympic Games, Varga left the country, so successfully ended the era of Ferencváros.

Career in Europe

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Between 1969 and 1972, the German Hertha BSC scored nine in 34 games, 26 games for Aberdeen in Scotland (where he is still considered by many to be the finest foreign import ever to play for the club) scored ten of the Netherlands Ajax 12 games scored two goals, the German side Borussia Dortmund 51 games scored 10. Last was a team player in the Belgian Gent.

International career

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Between 1964 and 1968 he had been included in the Hungarian national team 12 times and scored 2 goals. In 1964, Spain's European Championship team bronze medal for the author made his debut as a member of the team. In 1966 he participated in the World Cup in England, but could not play due to an earlier injury.

He received a gold medal as member of Hungary's Olympic Team in the Tokyo Olympic Games, in 1964. During the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City he had left the Hungarian Team Camp before the matches and did not return to Hungary.

Death

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On 9 April 2010, Varga was playing in an old-boys football match at Danuvia when he was taken ill. He collapsed and, despite efforts by teammates and emergency responders to resusciate him, died at the age of 65.[1][3]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[4][5][6][7]

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Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ferencvárosi 1961-62 Nemzeti Bajnokság I 2 0 - - - - - - - - 2+ 0+
1962-63 11 4 - - - - - - - - 11+ 4+
1963 4 0 - - - - - - - - 4+ 0+
1964 25 7 - - - - - - - - 25+ 7+
1965 22 6 - - - - - - - - 22+ 6+
1966 21 9 - - - - - - - - 21+ 9+
1967 30 15 - - - - - - - - 30+ 15+
1968 20 12 - - - - - - - - 20+ 12+
Total 135 53 - - - - - - - - 135+ 53+
Hertha BSC 1969-70 Bundesliga 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0 - - 0 0
1970-71 22 5 1 0 - - 1 0 - - 24 5
1971-72 12 4 0 0 - - 4 1 - - 16 5
Total 34 9 1 0 - - 5 1 - - 40 10
Aberdeen 1972-73 Scottish Division One 26 10 3 0 2 0 0 0 - - 31 10
Total 26 10 3 0 2 0 0 0 - - 31 10
Ajax 1973-74 Eredivisie 12 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 - - 13 2
1974-75 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - 0 0
Total 12 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 - - 13 2
Borussia Dortmund 1974-75 2. Bundesliga 30 5 5 1 - - - - - - 35 6
1975-76 26 6 2 0 - - - - 1 0 29 6
Total 56 11 7 1 - - - - 1 0 64 12
FC Augsburg 1976-77 Süd 8 1 2 0 - - - - - - 10 1
Total 8 1 2 0 - - - - - - 10 1
Career total 271 86 14 1+ 2+ 0+ 5+ 0+ 1 0 293+ 88+

References

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  1. ^ a b Obituary London Independent, 29 April 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Varga tunes in to red corner". The Scotsman.
  3. ^ "Soccer-Hungarian Varga dies on the pitch aged 65". Reuters. 9 April 2010.
  4. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Zoltán Varga". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Zoltan Varga". Fussballdaten (in German). Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust - Player Profile". afcheritage.org. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Zoltán Varga at Ajax". AFC-Ajax.info. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
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