The emphasis is on friendship

Hungarian–Serbian generals’ match

Text: Vivien Takács | Photo: Gábor Kormány | 13:37 October 16, 2023

On 14 October, the Pancho Aréna at Felcsút hosted a friendly five-a-side football match in a joyful atmosphere. The teams consisting of Hungarian and Serbian senior military leaders traditionally meet twice a year – this April, the senior officers and generals already matched their football skills in Serbia.

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The sporting event that has become a tradition since 2015 was also watched by Gábor Gion, MoD State Secretary for Defence Strategy and Human Resources; General Gábor Böröndi PhD, Chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces General Staff and General Milan Mojsilović, Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces.

Gábor Gion first welcomed the players in Serbian and then in Hungarian. He said that the will to win is very important in all situations. “Keeping victory in mind, enjoy the game and make new friends”, emphasized the state secretary.

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Consisting of two 30-minute halves, the match was finely balanced until the last minutes. Three minutes before the end, the Hungarian team scored a goal against the Serbs, but the joy did not last long. Some seconds before the referee’s final whistle, the Serbian players equalized, so the regular time ended in a 1-1 tie. The teams kicked penalties after a short break, and finally the Hungarian generals’ team won the match.

In summarizing what he had seen, General Gábor Böröndi PhD said that it is always a great experience to watch the generals’ teams of the two countries playing against each other. “There’s competition on the pitch, but the players are good friends before, after and during the game. I’m satisfied because finally the Hungarian team has won the match with penalty shoot-outs, but the emphasis is on friendship”.