(FIFA.com) Thursday 17 December 2015
© Getty Images
‘Life begins at 40’ is, for most, little more than a greetings card slogan. Not for Gabor Kiraly. In football terms at least, this landmark birthday is set to coincide with the greatest chapter in the Hungary No1’s career as, after decades of frustration, he finally participates in a major international tournament.
The extent of his and his country’s wait is illustrated by the fact that no-one in the current squad, not even their veteran keeper, was born when Hungary last graced the UEFA European Championship in 1972. And while everyone in the country would have preferred that drought to end a great deal sooner, they will return with Kiraly on the verge of history as the first 40-something to play in Europe’s showpiece tournament.
The former Hertha Berlin, Crystal Palace and 1860 Munich keeper will also do so as his country’s most capped player, having surpassed Jozsef Bozsik – a legendary Magical Magyar – by earning his 100th and 101st caps in the play-off win over Norway. More importantly, he is heading to the EURO in, arguably, the form of his life, with UEFA having named him as the goalkeeper of the play-offs on the back of his heroics against the Norwegians.
So, to what does he attribute his longevity? “I’m always learning,” Kiraly told FIFA.com. “I’ve played in almost 800 professional games and, even now, I try to pick up lessons from every one I play in, and from every situation that could crop up again. Experience is vital and so too is a desire to improve. If I’ve maintained my level to this age, it’s because I’ve always been determined to keep learning.
“For goalkeepers, it’s definitely easier to maintain your level than it is for an outfield player, whose job is more physical and involves so much running. But it’s still not easy; you have to be ready to dive, to react very quickly, often suddenly and with cold muscles. That’s where it becomes important how you live your life and how you look after your body. And motivation is key. If you’re not enthusiastic and motivated at my age, you can forget about it.
The extent of his and his country’s wait is illustrated by the fact that no-one in the current squad, not even their veteran keeper, was born when Hungary last graced the UEFA European Championship in 1972. And while everyone in the country would have preferred that drought to end a great deal sooner, they will return with Kiraly on the verge of history as the first 40-something to play in Europe’s showpiece tournament.
The former Hertha Berlin, Crystal Palace and 1860 Munich keeper will also do so as his country’s most capped player, having surpassed Jozsef Bozsik – a legendary Magical Magyar – by earning his 100th and 101st caps in the play-off win over Norway. More importantly, he is heading to the EURO in, arguably, the form of his life, with UEFA having named him as the goalkeeper of the play-offs on the back of his heroics against the Norwegians.
So, to what does he attribute his longevity? “I’m always learning,” Kiraly told FIFA.com. “I’ve played in almost 800 professional games and, even now, I try to pick up lessons from every one I play in, and from every situation that could crop up again. Experience is vital and so too is a desire to improve. If I’ve maintained my level to this age, it’s because I’ve always been determined to keep learning.
“For goalkeepers, it’s definitely easier to maintain your level than it is for an outfield player, whose job is more physical and involves so much running. But it’s still not easy; you have to be ready to dive, to react very quickly, often suddenly and with cold muscles. That’s where it becomes important how you live your life and how you look after your body. And motivation is key. If you’re not enthusiastic and motivated at my age, you can forget about it.
“This is my 23rd professional season and last year I came back to Hungary after 18 years away. Now I’m back in my home city, with my home club (Szombathelyi Haladas), where I started playing when I was five years old. It’s a small club, a small town, but we’re doing well and, for me, it’s important to be here and contributing. I have a contract for another year-and-a-half, my fitness is good and I’m enjoying my football. But I don’t look beyond tomorrow in terms of my career and, if I start to feel tired or lose my enthusiasm, I will stop without hesitation. At the moment though, I enjoy every day.”
Motivation is key. If you’re not enthusiastic and motivated at my age, you can forget about it.
Gabor Kiraly
Some days, of course, are better than others. And none, Kiraly admits, have ranked above Sunday 15 November, when a packed Groupama Arena roared him and his team-mates to victory against Norway. That 2-1 second-leg win, hot on the heels of a 1-0 victory in Oslo, took Hungary to their first major tournament since 1986, and to an all-time high position of 20th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
“For the national team, it’s definitely the greatest moment I’ve had,” he reflected. “Given what’s happened to Hungarian football over the past 30 or 40 years, this EURO was a very important tournament to qualify for. For many Hungarian people, it’s the first time they’ve seen it happen. For me, it was just fantastic – worth the wait for sure.
“Now we have to look ahead to the EURO, and to enjoy it. It’s been so long since Hungary has been at one of these tournaments, so we must make the most of it. What we should know by now is that, whatever people expect of us, everything will be decided on the field. We saw that against Norway, a team we beat twice in a row, having not won against them for 34 years. History is there to be written and anything can happen.”
It is that knowledge and experience of football’s unpredictability that makes Kiraly reluctant to discuss the beckoning EURO record, with plenty of potential pitfalls to negotiate before he can become the competition’s oldest player. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” he said. “If I play – and there is still some time until the EURO - it could maybe be something that I look back and am proud of. But I can’t let myself think about it now. What’s important to me is my job and what I have to do for the team. All that matters is the team.”
“Now we have to look ahead to the EURO, and to enjoy it. It’s been so long since Hungary has been at one of these tournaments, so we must make the most of it. What we should know by now is that, whatever people expect of us, everything will be decided on the field. We saw that against Norway, a team we beat twice in a row, having not won against them for 34 years. History is there to be written and anything can happen.”
It is that knowledge and experience of football’s unpredictability that makes Kiraly reluctant to discuss the beckoning EURO record, with plenty of potential pitfalls to negotiate before he can become the competition’s oldest player. “I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” he said. “If I play – and there is still some time until the EURO - it could maybe be something that I look back and am proud of. But I can’t let myself think about it now. What’s important to me is my job and what I have to do for the team. All that matters is the team.”
Few, not even fans of Hungary’s Group F rivals Austria, Portugal and Iceland, would begrudge Kiraly his hard-earned and long-awaited moment in the French sun. Neutrals will certainly be hoping for a glimpse of 40-year-old and, of course, the grey tracksuit bottoms with which he has become synonymous. And those too, it seems, are set for a special anniversary.
“I started wearing them in 1996, so 20 years next year,” he explained. “I was with Haladas at the time and we went on a run of eight or nine games unbeaten, with me conceding only two goals, to stay in the top division. So I thought, ‘Hey, maybe these bring me some luck’. After that, I had a good period wearing them with Hertha, when we stayed up and then qualified for the Champions League and, since then, I’ve never thought about changing.
“Maybe they’re not fashionable but I really don’t care how they look or whether people like them or not. All that matters to me is putting in good performances and feeling comfortable on the field, and I feel they help me do that. I’ve made mistakes in them, of course. But there have been a few good performances along the way too.”
More than a few. And if those grey bottoms can help Kiraly emulate his play-off heroics at the EURO itself, he may find that they do after all become Hungary’s must-have fashion item of 2016.
“I started wearing them in 1996, so 20 years next year,” he explained. “I was with Haladas at the time and we went on a run of eight or nine games unbeaten, with me conceding only two goals, to stay in the top division. So I thought, ‘Hey, maybe these bring me some luck’. After that, I had a good period wearing them with Hertha, when we stayed up and then qualified for the Champions League and, since then, I’ve never thought about changing.
“Maybe they’re not fashionable but I really don’t care how they look or whether people like them or not. All that matters to me is putting in good performances and feeling comfortable on the field, and I feel they help me do that. I’ve made mistakes in them, of course. But there have been a few good performances along the way too.”
More than a few. And if those grey bottoms can help Kiraly emulate his play-off heroics at the EURO itself, he may find that they do after all become Hungary’s must-have fashion item of 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment