MTK ready to rebuild after relegation

As Hungary recorded historic victories over England in the UEFA Nations League earlier this summer, everyone at MTK Budapest was brimming with pride. The nation’s success felt like one of their own.

Five MTK academy graduates featured in the games – the most out of any club in Hungary – including 17-year-old Zalan Vancsa, who became the youngest player to debut in the national team since1918.

Vancsa, who was acquired by the City Group in a record deal for the Hungarian league during the January window, is among an exciting group of players – alongside Andras Schafer (Union Berlin), Dominik Szoboszlai and Peter Gulacsi (both RB Leipzig) – to have emerged from MTK’s academy in recent years. But this is not a recent phenomenon; developing young players has always been ingrained in the club’s philosophy.