Hungary come into Euro 2024 as the darkest of horses.
This is their best shot at a deep tournament run in decades, with a beloved coach, a well-drilled unit, and sprinkles of stardust.
The Magyarok are on a 14-game unbeaten streak stretching back to September 2022. Their last tournament, the 2022-23 Nations League, saw them beat England twice - including a 4-0 trouncing at Molineux - defeat Germany once, and finish second in a group also containing reigning European champions Italy.
Headlines will naturally gravitate towards Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai, but look out for goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and defender Willi Orban, long-time servants of the RB Leipzig revolution, as well as Freiburg winger Roland Sallai, scorer of fantastic goals.
Oh, and, er, Callum Styles, a Bury lad and Barnsley full-back who has never played his club football outside England, doesn't speak Hungarian, and only found out that his grandmother was from there in 2020.
Here's everything you need to know about Hungary, including how they qualified for the tournament, their history in the competition and who to look out for.
Hungary are unbeaten since September 2022 and their belief has not been higher in decades
Dominik Szoboszlai is the key name but he is backed by multiple seasoned Bundesliga stars
Callum Styles, left, is one to watch considering he was born in Bury and plays for Barnsley
Who is the manager?
Marco Rossi (2018-present)
Marco Rossi is an adopted Hungarian at this stage. No, really - he took an oath of citizenship last year and was congratulated by the prime minister Viktor Orban. The story of how he got here is remarkable.
In 2011, Rossi found himself in a friend's restaurant in Budapest called Millennium da Pippo. He was almost ready to quit coaching after seven years of frustration in the Italian lower divisions, but it just so happened that his restaurateur pal knew the owner of Honved, one of Hungary's most iconic clubs.
Rossi called the club's sporting director after some encouragement and a year later he was named as their manager. In his second stint at the club, in 2017, he delivered Honved their first league title in 24 years and the next year Hungary came calling. Now he has managed the third-most games of any manager in their history.
He led Hungary to Euro 2020 but they finished bottom of the group of death containing France, Germany, and Portugal. All the same, they won plaudits for bloodying a couple of noses, snatching draws from France and Germany in pulsating games they were unlucky not to win. Indeed, they were just minutes away from making the last 16 before Leon Goretzka broke their hearts.
With a more favourable group this time - and a reunion with Germany - Rossi has a good chance of elevating his legacy further. Could a third consecutive 'Hungarian Sportspeople of the Year' award await?
Marco Rossi has been in charge of Hungary since 2018 and is an adopted citizen of the country
A twist of fate in a Budapest cafe led him to manage in Hungary and now he is a national hero
Who is their star man?
Dominik Szoboszlai (40 caps, 12 goals)
There's no shame in going for the obvious name here.
The Liverpool midfielder is Hungary's captain and was their hero in qualifying, producing four goals and five assists as they went unbeaten. Given license to roam in a 'free role', he is already one of their most experienced internationals aged 23.
He signed off the qualifying campaign in style with two goals in a 3-1 win over Montenegro, nutmegging one defender and wrong-footing another in a sensational slalom for the first. After single-handedly turning the game on its head, he downed a traditional Hungarian shot of Palinka and celebrated with fans in the stands.
What Hungary have in Szoboszlai is a talismanic figure who can do anything. He's an excellent all-round contributor, a willing runner, and happy to muck in with the dirty defensive work. But, crucially, he has those moments of magic in his locker which can prove so crucial in tournament football where there are no second chances.
In qualifying against Bulgaria last year he placed a 25-yard free-kick in the top corner out of nowhere and teams will be on red alert for that dead-ball ability.
Managed Rossi compliments him highly: 'His best skill, for sure, is his shot. I've been in football for more than half a century, and I have to say that I don't remember more than five players in the last 50 years that have a shot like him or who are better than him.'
Szoboszlai scored in the 92nd minute to help Hungary qualify for Euro 2020 before missing the tournament due to injury. Expect fireworks now he's fit and hungry.
Szoboszlai is Hungary's captain and consistently delivers in the big moments for them
The Liverpool midfielder is industrious and has the star quality needed in tournament football
How did they qualify?
Hungary qualified from Group G with a strong record - five wins, three draws, and no defeats, with 16 goals scored and only seven conceded.
That said, it was hardly the most daunting group, consisting of Serbia, Montenegro, Lithuania, and Bulgaria. Failure was not an option.
In their trying moments, Hungary pulled though. They came from 2-0 down to salvage a point away at Lithuania and forced a 97th-minute own goal to grab a 2-2 draw in Bulgaria.
While they started serenely, keeping three clean sheets in their first three games, things grew more chaotic towards the end. Hungary picked up red cards against Serbia and Bulgaria and keeping their discipline is something to watch out for.
Beating Serbia home and away was no mean feat and scoring as many as Italy in qualifying suggests firepower isn't an issue.
If you think this team is all about Szoboszlai, think harder. Ferencvaros forward Barnabas Varga scored just as many goals (four) while Sallai smashed in a half-volley from outside the box against Serbia in a riposte to Szoboszlai's wonder-goals.
The Magyarok were unscathed in qualifying but they were handed one of the easier groups
Roland Sallai scored a beautiful half-volley against Serbia and is no stranger to special goals
Fixtures (all UK time)
Heading into a group with Germany, Switzerland, and Scotland, Hungary have a better chance of making it through than last time around.
Last time, some third-placed teams made it to the last 16 with just three points, while four points has always been enough since the new format arrived in 2016.
Hungary vs Switzlerland - June 15, 2pm, Cologne
Germany vs Hungary - June 19, 5pm, Stuttgart
Hungary vs Scotland - June 23, 8pm, Stuttgart
Hungary want revenge against Germany, whose late equaliser knocked them out of Euro 2020
Tournament history
2020 - Group stage
2016 - Group stage
1976-2012 - Did not qualify
1972 - Fourth
1968 - Did not qualify
1964 - Third
1960 - Did not qualify
Rossi's men have qualified for their third consecutive Euros and they have a good chance of making it to the last 16
Odds to win the trophy
Confirmed 26-man squad
Goalkeepers: Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig), Denes Dibusz (Ferencvaros), Peter Szappanos (Paksi FC)
Defenders: Botond Balogh (Parma), Endre Botka (Ferencvaros), Marton Dardai (Hertha Berlin), Attila Fiola (Fehervar), Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), Adam Lang (Omonia Nicosia), Willi Orban (RB Leipzig), Zsolt Nagy (Puskas Akademia), Attila Szalai (Hoffenheim), Loic Nego (Le Havre)
Midfielders: Bendeguz Bolla (Servette), Daniel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union), Krisztofer Horvath (Kecskemeti), Laszlo Kleinheisler (Hajduk Split), Mihaly Kata (MTK Budapest), Adam Nagy (Spezia), Andras Schafer (Union Berlin), Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool), Callum Styles (Barnsley)
Forwards: Roland Sallai (Freiburg), Martin Adam (Ulsan HD), Barnabas Varga (Ferencvaros), Kevin Csoboth (Ujpest FC)
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