One of the great success stories of our academy in the season now approaching its conclusion has been the call-up of Miercurea Ciuc-born Brugger Dániel to Hungary’s U18 national team.
One of the great success stories of our academy in the season now approaching its conclusion has been the call-up of Miercurea Ciuc-born Brugger Dániel to Hungary’s U18 national team.
The local talent, who will celebrate his 18th birthday in June, also got playing time in Istanbul in the friendly match against Türkiye (coming on as a substitute in the 63rd minute). Although the national team delivered a strong performance and head coach Gerliczki Máté believed they had been the better side, they eventually suffered a 2–1 defeat.
On this occasion, we also spoke with the midfielder, who this summer graduates from youth football and may continue his career at senior level – while already having made his debut for FK Csíkszereda’s Superliga side.
For the young player from Csíktaploca (a district of Miercurea Ciuc), the national team call-up carried special significance, as he described it as a moment he will remember for a long time. “It was an unforgettable experience for me. I consider it a huge achievement and I’m very proud that, as a Székely, I could represent the Hungarian national shirt.”
The days spent with the national team were important not only emotionally but professionally as well. According to him, the camp involved high-level and detail-oriented work: “I encountered extremely serious professional work. There were plenty of tactical instructions and game elements that required a high level of adaptation, but I feel I managed to settle in and keep up with the pace.”
There was never any uncertainty regarding his national team choice either. For Dániel, representing Hungary was a natural decision: “For me, it was never a question. I’ve always supported the Hungarian national team, so this path felt completely natural.”
At the same time, the national team experience is only one stage in his development. Brugger Dániel feels he has taken major steps forward recently, while remaining aware that there is still a long road ahead. “I think I’ve improved a lot in recent times — tremendously. Of course, there’s still plenty of room for improvement. My goal is to play as much as possible here in Miercurea Ciuc for the senior team, and then, if the opportunity comes, move on to an even higher level.”
An interesting detail of the story is that among his first coaches were Ilyés Róbert and Bajkó Barna — the same professionals he later had the opportunity to work with again in senior football: “When I started playing football as a child, Róbert and Barni were my coaches. Back then, I obviously never imagined that one day I’d work with them again in the first team. Experiencing this already in my first senior season was truly special.”
We wish you every success in your future career, Brügi — and ideally, may your homeland continue to enjoy your football for many years to come!
R. A.
Photo: Pál Zoltán