page_title: History of the Hungary national football team
section_title: 2000s
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Hungary national football team / 2000s
caption_attribution_description: English: Gera in national team Magyar: Gera a válogatottban
context_page_description: Although Austria and Hungary were constituent countries of the dual monarchy known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they formed separate football associations and teams around the start of the 20th century.
context_section_description: The most talented players of the 2000s were Gera and Dárdai. Both played abroad (Gera in the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion F.C. and Fulham F.C., while Dárdai in the Bundesliga for Hertha BSC). However, other significant players did not emerge in order to form a strong national team which resulted the consecutive failures of the qualification for the international competitions in the 2000s. Hungary were unable to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2000, 2004, 2008 and for FIFA World Cup 2002, 2006, and 2010. Moreover, during the UEFA Euro 2008 qualification Hungary finished sixth in their group reaching their nadir in their football history. They even lost to Malta which resulted the resignation of Bozsik. Couple of days later Várhidi was appointed who was famous for his appearances in the Sport 1, Hungarian sport television, and analysing the Italian Serie A clubs. He proved his talent by beating the 2006 FIFA World Champions Italy by 3–1 at the Ferenc Puskás Stadium in a friendly tie. However, neither Bozsik nor Várhidi could do well in the official matches which resulted their removal.
  The Hungarian Football Federation even tried out foreign coaches. Both Matthäus and Koeman failed to qualify for any tournaments.
  In the 2000s only the Hungary U-20 team could bring back the emotions of the early years. Hungary won a bronze medal in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt. The new talents of the U-20 team were immediately signed by foreign clubs. Koman to Sampdoria, Németh to Liverpool, Simon to Palermo. However, the big question was whether they can develop enough to be able to play in the senior team.
caption: Zoltán Gera in national team in November 2011
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