Trained in Austria, revealed in Cyprus, record transfer to Fenerbahçe and German desert: who is Attila Szalai, Standard’s new defender

Attila Szalai, the father of… Attila, was a short-lived Hungarian international (2 caps), robust defender, Hungarian champion with Vac FC (1994), where Attila, the son, took part of his classes. Football, for the Szalai family, is a family affair. But in the 21st century, the possibilities of growing up abroad are greater. Spotted by Rapid Vienne when he was barely 14 years old, young Attila tried the Austrian adventure. He continued his training there, but did not succeed and therefore returned to Hungary, to Mezokovesd, at 19 years old.

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It is in this small town in the north-east of Hungary that he will attract… Cypriot attention. Ivan Vukomanovic, former (assistant) coach of Standard, was the coach of Apoel Limassol, at the time, in 2019. “The habit in the Cypriot championship is not to look for young players, the clubs rather transfer experienced players. His arrival was criticized, also internally. He was looked at funny, but Attila showed his qualities: good left foot, intelligent in his movements, good recovery and physicality to go into duels, he can cut an opponent in two.”

The characteristics described must have pleased Ivan Leko, who above all wants “warriors” ready to strip themselves to bring back a result. “From this point of view, Attila is a perfect team playerassures Vukomanovic, who only knew him for a few matches before leaving Limassol. He had a good character, and he was a hell of a worker.”

And we must believe that the work pays off since Fenerbahçe attracted him after two seasons, for almost €4 million, making the young defender the third most expensive outgoing transfer in the history of the Cypriot championship.

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It was in Limassol, too, that Szalai earned his international stripes (46 caps, 2 goals). Giovanni Costantino, assistant to Marco Rossi in the Hungarian selection, scouted Szalai, regularly called up for the Espoirs. “I went to see the Nicosia derby, against APOEL, and I had the confirmation of a serious defender. I spoke with him after the match and told him he would be an important defender for the national team.” The assistant was right since Szalai, who celebrated his first cap against Uruguay in November 2019, was a starter, continuously, barring injury, until the last Euro.

“He is technically quite good in the short game and the long gamevalid Constantine, and he is capable of playing in a three or four defense.” In selection, with Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool), he became one of the executives, acclaimed by Internet users of the Hungarian sports media Nemzeti Sport, when they were asked who should start Euro 2024.

But if he started the European Championship as a starter, despite an almost blank season at club, he paid for an average first match against Switzerland. He finished the Euro on the bench and did not return to the selection since he disappeared from circulation at Hoffenheim. At Standard, after a change of agent to activate other networks, Attila will therefore seek to once again become the robust defender that he was. And if he leaves Liège with tears in his eyes – he is on loan, with no options – it will mean that the six months went well.