Benedek Szabolcs - Ballada egy csapatról - A '86-os válogatott története

This book tells the story of the Hungarian national football team at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Author Szabolcs Benedek traces how the side, coached by György Mezey, qualified for the finals for the first time in 35 years, beating the Netherlands and Austria along the way and defeating West Germany and Brazil in friendly matches.

The team was the first from Europe to reach the 1986 tournament and was considered one of the continent's best at the end of 1985. Its play was not only effective but also witty and spectacular. The book draws on contemporary sources and personal conversations with former players to explain how the side fell from its peak so quickly, following the 6-0 defeat to the Soviet Union that became one of the most talked-about matches in Hungarian football.

Benedek also examines how the team rose to such heights in the first place, offering a portrait of a squad whose story remains one of the most debated chapters in Hungarian football history.