Budapest Honvéd FC (Hungarian pronunciation:[ˈbudɒpɛʃtˈhonveːdˈɛft͡seː] is a Hungarian sports club based in Kispest, Budapest. The club is best known for its football team. Honved means the Homeland Defence. Originally formed as Kispest AC, they became Kispest FC in 1926 before reverting to their original name in 1944. The team enjoyed a golden age during the 1950s when it was renamed Budapest Honvéd SE and became the Hungarian Army team. The club's top players from this era, Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik, Zoltán Czibor, and Gyula Grosics formed the nucleus of the legendary Hungarian team known as the Mighty Magyars and helped the club win the Hungarian League four times during the 1950s. During the 1980s and early 1990s the club enjoyed another successful period, winning a further eight Hungarian League titles. They also won league and cup doubles in 1985 and 1989. In 1991 the club was renamed Kispest Honvéd FC and adopted its current name in 2003.
When the club was originally formed in 1909 it also organised teams that competed in fencing, cycling, gymnastics, wrestling, athletics, boxing and tennis. Later the Honvéd family was extended to include a water polo team, now known as Groupama Honvéd, a 33-times basketball-champion team and a handball team that were European Champions in 1982.
Budapest Honvéd FC were founded in 1909 as Kispesti AC. At domestic level they first entered the Nemzeti Bajnokság I in the 1916-17 season. Their first success came in the 1924-25 Magyar Kupa season when they beat Budapesti EAC in the final.
Crest and colours
Manufacturers and shirt sponsors
The following table shows in detail Budapest Honvéd FC kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors by year:
Had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries.
Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Budapest Honvéd FC.
Ferenc Puskás, Forward (1939–56). Number retired in July 2000.
George F. Hemingway
