The Match

Watch out, Nagy!

Get back on defence, David!

What's the matter?

I'm terrible, Grandpa.

Yes, you are.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Come.

If playing football

meant doing everything by yourself

you would be the best.

Sure, you want to score the winning goal

and be the big hero.

Everybody wants to do that for himself.

But you cannot be the hero

every time you're playing football.

Maybe you should play tennis.

No! I love football.

Of course you do.

It's a love that never ends.

A love you cannot betray.

When did you know?

How much I loved football?

Well, I must have been a few years younger than you.

My father took me to see a match.

He didn't tell me where we were going.

It was supposed to be a surprise.

And what a surprise.

I'll never forget

going up the steep stairs

and all of a sudden, I see in front of me

this endless, bright green field.

I swear, I've never seen such a bright green in my life.

At my age, I forget too many things.

Too many to remember.

But I'll never forget that day...

and the way the field looked...

the way the field smelled.

Some memories stay with you.

They never fade.

They are too important.

Was it different?

Everything was different.

How many footballs do you have at home now?

Ten, I think.

Ten.

I had only two.

And they were two more than all my other friends.

Your great grandfather owned a nice restaurant

where all the local players came and celebrated.

So, as gifts, sometimes they give him footballs.

I begged my father day and night

to let me go outside and play with the ball.

No way.

Not a chance.

They were too rare and precious.

Owning a ball meant to be privileged

and my father didn't want the other boys

getting jealous of me.

I know I wanted to do everything by myself

but that's because I thought I could.

Sacrifice, David.

A team can only win

when you set aside your ego

and work for everybody.

Football is the only sport

where a team that has no chance of winning

can surprise the world.

If only they do what?

Play as a team.

Exactly right.

We were better today.

Yes, you were, but you lost.

The best team doesn't always win.

And I should know.

Know what, Grandpa?

There's a story I never told anybody.

Not even your father knows.

Does it have to do with football?

Yes, it does.

That's why I want you to hear it.

It's time.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six

five, four, three, two, one!

Happy New Year!

Branko.

Yes, sir.

Do you know who this is?

Yes, sir. That's Laszlo Horvath

and the team that beat the Nazis...

Shh! Yes, yes. That's right.

Now, your only duty today is to make sure

that their glasses are never empty.

Yes, sir.

Here. Just go.

Compliments of the maître d', Mr Horvath.

Aren't you too young to be serving alcohol?

Yes, sir. But I'm only serving it, not drinking it.

Soon enough, you will know why it makes everything

and everyone much more fun.

Don't believe anything he's trying to tell you.

Either he is lying or trying to corrupt you.

I just told the kid he's too young to be serving alcohol.

Well, in a minute, he'll be offering you a drink.

So scram, kid, if you wanna save yourself.

- I will, sir. - No, no, no.

Wait a second.

Come, come closer.

Um... I'm s...

Come, come. For you.

- I'm sorry, Mr Horvath. - Laszlo.

Mr Laszlo, I don't think my father will approve.

You know...

You deserve it...

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Cheers! Happy New Year!

I see what I like.

Wish me luck.

I will, as always.

I'm Laszlo Horvath.

Nice to meet you.

You never were the shy one.

A man can never have enough of two things in life.

With you, of all people

I always thought limiting yourself

to just two things is a sin.

Besides...

the beautiful sight in this place

has clearly taken a fancy to you.

On the contrary, the opposite side seems to be

paying an even closer attention to your every move.

I thought I told my mother not to come here.

The Nazis...

You have their undivided attention.

Well done.

So what? I care enough to stare right back.

Are you deliberately trying to provoke them?

You know what happens to them who stare at the devil?

Even this devil is nothing but flesh and bone.

They don't think they are.

Well, that's their Achilles heel, not mine.

Yours is vanity.

Just be careful.

There's a lot of them in here and out there.

Please. I'm begging you.

Do me a favour.

Stop it.

Please.

You're a famous man, Mr...

Laszlo.

That's the name.

Laszlo Horvath.

We all had a bet

if you were indeed the famous player

everyone remembers.

Did you win the bet?

- Yes, indeed. - Good.

Because just a few years ago

you guys didn't fare so well.

Please...

do not remind me.

You and your men were fortunate enough

to beat the Nazi team three to two.

But this was seven long years ago.

We are much better now.

I can see.

Soon enough, all of Europe will be Nazis

so you can play against yourself, which is great.

That way you can prevent yourself from ever losing again.

May I suggest a small wager?

My fellow men and I have a proposition for you.

Considering you were a part of a team that beat the Nazis...

we would like an opportunity to get back a little bit of...

how would you say...

pride.

Whoever manages to bounce the ball in the air

between two people the longest

without it falling to the ground, wins.

Loser pays the winner food, drinks, anything

for the entire evening.

I insist, Mr Laszlo.

You know what?

I'm a little bit confused.

I thought pride is what you were waging?

Very well.

You win, and we will pay

whatever you and your men wish to consume

and if we win, pride is what we will take.

Pride is not won.

It is earned.

And besides, that's not too much of a wager

since everything at our table, as you can see

is already on the house.

Maybe you have another suggestion, then?

As a matter of fact, I do.

You...

your fellow men, your army...

all of you...

leave Budapest tonight.

And never come back, ever again.

Mr Laszlo