1. Early Life and Career Beginnings
Balázs Dzsudzsák's formative years in football began in his native Hungary before he embarked on a professional journey that would take him across Europe and Asia.
1.1. Childhood and Youth Career
Dzsudzsák was born in Debrecen, Hungary, but spent his childhood and grew up in Nyírlugos. He has Polish roots. His initial steps in organized football were at Nyíradony Focisuli. His talent was recognized early, leading to his signing by Debreceni Olasz Focisuli, a renowned football academy for young talents, which served as a clear pathway towards the professional club Debreceni VSC. In 2004, as part of his development, he gained early senior experience by playing for Létavértes on loan from Debrecen in the Nemzeti Bajnokság III, the third division of Hungarian football.
2. Club Career
Dzsudzsák's club career has seen him play for several prominent teams across different leagues, showcasing his skills as a dynamic winger and contributing significantly to his teams' successes.
2.1. Debrecen
Dzsudzsák made his professional debut in the Hungarian National Championship I in 2004. In his inaugural season with Debreceni VSC, he made two appearances without scoring. During his second season, he featured in ten matches and netted two goals. Over the subsequent two seasons, he cemented his place as a regular in the squad, playing in 36 matches and scoring 12 goals, bringing his total appearances for Debrecen to 48 matches with 14 goals before his first departure.
His tenure at Debrecen was highly successful, as he played a key role in the club winning the Hungarian National Championship I three consecutive times in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He also contributed to three Hungarian Super Cup victories in 2005, 2006, and 2007. In 2007, he was recognized for his outstanding performance by being awarded the Hungarian Player of the Year.
2.2. PSV Eindhoven
On October 24, 2007, Balázs Dzsudzsák transferred to the Dutch club PSV, signing a five-year contract. His move was initially planned for the summer of 2008, but the departure of Kenneth Perez from PSV's squad prompted the club to accelerate Dzsudzsák's transfer to January 2008. PSV scout Piet de Visser praised Dzsudzsák, describing him as "an incredible talent" who is "fast, good in the combination, can pass his man and give a good cross," highlighting him as a "modern left-winger."
Dzsudzsák made his Eredivisie debut on January 12, 2008, in a 1-0 victory against Feyenoord, playing as a starter and recording three shots on goal. In the subsequent matchday, he scored his first league goal in a 1-1 draw with VVV-Venlo. On January 23, 2008, he registered his first assist in a 3-1 win against Sparta Rotterdam. He concluded his first season with five league goals, playing a crucial role in PSV securing the Eredivisie title.
The 2008-09 season saw the arrival of a new team coach, Huub Stevens. Dzsudzsák recorded his first hat-trick for PSV in a dominant 6-0 victory over ADO Den Haag at the Philips Stadion on February 5, 2009. He finished the season with 32 league appearances, scoring 11 goals and providing 9 assists.
For the 2009-10 season, Fred Rutten took over as coach. Dzsudzsák was named Man of the Match in a thrilling 4-3 victory against archrivals Ajax on August 15, 2009, where he scored two goals and provided one assist. He ended the 2009-10 season with an impressive 14 goals and 16 assists, making him the player with the most assists in the Eredivisie that season. However, he also received a straight red card in a UEFA Europa League match against Hamburger SV for pushing the referee, Mike Dean.
The 2010-11 season marked Dzsudzsák's most productive period of his career at PSV. He scored 16 goals and delivered 12 assists in the Eredivisie, ranking fourth and fifth in these categories respectively. In European competitions, he added 7 goals in 13 matches, culminating in a total of 24 goals across 49 games that season. Despite extending his contract with PSV in 2011, there was significant interest from other clubs, notably the Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.
2.3. Anzhi Makhachkala
On June 12, 2011, Dzsudzsák completed a transfer to Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala for an undisclosed fee, signing a four-year contract. He expressed his enthusiasm for joining "an ambitious project at Anzhi" and considered it a "big step forward" in his career, eagerly anticipating playing alongside notable teammates such as Roberto Carlos, Samuel Eto'o, Mbark Boussoufa, and Diego Tardelli.
He made his Anzhi debut on August 6, 2011, in a 2-0 victory against Tom Tomsk. Dzsudzsák made eight appearances for Anzhi, primarily as a substitute. Unfortunately, his time at the club was cut short when, on August 27, 2011, during a match against Rostov, he suffered a broken collar bone after a collision with an opponent. This injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He eventually made a return to the field on October 29, 2011, in a match against Amkar Perm.
2.4. Dynamo Moscow
On January 12, 2012, Dzsudzsák was transferred to Dynamo Moscow. The capital club reportedly paid a minimum release fee of 19.00 M EUR, making Dzsudzsák the most expensive Hungarian footballer in history at that time. He made his debut for Dynamo on March 9, 2012, against CSKA Moscow, where he assisted a goal in the 75th minute to help secure a 1-1 draw.
2.4.1. 2012-13 season
On August 19, 2012, Dzsudzsák scored his first league goal for Dynamo Moscow in the 75th minute against Terek Grozny during the 2012-13 Russian Premier League season, though the match ended in a 1-2 defeat. Six days later, on August 25, 2012, he had his most productive game in Russia at that point, scoring a goal and providing assists for two more in a 3-2 victory over Lokomotiv Moscow.
On September 30, 2012, Dzsudzsák scored in the Moscow derby against CSKA Moscow at the Arena Khimki in the 38th minute, contributing to a 2-0 victory for Dynamo. He also scored in a home 3-0 victory over Rubin Kazan at the Arena Khimki on December 1, 2012.
In February 2013, it was revealed that Liverpool had attempted to sign Dzsudzsák during the January transfer window, with manager Brendan Rodgers identifying him as a target. However, his agent, József Vörösbarányi, stated that Dynamo was not interested in selling him. On May 5, 2013, Dzsudzsák scored his final goal of the 2012-13 Russian Premier League season against Krylya Sovetov Samara in the fifth minute, securing a 2-1 victory. In June 2013, Sky Sports published an article indicating continued interest from Liverpool and Inter Milan. While Dzsudzsák's agent confirmed interest from both clubs, Dzsudzsák expressed contentment at Dynamo Moscow and a positive relationship with his coach, Dan Petrescu, at the time.
2.4.2. 2013-14 season
The 2013-14 Russian Premier League season proved to be Dzsudzsák's least productive in terms of goal-scoring, as he netted only one goal. This solitary goal came on August 24, 2013, against Zenit Saint Petersburg at the Arena Khimki in the 64th minute, in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw.
2.4.3. 2014-15 season
In October 2014, reports indicated that Dynamo Moscow intended to offer Dzsudzsák a contract extension. At the time, Dzsudzsák was earning 2.60 M EUR, but the club was prepared to increase his salary to 3.20 M EUR, equating to approximately 2.70 M HUF daily.
On November 2, 2014, Dzsudzsák scored a goal in the Moscow derby against Lokomotiv Moscow in the 2014-15 Russian Premier League season, although Dynamo ultimately lost the match 4-2. On the 17th matchday of the Premier League season, he delivered an impressive performance, scoring one goal and providing two assists against Amkar Perm at the Arena Khimki.
A significant recognition of his career came on December 10, 2014, when his former club, PSV Eindhoven, honored him by displaying his footprint at their museum. This tribute occurred before a UEFA Europa League group stage match against PSV. On December 19, 2014, Dzsudzsák was named the best Hungarian football player of 2014 by nb1.hu, a Hungarian sports journal. He garnered 111 points, surpassing Roland Juhász (92 points) and Zoltán Gera (44 points).
Towards the end of 2014, transfer rumors linked Dzsudzsák with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, fueled by potential financial difficulties among Russian Premier League clubs, including Dynamo Moscow. Previously, he had also been connected with Serie A club Lazio and English Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Everton. The speculation about a move to Lazio resurfaced in January 2015.
On April 9, 2015, Dzsudzsák scored a spectacular goal in the 24th minute against CSKA Moscow during the 2014-15 Russian Premier League season at the Arena Khimki. Dynamo Moscow secured a 2-1 victory in this Moscow derby, a win Dzsudzsák described as feeling "as if we had won the final."
2.5. Bursaspor
On August 16, 2015, Dzsudzsák signed with Turkish club Bursaspor for a transfer fee of 1.60 M EUR. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first two goals for Bursaspor on September 12, on matchday 4 of the 2015-16 Süper Lig against Gençlerbirliği at Bursa Atatürk Stadium, contributing to a 3-2 victory.
2.6. Al Wahda and Al-Ittihad Kalba
After his spell in Turkey, Dzsudzsák moved to the United Arab Emirates, joining Al Wahda FC in 2016. During his time with Al Wahda, he was part of the squad that won the 2016-17 UAE President's Cup and the 2017-18 UAE League Cup. On March 29, 2018, he featured in Al Wahda's 2-1 victory over Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf Cup final. Al Wahda also claimed the UAE Super Cup in both 2017 and 2018.
Following his period at Al Wahda, Dzsudzsák joined Al-Ittihad Kalba SC in 2018, where he continued to play in the UAE Pro League until 2020. He also briefly played for Al Ain FC in 2020.
2.7. Return to Debrecen
On September 22, 2020, Dzsudzsák made an emotional return to his boyhood club, Debreceni VSC. His return coincided with the club's relegation to the Nemzeti Bajnokság II, the Hungarian second division. He made his first appearance back for Debrecen in the 2020-21 Nemzeti Bajnokság II season. On March 6, 2021, he scored his first goal since returning, against Kaposvári Rákóczi FC on the 28th game week of the 2020-21 season, at the Nagyerdei Stadion. On July 1, 2022, he signed a one-year contract extension with Debrecen.
3. International Career
Dzsudzsák has been a stalwart for the Hungary national football team, becoming their most capped player and a key figure in their recent international campaigns.
Balázs Dzsudzsák made his full international debut for Hungary on June 2, 2007, in Heraklion against Greece. His first international goal coincidentally came against Greece again, on May 24, 2008. He scored his fourth international goal, a dramatic 94th-minute winner, against Finland on October 12, 2010. His fifth goal was scored against Lithuania in a friendly match held at the Stadion Sóstói. Notably, he scored three of his goals in the final three games of 2010, with two of them being UEFA Euro qualifiers. Dzsudzsák also scored the third goal in Hungary's 4-0 victory over Iceland at the Puskás Ferenc Stadion. On September 10, 2013, he scored a goal in a decisive 5-1 victory over Estonia in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match at the Puskás Ferenc Stadium.
On October 11, 2013, Hungary suffered a record 8-1 defeat at the Amsterdam Arena against the Netherlands, with Dzsudzsák scoring Hungary's sole goal. On May 22, 2014, when Hungary hosted Denmark at the newly constructed Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Dzsudzsák scored Hungary's opening goal in a match that ended in a 2-2 draw. On October 11, 2014, he scored the equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Romania at the Arena Națională in Bucharest, during a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match.
On May 31, 2016, Dzsudzsák was selected as the team captain for Hungary's squad at UEFA Euro 2016. He led the team in their first group match on June 14, 2016, a 2-0 victory over Austria in Hungary's Group F match at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux. Three days later, on June 18, he played in a 1-1 draw against Iceland at the Stade Vélodrome, Marseille. Dzsudzsák also participated in the final group stage match, a thrilling 3-3 draw against Portugal at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon, on June 22. In this match, he notably scored Hungary's second and third goals, helping his side finish at the top of Group F.
Dzsudzsák played his final match for the national team on November 20, 2022, against Greece, a game Hungary won 2-1. In this farewell match, he set the record for the most appearances in the national team with 109 caps. After the game, he expressed his gratitude to the football fans for their unwavering support and for witnessing his farewell match. Following his retirement game, he celebrated with Hungarian musician Kis Grófo.
4. Off-field Activities
Beyond his professional football career, Balázs Dzsudzsák has engaged in various off-field activities, including aspects of his personal life, charitable endeavors, and commercial partnerships.
4.1. Personal Life
In 2010, it was publicly disclosed that Dzsudzsák was in a relationship with Hungarian model and socialite Linda Zimány.
4.2. Charity and Public Activities
Dzsudzsák has demonstrated a commitment to philanthropy throughout his career. In 2009, he offered 1.00 K EUR to the "Összefogás napja" (Day of Unity) tournament, an event held to honor young players who passed away prematurely, including Miklós Fehér and Gábor Zavadszky. In October 2010, alongside fellow Hungarian international Roland Juhász, he donated 1.00 M HUF each to the victims of the Ajka alumina plant accident. On April 13, 2013, Dzsudzsák further contributed to social welfare by donating a 3.00 M HUF-worth medical device to the "Szemem Fénye Alapítvány" (The Light of My Eye Foundation). In September 2014, in a remarkable gesture as captain of the Hungary national team, he and Roland Juhász, along with other teammates, collectively paid for the tickets for approximately 1,200 Hungarian fans to attend an away match against Romania.
4.3. Sponsorship and Media
Dzsudzsák's prominence in football also extended to commercial partnerships. On July 26, 2013, EA Sports announced that he would be featured on the Hungarian cover of their popular video game FIFA 14, appearing alongside global cover star Lionel Messi.
5. Career Statistics
5.1. Club
The following table summarizes Balázs Dzsudzsák's club career statistics as of May 15, 2022:
| Club | Season | League | National Cup (includes Magyar Kupa, KNVB Cup, Russian Cup, Turkish Cup, UAE President's Cup) | League Cup (includes Ligakupa, UAE League Cup) | Continental (includes UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, AFC Champions League) | Other (includes Johan Cruyff Shield, Arab Club Champions Cup, UAE Super Cup) | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Debrecen | 2004-05 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2005-06 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 4 | ||
| 2006-07 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 7 | ||
| 2007-08 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 | ||
| Total | 48 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 16 | ||
| PSV | 2007-08 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | - | 22 | 3 | |||
| 2008-09 | 32 | 11 | 1 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 11 | |||
| 2009-10 | 32 | 14 | 3 | 1 | - | 12 | 2 | - | 47 | 17 | ||||
| 2010-11 | 33 | 16 | 3 | 1 | - | 13 | 7 | - | 49 | 24 | ||||
| Total | 114 | 44 | 7 | 2 | - | 35 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 157 | 55 | |||
| Anzhi Makhachkala | 2011-12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Dynamo Moscow | 2011-12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 12 | 0 | ||||
| 2012-13 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | - | 32 | 5 | ||||
| 2013-14 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 24 | 1 | |||||
| 2014-15 | 29 | 7 | 1 | 0 | - | 13 | 0 | - | 43 | 7 | ||||
| 2015-16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 89 | 13 | 6 | 0 | - | 17 | 0 | - | 112 | 13 | ||||
| Bursaspor | 2015-16 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 25 | 4 | ||||
| Al-Wahda | 2016-17 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 9 | |
| 2017-18 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 35 | 8 | ||
| Total | 42 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 66 | 17 | ||
| Al-Ittihad Kalba | 2018-19 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 6 | |||
| 2019-20 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 17 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 36 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 40 | 10 | ||||
| Al Ain | 2020 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Debrecen | 2020-21 | 26 | 5 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 29 | 5 | ||||
| 2021-22 | 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 32 | 8 | |||||
| Total | 57 | 13 | 4 | 0 | - | - | - | 61 | 13 | |||||
| Career total | 443 | 116 | 28 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 69 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 557 | 135 | ||
5.2. International
As of November 20, 2022, Balázs Dzsudzsák has made 109 appearances for the Hungary national football team, scoring 21 goals.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary | 2007 | 7 | 0 |
| 2008 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2011 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 9 | 4 | |
| 2014 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2015 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 109 | 21 | |
Scores and results list Hungary's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dzsudzsák goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 24, 2008 | Puskás Ferenc Stadion, Budapest, Hungary | Greece | 1-1 | 3-2 | Friendly |
| 2 | June 5, 2010 | Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Netherlands | 1-0 | 1-6 | |
| 3 | October 8, 2010 | Puskás Ferenc Stadion, Budapest, Hungary | San Marino | 7-0 | 8-0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
| 4 | October 12, 2010 | Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland | Finland | 2-1 | 2-1 | |
| 5 | November 17, 2010 | Sóstói Stadion, Székesfehérvár, Hungary | Lithuania | 2-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
| 6 | August 10, 2011 | Puskás Ferenc Stadion, Budapest, Hungary | Iceland | 3-0 | 4-0 | |
| 7 | November 11, 2011 | Liechtenstein | 3-0 | 5-0 | ||
| 8 | June 1, 2012 | Generali Arena, Prague, Czech Republic | Czech Republic | 1-0 | 2-1 | |
| 9 | August 15, 2012 | Puskás Ferenc Stadion, Budapest, Hungary | Israel | 1-0 | 1-1 | |
| 10 | September 11, 2012 | Netherlands | 1-1 | 1-4 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 11 | March 22, 2013 | Romania | 2-1 | 2-2 | ||
| 12 | August 14, 2013 | Czech Republic | 1-1 | 1-1 | Friendly | |
| 13 | September 10, 2013 | Estonia | 5-1 | 5-1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 14 | October 15, 2013 | Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Netherlands | 1-4 | 1-8 | |
| 15 | May 22, 2014 | Nagyerdei Stadion, Debrecen, Hungary | Denmark | 1-0 | 2-2 | Friendly |
| 16 | October 11, 2014 | Arena Națională, Bucharest, Romania | Romania | 1-1 | 1-1 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualification |
| 17 | June 5, 2015 | Nagyerdei Stadion, Debrecen, Hungary | Lithuania | 2-0 | 4-0 | Friendly |
| 18 | March 26, 2016 | Groupama Arena, Budapest, Hungary | Croatia | 1-1 | 1-1 | |
| 19 | June 22, 2016 | Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon, France | Portugal | 2-1 | 3-3 | UEFA Euro 2016 |
| 20 | 3-2 | |||||
| 21 | August 31, 2017 | Groupama Arena, Budapest, Hungary | Latvia | 3-1 | 3-1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
6. Honours and Records
Balázs Dzsudzsák has accumulated numerous team honors and individual accolades throughout his professional career.
6.1. Club Honours
Debrecen
- Hungarian League: 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07
- Hungarian Cup: 2007-08
- Hungarian Super Cup: 2005, 2006, 2007
- Hungarian Second Division: 2020-21
PSV
- Eredivisie: 2007-08
- Johan Cruijff Shield: 2008
Al Wahda
- UAE President's Cup: 2016-17
- UAE League Cup: 2017-18
- UAE Super Cup: 2017, 2018
6.2. Individual Awards and Records
- Hungarian Player of the Year: 2007
- Hungarian Football Federation Player of the Year: 2010
- Hungarian Footballer of the Year (Golden Ball): 2010, 2014
- Megyei Príma: 2015
Records
- Most assists in the Eredivisie: 2009-10 (16 assists)