Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor (August 23, 1929 – September 1, 1997)
He was unpredictable. Neither the spectators nor his opponents ever knew what to expect from him in the next second. His play was described as demonic; on the pitch he was nicknamed "Ragfoot" (Rongylábú), and off the pitch, "Crazy" (Bolond). Zoltán Czibor was the greatest Hungarian left winger of all time, both at Honvéd and at Barcelona. His football career, which was by no means devoid of frequent transfers, began in 1945 with Komáromi MÁV. After 1948, he joined FTC, which for a time went by the name ÉDOSZ. Under adventurous circumstances, he first transferred to Csepeli Vasas (1950–1952), and then in 1953 arrived at Budapesti Honvéd, where he achieved the greatest successes of his domestic career.
He broke into the legendary Hungarian national team as a left winger; he was there in Helsinki, playing on the wing for the Olympic champion side, and was also a key member of the 1954 World Cup silver medalist team. Between 1949 and 1956, he scored 17 goals in 43 international appearances. He was a participant in the historic 6–3 and 7–1 victories over England. He was a fast, elusive dribbler, technically gifted and dangerous in front of goal for the Golden Team. He was a three-time Hungarian champion, winning two titles with Budapesti Honvéd and one with Fradi. As a left winger, he also earned the league top-scorer title when he netted 20 goals during the 1955 season, tied with Ferenc Machos. He scored 58 goals in the colors of Bp. Honvéd.
Zoltán Czibor was the only member of the Golden Team of whom it can be confirmed with certainty that he established contact with armed resistance fighters during the 1956 Revolution. During that turbulent period, he went abroad as part of the Budapesti Honvéd squad preparing for their European Cup match against Athletic Bilbao.
After emigrating, he was unable to obtain a playing license for a year because MLSZ and FIFA had suspended his permit. He could only briefly enjoy the fruits of a preliminary contract signed with AS Roma, but a year later, with the assistance of Kocsis, he became an FC Barcelona player, where he enjoyed the greatest international successes of his life.
With the Catalan side, he became a two-time Spanish league champion, a Spanish cup winner, and a multiple-time Inter-Cities Fairs Cup winner (1958–60). In the 1961 European Cup final, despite his goal, his team Barcelona lost 3–2 to Benfica. He also played for Espanyol and Austria Wien.
Following his retirement, he managed his café, the "Blue Danube" (Kék Duna), in Barcelona. In 1990, he returned to Hungary and lived in Komárom until his death. In 1995, he was awarded the Order of Merit by the Hungarian Olympic Committee. On the occasion of Barcelona's centenary celebrations, a 1999 poll conducted by the renowned sports magazine Don Balón compiled a list of the 100 personalities who had done the most for FC Barcelona, and alongside Sándor Kocsis, Zoltán Czibor was also featured on this top-100 list. The former footballer passed away in his hometown of Komárom on September 1, 1997.
