The Hungarian legend has been crowned the Legends World Cup winner after defeating Cristiano Ronaldo. Here's what his contemporaries have said about his unique abilities
“He was a special player in his day without question. How that Hungary team didn’t win the 1954 World Cup is beyond me.”
SIR ALEX FERGUSON
“Of all of us, he was the best. He had a sixth sense for soccer! If there were 1,000 solutions, he would pick the 1001st.”
HUNGARY TEAM-MATE NANDOR HIDEGKUTI
“Look at that little fat chap. We'll murder this lot. ”
UNIDENTIFIED ENGLAND PLAYER BEFORE 6-3 DEFEAT IN 1953
"In his book, Puskas said if I hadn't had a good game they would have got 12! It was a privilege to play against that team, even though we got done. Not only was Puskas a great footballer, he was a lovely man."
ENGLAND GOALKEEPER GIL MERRICK
"Ferenc truly was just a wonderful player. He had a roly-poly physique but a wonderful left-foot and he was a brilliant finisher. I would put Puskas in any list of all-time greats. A wonderful player and a wonderful person and he really enjoyed playing the game."
SIR TOM FINNEY
“Puskas scared the hell out of goalkeepers from the 30-35 metre range. He did not just have a powerful shot, but precision as well. I thought he was a genius.”
REAL MADRID TEAM-MATE RAYMOND KOPA
“The man was a supertalent. I have lost a friend and quality player. That’s how Puskas was as a person and a football player. He was one of the greatest players of all time but life, my friend, when you least expect, it comes to an end.”
REAL MADRID TEAM-MATE ALFREDO DI STEFANO
“He got along with everyone and had a very jovial character that helped him play with a striking amount of joy and calmness. He had a great shot and he could accelerate very quickly, he was all-around skilled and, above all else, explosive.”
LUIS SUAREZ (SPAIN)
“There is not one Hungarian who would be left untouched by the death of Ferenc Puskas. The best-known Hungarian of the 20th century has left us, but the legend will always stay with us.”
FORMER HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER FERENC GYURCSANY
“I was with (Bobby) Charlton, (Denis) Law and Puskas, we were coaching in a football academy in Australia. The youngsters we were coaching did not respect him, including making fun of his weight and age.
"We decided to let the guys challenge a coach to hit the crossbar 10 times in a row, obviously they picked the old fat one.
"Law asked the kids how many they thought the old fat coach would get out of 10. Most said less than five. I said 10.
"The old fat coach stepped up and hit nine in a row. For the tenth shot he scooped the ball in the air, bounced it off both shoulders and his head, then flicked it over with his heel and cannoned the ball off the crossbar on the volley.
"They all stood in silence then one kid asked who he was, I replied, 'To you, his name is Mr. Puskas.'”
GEORGE BEST
- Goal