Dominik Szoboszlai made history as the youngest player to captain a side at the European Championship. The 23-year-old Liverpool midfielder took on the armband for Hungary in their Group A opener against Switzerland. Despite an underwhelming performance and hints of lingering injury, Szoboszlai managed to provide a brilliant assist.
Szoboszlai had been in fine form since taking over as captain in 2022, with Hungary only losing once in their previous 16 games. However, his display against Switzerland left much to be desired. Playing in his natural attacking role, Szoboszlai supported striker Barnabas Varga but struggled to make an impact. It was evident that the £65 million signing from RB Leipzig was still feeling the effects of an injury sustained in a warm-up friendly against Israel.
Despite his struggles, Szoboszlai showcased his talent by setting up Hungary’s only goal of the match. After missing a header minutes earlier, Varga made amends by converting Szoboszlai’s curling cross from the left flank. Unfortunately, Hungary couldn’t mount a significant comeback, and Switzerland secured a 3-1 victory with goals from Kwadwo Duah, Michel Aebischer, and Breel Embolo.
Although statistics showed that Szoboszlai created the most chances for his team and won all four of his ground duels, it was clear to the eye that he was not at his best. This mirrored his lackluster performances for Liverpool during the close season. With a defeat in their opening game, Hungary now faces an uphill battle to advance to the knockout stages of the tournament.
In other Group A action, Germany, the host nation, dominated Scotland with a resounding 5-1 victory. This result makes Germany and Switzerland the favorites to progress from the group. Hungary’s next match will be against Germany, while Scotland will face Switzerland. Both matches promise to be crucial in determining the fate of the teams in Group A.