For two decades, the Hungarian Supporters’ Club has been a testament to Arsenal’s global reach, and this year marks a milestone as the club celebrates its 20th anniversary. Founded by Peter Mozsolics and a group of fans who initially connected through an internet forum in 2003, the club became official in 2006—the same year Arsenal reached their first Champions League final. Now, two decades later, fate has delivered an extraordinary coincidence: the second Champions League final in Arsenal’s history will be held in Budapest, Mozsolics’ home city. „It’s super special that we will have a part of history with Arsenal in the Champions League,” Mozsolics said, reflecting on the incredible journey from a small online community to hosting thousands of traveling supporters in Hungary’s capital.
The group’s formation was driven by a shared passion that transcended geography. Meeting regularly at pubs like Joe and Joe—run by an Arsenal supporter—the Hungarian fans have built deep, lasting friendships. „My closest friends are Arsenal supporters. We have all spent so much time with each other over the years, we now go on holidays together and our families know each other too, all because of our hobby,” Mozsolics explained. During the mid-2000s, they seized the opportunity to get closer to the team when Arsène Wenger held pre-season camps in neighboring Austria. These road trips allowed them to meet players and even the legendary manager himself, forging an even stronger bond with the club.
As the Champions League final approaches, the Hungarian Supporters’ Club is organizing a series of events to welcome fellow Arsenal fans. Plans include a football tournament, a quiz night in collaboration with the Arsenal Foundation at The Grund, and a screening of the final for those without tickets to the Puskás Arena. „It’s a city full of love for football. We tend to gather for every game in good numbers, and plenty of us will be doing the same again for the final,” Mozsolics said, highlighting the excitement building in Budapest.
The anniversary celebrations are steeped in personal and historical connections. For their 10th anniversary, former Arsenal player Anders Limpar—who has Hungarian heritage through his father—spoke at the group’s party. Now, the group sees another link to Hungary in first-team star Viktor Gyökeres, whose grandfather was Hungarian. „It’s great to see him join Arsenal and doing so well, helping us to win the title, hopefully he can go one further and win the Champions League, here in Hungary. I think that would be very special,” Mozsolics said. For the Hungarian Supporters’ Club, this year’s final is more than just a game—it’s a celebration of two decades of friendship, loyalty, and an unbreakable connection to Arsenal.
Ez a cikk a Neural News AI (V1) verziójával készült.
Forrás: http://www.arsenal.com/news/hungary-supporters-club-history-makers.