Laszlo Kubala
The Hungarian forward who scored 280 goals in 345 appearances for Barcelona and was voted the club's best ever player in 1999.
László Kubala was a professional footballer who played as a forward for Barcelona from 1950 to 1961. Regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Kubala is considered a hero of Barcelona. During the 1950s, he was a leading member of the successful Barcelona team, scoring 280 goals in 345 appearances (including unofficial goals). During the club's 1999 centenary celebrations, a fan's poll declared Kubala the best player ever to play for the Spanish club.
- Role
- Forward
- Affiliation
- FC Barcelona
- Era
- 1950s
- Status
- Legendary Icon
- Nationality
- Hungarian
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Kubala signed for Barcelona on 15 June 1950, and as part of the deal, Ferdinand Daučík also became the Barcelona coach. However, a one-year international ban imposed by FIFA was still in place and he did not make his La Liga debut until 1951. He was permitted to play friendlies, and in two consecutive games against Frankfurter S.V., which Barcelona won 4–1 and 10–4, he scored six goals and assisted another five. He also played in the Copa del Generalísimo and helped the club win the trophy in 1951. In his first La Liga season, 1951–52, Kubala scored 26 goals in 19 games. This included 7 goals in a 9–0 win over Sporting de Gijón, five against Celta Vigo and hat-tricks against Sevilla and Racing Santander. His seven goals against Gijón remain the record for most goals scored in a single match in La Liga. He also scored in the Copa del Generalísimo final as Barcelona beat Valencia 4–2. This season proved to be one of the club's most successful. Coach Daučík and Kubala, together with players like Emilio Aldecoa, Velasco, Joan Segarra and Ramallets, inspired the team to win five trophies, including La Liga, the Copa del Generalísimo, the Latin Cup, and the Copa Eva Duarte.
In Their Own Story
Kubala missed much of the 1952–53 season after contracting tuberculosis, which threatened to end his playing career. However, he made a miraculous recovery and returned to help Barcelona retain both La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo. He also scored again in the Copa final win, a 2–1 win over Athletic Bilbao. During his time with Barcelona, he scored a total of 14 hat-tricks. In 1958, Kubala persuaded two fellow Hungarian refugees Sándor Kocsis and Zoltán Czibor to join him at Barcelona. Together with a young Luis Suárez and Evaristo, they formed the nucleus of the team that won a La Liga / Copa del Generalísimo double in 1959 and a La Liga / Fairs Cup double in 1960. However, Kubala found himself out of favour with coach Helenio Herrera and lost his place in the team. As a result, he missed the 1960 European Cup semi-final against Real Madrid which Barcelona lost 6–2 on aggregate. The result saw Herrera lose his job and Kubala restored to the team. In the 1961 European Cup, Barcelona became the first club to beat Real Madrid in the competition. Inspired by Kubala they won 4–3 on aggregate and subsequently reached the final where they lost to Benfica 2–3. Kubala briefly retired as a player in 1961 and initially became a youth coach at Barcelona, before becoming coach of the senior team for the 1962–63 season.
Reader's Guide
László Kubala played for Barcelona from 1950 to 1961, scoring 280 goals in 345 appearances (including unofficial goals). He was noted for his quick and skilful dribbling, composed and powerful finishing, and accuracy from free kicks. In his first La Liga season, 1951–52, he scored 26 goals in 19 games, including a record 7 goals in a 9–0 win over Sporting de Gijón. He helped Barcelona win five trophies in that season: La Liga, the Copa del Generalísimo, the Latin Cup, and the Copa Eva Duarte. After recovering from tuberculosis, he helped Barcelona retain both La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo in 1952–53. He later persuaded fellow Hungarians Sándor Kocsis and Zoltán Czibor to join Barcelona, forming a team that won a La Liga / Copa del Generalísimo double in 1959 and a La Liga / Fairs Cup double in 1960. In the 1961 European Cup, Kubala inspired Barcelona to become the first club to beat Real Madrid in the competition, winning 4–3 on aggregate, before reaching the final where they lost to Benfica 2–3. After retiring as a player, he had two spells as coach of Barcelona.
Did You Know?
- Kubala scored 7 goals in a 9–0 win over Sporting de Gijón in 1951–52, which remains the record for most goals scored in a single match in La Liga.
- During the club's 1999 centenary celebrations, a fan's poll declared Kubala the best player ever to play for Barcelona.
- Kubala missed much of the 1952–53 season after contracting tuberculosis, but made a miraculous recovery and returned to help Barcelona retain both La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo.
- In 1961, Kubala inspired Barcelona to become the first club to beat Real Madrid in the European Cup, winning 4–3 on aggregate.
- Kubala scored a total of 14 hat-tricks during his time with Barcelona.