But even from then on, the role of the team captains was much more than just someone who changed flags and shook hands. Obviously, this also changed for us in the twenties, and in the topflight, they became not only the fitness coach but also the coach who had the power to decide on tactical matters. Practically they played the game, decided everything on the pitch that affected the team, and sometimes even led training sessions. Even without the armband, team captains played a huge role in the heyday of football. In the 1960s, there were already examples of people wearing them, and György Moldova even included the white armband in his book ‘The Unbeatable Eleven.' However, for a long time, it was not customary for us to wear it. I might add that, at first, many people wore the armband on their right arm. Nevertheless, from the mid-1970s, the wearing of the armband became generally accepted in Hungary and England, both for national teams and clubs. The situation is the strangest with the Hungarians: Ferenc Sipos wore the distinctive mark against the Portuguese, but not against the Brazilians, the Soviets, or the Bulgarians. ![]() Italian captains wore them in the first half of the 1960s, and I think the breakthrough came at the 1966 World Cup in England where more than half the captains wore armbands. It was these two countries, the Soviet Union and Italy, that were leaders in the armband. Igor Netto, the captain of the Soviet team, wore it for the first time in a major tournament, in the final four of the 1960 Nations Cup. I think the armband was compulsory for the Italians from the 1949-1950 season, but then it was dropped. I've done a lot of research on Soviet football in the past, and they have been wearing armbands since 1954. “Many people have tried to find out when team captains started wearing armbands and where the idea came from. THE SOVIETS MAY HAVE BEEN THE PIONEERS OF THE TEAM CAPTAIN ARMBAND We asked Tamás Dénes, a recent Szepesi Prize-winning journalist, sports historian, and former editor-in-chief of our newspaper, about the history of the team captain's title, its changing function, and the first appearance of the armband. He could be a captain now, but he will be one for sure in the years to come. ![]() In addition, the playmaker has made a lot of progress mentally, and the position of team captain could further enhance his development. The self-confidence that is natural among professionals, which may seem arrogant from the outside, can be considered rather irritating in Hungary only. His “promotion” could be a good decision from a pedagogical point of view: the responsibility that comes with the armband could make him even more serious and humble. His role in the team is clear: he is a respected and well-liked squad member. And the speculation has been ongoing ever since then: could the experienced footballer's gesture have been a sign of things to come? RB Leipzig's midfielder is 21 years old, perhaps young for such an honor, but there is an argument for him to be chosen. The team captain, who scored a back-heel goal, put the armband around Dominik Szoboszlai's arm in a spectacular gesture when he was substituted in Leipzig. ![]() Ádám Szalai retired as the national team's captain in the Nations League match against Italy (Photo: Reuters)Īfter the 1-0 win against Germany in the Nations League, the question that fans are really interested in is who Ádám Szalai's successor will be.
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