In a recent interview with the German Football Association’s official website, Hungarian manager Marco Rossi reflected on his team’s European Championship performance and expressed his admiration for Spain and Germany, deeming them the best teams of the tournament. Despite their early exit, Rossi maintains a positive outlook and looks forward to their upcoming match against Germany.
Rossi acknowledged that some Hungarian fans viewed their elimination from the tournament as a failure, but he firmly believes that any such claims are subjective. He emphasized that the team had fought hard to reach the European Championship, despite their expectations not being met. We were all striving to reach the 16th round of the European Championship, he said. But I said before the tournament started that if we qualified from the group, I would cycle around Lake Balaton, which is 200 kilometers, and it was quite a challenge.
Discussing the team’s elimination, Rossi attributed their loss to Switzerland (1-3) to a tactical misjudgment during halftime, which cost them dearly. Against Germany (0-2), he believes they were strong but lacked luck. The team’s victory over Scotland and their subsequent elimination due to Georgia’s surprise win against Portugal also played a role.
Despite the setbacks, Rossi insists that he has no intention of resigning. I never said I was leaving, he said. I just wanted to take a break and clear my mind. Now, I have regained my motivation.
The upcoming match against Germany is the fifth time Rossi has faced them since taking over as manager in 2018. They have previously won one, lost one, and drawn two matches. Despite the familiarity, Rossi remains excited for the challenge. Hungary against Germany is never boring, especially against Nagelsmann, who is a clever coach with well-rounded players, he said. In my opinion, Germany and Spain were the best teams of the European Championship, and it’s a real shame that they met so early in the quarter-finals.
Rossi’s connection to German football dates back to his time as a player for Frankfurt from 1996 to 1997. Although he played only 15 matches, he fondly remembers his time with the team and even earned the nickname New Caesar in a newspaper article. However, his relationship with the team deteriorated when the coach changed, leading to his departure.
His connection to Hungarian football also began in Germany. Rossi became friends with the owner of an Italian restaurant in Frankfurt, who later moved to Budapest and invited Rossi to his home. This encounter eventually led to Rossi joining the Budapest Honvéd as a sports director.
Since 2011, Rossi has lived in Hungary, with brief interruptions in Slovakia and Italy. He feels comfortable in the country and credits his grandparents, who were fans of the Hungarian golden generation led by Puskás, for his connection to the nation. Rossi is now a Hungarian citizen, a goal shared by both him and the Hungarian Football Association.
As they prepare for their upcoming match against Germany, Rossi is determined to help his team learn from their mistakes and overcome the challenges ahead. I will tell the players my thoughts and analyze the reasons for our early exit from the tournament, he said. We need to learn from these mistakes as quickly as possible.
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