As part of the course entitled The Theory and Practice of Football at the University of Debrecen (DELAB), there was a memorial evening held at the University of Debrecen in honor of Zoltán Czibor, presenting a film about the Hungarian national football team and FC Barcelona world-class star showed to more than 100 people in the university theater.
UD Chancellor Zoltán Bács, in his welcome speech, quoted the words of Jenő Buzánszky recorded in Mihály Sándor's book From Railroader to Gold Miner (Vasutasból aranybányász), according to which Czibor had been a great troubadour of football, not a simple journeyman.
“We are gathered here at yet another event about a great man. We wish to thank former Consul General in Barcelona Barnabás Kovács for bringing this film to us. The fact that the cause and fame of Hungarian football reaches so many places in the world is partly due to his efforts, too. As I, myself, was able to experience, for example, at the screening of the documentary Hungarians for Barca in Barcelona, the respect that surrounds the outstanding Hungarian players who once made the ‘blaugrana’ (blue and garnet team) great is still alive and kicking. Fortunately, we have quite a few people to remember and look up to, as people whose memory is worth being kept alive,” said the Chancellor.
In his opening speech, Barnabás Kovács encouraged everyone to set big goals for themselves. As his example clearly shows, it is indeed possible to get even from Debrecen to places like Barcelona, Madrid, Munich or Paris, and serve there as a head of mission.
“FC Barcelona is one of the biggest football clubs in the world, which celebrated the 125th anniversary of its foundation on November 29, 2024. A top priority of the year that is to commemorate this anniversary is to focus on the Hungarian heritage. Kubala, Kocsis and Czibor became true heroes in Barcelona, conquering the hearts of the Spanish and Catalan people, and this Hungarian trio continues to be highly esteemed. Czibor may have been the only one who was not considered a world-class star but only, quote, unquote, ‘an international classic’ in Barcelona, but this film can now put him in his rightful place. The Spanish version of this documentary has also been completed, and I have been given a promise by the president of Barca that it will also be shown there, with the only detail left to sort out is setting the date,” said Barnabás Kovács, who had the opportunity to devote his energies to keep the Hungarian football heritage in Barcelona alive as a result of his position as consul general.
The documentary movie about Olympic champion footballer and legendary left winger of the Golden Team Zoltán Czibor chronicles the title character’s life and career, presenting a typical Hungarian fate that was fundamentally influenced by the events of the 20th century. Czibor, the Ragfoot (a Rongylábú) takes the audience to the most important locations in the athlete's life in the cities of Komárom, Budapest and Barcelona. Conversations are recorded with his children and grandchildren, his Hungarian and Spanish friends, sports leaders from home and Barcelona, his former teammates, as well as with contemporary Hungarian and Spanish stars who have been influenced by the way he played.
The Tuesday event was also attended by Real Madrid's legendary youth coach József Tóth-Zele, a documentary about whose his career had also been screened before at the oDEon.
Following the film showing, the audience had the opportunity to check out the roll-up display exhibition CZIBOR95 in the lobby of the theater building, which will be later installed in the sports hall DESOK as of Wednesday.
Press Centre
