It’s 100 years since Hungary became the first team from outside of the British Isles to compete in the UFWC. Here’s a flashback.

HUNGARY 2-4 ENGLAND, 29 May 1909
Friendly, Millenaris Sporttelep, Budapest
Scorers: Kesmarky, Grosz (Hungary); Woodward (2), Bridgett, Fleming (England)

In the UFWC’s 99th title match Hungary became the very first team from outside of the British home nations to take a bite at the UFWC.

For 37 years the title was passed exclusively between England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. England had already played European opposition outside of the UFWC, beating Hungary – and Austria and Bohemia – in the previous year. Now, having taken the title from Wales in March and successfully defended it against Scotland in April, England took the title into a short post-season continental tour.

Hungary were one of the oldest continental international football teams, having played their first international match against Austria in 1902. They were also one of the earliest members of the recently-formed FIFA. They had won more games than they had lost, but those games had been against fellow fledgling footballing nations, and Hungary were no real match for the experienced English.

Sunderland’s George Bridgett scored the first goal in front of 10,000 spectators after just five minutes. Vivian Woodward of Spurs and Harold Fleming of Swindon Town added to the score to give England a 3-1 half-time lead. Skipper Woodward netted a fourth in the second half to achieve the 4-2 victory.

Two days later the sides met for a rematch – and the landmark 100th UFWC title match. England named the same 11, and raced to a 5-0 half-time lead. The final score was 8-2, with Woodward hitting four, Fleming grabbing two, and George Holley of Sunderland also netting twice. The match marked the final international appearance of Evelyn Lintott, the Bradford City right half, who was killed in heroic circumstances at the Somme in 1916.

The day after beating Hungary 8-2, the same team – minus Lintott – beat Austria 8-1 in Vienna. But England would not play outside of the British Isles again until 1921, and the UFWC title continued to be passed between the British home nations.

Classic Matches England, Hungary

SWEDEN 2-1 HUNGARY, Solna, 11/09/08
Kallstrom 55, Holmen 64, Rudolf 90

Sweden are the new UFWC Champions, having defeated Hungary 2-1 in this World Cup Qualifier.

The Swedes were booed from the pitch after a disappointing first half, but recovered to win, largely thanks to the efforts of veteran striker Henrik Larsson. The 37-year-old skipper, playing his 101st game for his country, set up both goals – the first for Kim Kallstrom in the 55th minute. Lyon midfielder Kallstrom started the move, sending Larsson away down the left wing, and continuing his run into the box to head home Larsson’s cross from close range.

Next Larsson set up Samuel Holmen, who slotted the ball past Hungary keeper Gabor Babos in the 64th minute.

An unimpressive Hungary stumbled across a consolation goal with the very last touch of the game, with substitute Gergely Rudolf chesting the ball into the Swedish net, and the referee immediately blowing the full-time whistle without restarting play.

Sweden have excellent UFWC form – this was the country’s 26th UFWC title match victory, and they are ranked 9th overall. However, the Swedes have plummeted in FIFA’s word rankings over the last three years, dropping from the top 10 to 31st.

Sweden’s first defence of their title this time around will be against Portugal in Solna on 11 October 2008. The last match between the two nations, in 2004, resulted in a 2-2 draw, but Portugal won the previous match, in Gothenburg in 2002, 3-2. Portugal have only ever won two UFWC title matches, but have been a regular fixture in FIFA’s top ten ranked teams in the world for the last four years. Sweden have home advantage and the UFWC title, but Portugal have recent form.

Sweden: Andreas Isaksson, Olof Mellberg, Daniel Majstorovic, Petter Hansson, Mikael Nilsson, Sebastian Larsson, Kim Kallstrom, Daniel Andersson, Samuel Holmen, Henrik Larsson, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Markus Rosenberg, 81).

Hungary: Gabor Babos, Roland Juhasz, Vilmos Vanczak, Zoltan Szelesi, Zoltan Gera, Tamas Hajnal, Pal Dardai (Gergely Rudolf, 70), Krisztian Vadocz, Boldizsar Bodor (Balazs Dzsudzsak, 80), Sandor Torghelle, Szabolcs Huszti.

Match Reports Hungary, Sweden

HUNGARY 0-0 DENMARK, Budapest, 06/09/08

An uneventful goalless draw in Budapest saw Hungary retain the UFWC title in this World Cup qualifier.

Denmark had the majority of the possession and came closest to scoring, with Arsenal’s Nicklas Bendtner striking the post from a free kick.

Hungary played with a single striker, and Szabolcs Huszti had the best of their chances just before half-time, latching onto a mistake from Martin Laursen but being denied by goalkeeper Stephan Andersen.

Hungary will take the title into their second World Cup Qualifier against Sweden on Wednesday. Sweden also drew their first qualifier 0-0, playing out a stalemate with Albania.

Hungary: Gabor Babos, Zoltan Szelesi, Vilmos Vanczak, Roland Juhasz, Laszlo Bodnar, Krisztian Vadocz, Pal Dardai, Zoltan Gera, Tamas Hajnal, Balazs Dzsudzsak (Sandor Torghelle, 46), Szabolcs Huszti (Gergely Rudolf, 90).

Denmark: Stephan Andersen, Lars Jacobsen, Martin Laursen, Daniel Agger, Christopher Poulsen, Daniel Jensen, Christian Poulsen, Martin Vingaard (Jonas Borring, 62), Dennis Rommedahl, Nicklas Bendtner (Marc Nygaard, 87), Jon Dahl Tomasson (Martin Retov, 68).

Match Reports Denmark, Hungary

HUNGARY 3-3 MONTENEGRO, Budapest, 20/08/08
Priskin 29, Hajnal 55,87, Jovetic 45,68, Vukcevic 51

A late Tamas Hajnal penalty snatched a draw and retained the UFWC title for Hungary in this friendly match against Montenegro.

Watford striker Tamas Priskin shot from 25 yeards to give Hungary the lead on 29 minutes, but the Montenegrins equalised on the stroke of half-time through a Stevan Jovetic penalty – despite the best efforts of Hungary goalkeeper Gabor Babos.

Simon Vukcevic of Sporting Lisbon latched onto a rebound to put the visitors ahead after 51 minutes, but within minutes Hajnal had levelled things up for Hungary, who were without injured star man Zoltan Gera.

Jovetic scored his second goal on 68 minutes to restore Montenegro’s lead, but Hajnal’s 87th minute penalty was enough to earn the Hungarians a draw.

UFWC champs Hungary will next play Denmark on 6 September in a World Cup Qualifier.

Hungary: Gabor Babos, Zoltan Szelesi (Laszlo Bodnar, 80), Vilmos Vanczak, Roland Juhasz (Krisztian Timar, 61), Zsolt Low (Boldizsar Bodor, 80), Balazs Toth (Adam Vass, 46), Krisztian Vadocz, Szabolcs Huszti (Peter Halmosi, 69), Tamas Hajnal, Balazs Dzsudzsak, Tamas Priskin (Gergely Rudolf, 69).

Montenegro: Vukasin Poleksic, Elsad Verotic (Vlado Jeknic, 84), Radoslav Batak, Jovan Tanasijevic, Vladimir Bozovic, Branko Boskovic, Simon Vukcevic (Igor Burzanovic, 67), Milorad Pekovic, Nikola Drincic, Stefan Jovetic, Mirko Vucinic (Radomir Dalovic, 68).

Match Reports Hungary, Montenegro