THE CURSE OF BELA GUTTMANN

Bela Guttmann was Hungarian footballer and later also coach. He was a lot successful as coach then as a player. He played on a midfileder position and spent his career in: Hungary, Austria and USA. He also had several caps for national team.

Bela Guttmann in Hungary jersey

In football world he will be remembered for his uncompromising, many removals from one club to another and his coaching ingeniousness with which this Hungarian Jew conquered Europe and the world. During his 40 years of career he was 2 times European cup winner, several league titles and also some small trophies. He spent in Benfica 3 seasons, otherwise he was known as “roving coach“. Rarely where he stayed for more than season or two. He once said: -Third season is alway “fatal“. That third season was fatal for him as Benfica coach when he after defend the European cup, todays Champions League, asked for a raise from the club.

Except his coaching abilities he was famous for his conflicts with journalists, players and boards. He was not afraid of conflict with legendary Puskas.

As Milan coach in 1955 he had a hughe advance in front of other league teams but soon he conflict with the board of the club and got sacked in the mid-season. After he god fired he said: - I have been sacked even though I am neither a criminal nor a homosexual. Goodbye.

Except in Europe he also coached in South America. There with Sao Paulo he won “Paulista“. There he introduced 4-2-4 formation with which Brazil won World Cup trophy in 1958.

Sticker from 1965/66

Before he took Benfica he was coach of Porto. With Porto h won his first from three Portugal league titles. After just one season he took Benfica where he experienced the greatest moments of his coaching career. With Benfica he won 5 main trophies in total (2 league titles, cup and 2 European cup). First day as Benfica coach he sacked several important players and gave chance to younger players. Same season he won league title and the next one Champions League. That was first time that Real wasn't champion. From Mozambique they signed Eusebio. With his great plays Eusebio helped Benfica to defend the title of European champion. After that second European cup trophy Bela asked for bonus for all this domestic and European titles. Board rejected him with words that that wasn't predicted with contract. After that Bela left club with words: - Not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever be European champion. In that time nobody bothered with that but today it describes as a „The curse of Bela Guttmann“. Since than Benfica played 8 finals of European cups and lose all of them. 5 times they were in Champions League final and 3 in UEFA Cup/European League. Before 1990 final, which was played in Vienna, where Guttmann was buried, Eusébio prayed at his grave and asked for the curse to be broken.