The list of all Ballon d’Or winners is filled with illustrious names. However, one may no longer be familiar to everyone: Flórián Albert.
The awarding of the Ballon d’Or was and still is a major event. Especially for the individualists who compete for this prize among themselves. The most elegant players of their time have gradually immortalized themselves in that list – that was already the case six decades ago. Eusébio, Bobby Charlton, Franz Beckenbauer, George Best, and Gerd Müller won this title.
One name in this series, however, is much less known and has almost been forgotten today: Flórián Albert. On the evening of December 26, 1967, the football world got a new idol with him. But more than half a century later, the Hungarian, who bore the nickname “Császár” – the Emperor – is hardly known to many fans. Yet, that year he left legends like Beckenbauer, Müller, and Charlton behind him. He died on October 31, 2011, 14 years ago today.
Florian Albert against Belgium in 1972
Albert even overshadowed Garrincha
Albert began his career at Ferencvárosi TC, the legendary Budapest club where he played until the end of his career in 1974. Even as a youth, his exceptional talent was noticeable, and at 17, he celebrated his debut in the first league. In his long club career, he played a total of 537 games and scored 383 goals – a record that speaks for itself.
In addition to four Hungarian championship titles and winning the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1965, the center forward repeatedly led his team and the Hungarian national team to great successes. His exceptional ball control and elegance on the field made him a role model for an entire generation. He also won the hearts of fans with his physique and unwavering determination.
For the Hungarian national team, Albert played 75 international matches and scored 31 goals. Particularly at the 1966 World Cup in England, he showed one of the best performances of his career. When Hungary met Brazil in the group stage, two of the world’s greatest football nations faced each other.
The “Emperor” led his team to an impressive 3-1 victory and made football fans forget the absence of Pelé. “On the field were the best players in the world like Garrincha, but the fans only called out Flórián Albert’s name,” recalls teammate Sándor Mátrai later about the cheering crowd. Albert was subsequently selected for the World Cup All-Star Team – proof of his outstanding performance.
Ballon d’Or: Ahead of Franz Beckenbauer and Co.
In 1967, Albert finally reached the peak of his career when he was honored with the Ballon d’Or as “European Footballer of the Year” – the only Hungarian ever to date. With a 28-point lead over second-placed Charlton, he prevailed in this race against some of the biggest names in international football, including Müller and Germany’s “Kaiser” Beckenbauer.
However, despite this recognition, Albert’s fame faded outside Hungary in the following years. A serious injury in 1969 prevented him from building on his earlier successes. After his playing career, he began a career as a coach and managed Al-Ahly Benghazi in Libya for one season, and the following season he worked in the youth department of Ferencváros. Ultimately, however, he decided to work as a journalist.
At the end of October 2011, Albert died at the age of 70, a few days after heart surgery. Outside his homeland, Flórián Albert may have largely been forgotten, but there his legend lives on. Until 2013, his club Ferencváros’s stadium also bore his name, and for Hungarian football fans, their “Emperor” remains an unforgettable icon.