Attila Mocsi: I owe the most to Ricardo Moniz’s arrival

ATTILA MOCSI

– Which team would you prefer to make your debut against?
– It doesn't matter, I have to work for my playing minutes first, I have to prove myself to the national team head coach to get the chance. I have to put in the hard work first to get the vote of confidence.

– A year ago, you were preparing for the NB II match against Budafok with Haladás. Now, you are tuning up for the national team against Germany and Italy. How would you sum up your last year?
– I worked very hard, I always wanted to go step by step. When I was playing for Haladás in NB II, my goal was to make it to NB I. In NB I, my goal was to make the national team. This is another step in my career. I'm very happy to be here, and I want to enjoy this moment.

– In what have you been able to improve recently, which led to a national team invitation, and how did you find out about it?
– I've improved in everything, but probably I owe the most to Ricardo Moniz's arrival because it's since then that I believe I'm a good player and that I can grow up for the task at the national and the international level. I still have to prove that, but I'm working to prove myself, but that's probably where I've made the most progress.

– What is the most important piece of advice you have received from Ricardo Moniz or anyone else?
– Ricardo Moniz told me to be the best, to give my best, to enjoy the moment, and to play the same way he expects me to play in Zalaegerszeg. My parents live in a small village, they also told me to enjoy this moment because not many people have this opportunity. They are very excited for me.

– You mentioned your parents. How does it feel to put Sokolce (Lakszakállas) on the map?
– It feels great, but I represent not only Sokolce but also the the Hungarian ethnicity of Slovakia in the national team. I try to represent them with the best performance possible.

KEVIN VARGA

– How does it make you feel to be back on the national team?
– I am very happy. It's been an eventful summer for the team, and I hope that if I get the chance, I can contribute to the team's performance, too.

– What was your experience regarding the national team's success in the summer?
– One of my eyes shed tears and the other one laughed, but obviously, the happiness was much greater than the sadness. It was a great experience for me to see it on TV, but at the same time, I can't stop thinking how good it would have been to be there with the team because I can imagine what it was like on and off the pitch, what the atmosphere was like in the training camp, so I hope these two matches will be just as successful.

– How do you assess the season so far? How is your preparation going, and what have you achieved on the pitch at Hatayspor?
– As I arrived relatively late to my club, I missed out on the groundwork. I had two weeks of training under my belt before the first game, so I was gradually given the opportunity. I've been playing more nowadays and I'm feeling great. We're talking about the beginning of the season, we didn't start the tournament as we wanted, there's been a lot of changes in the team now, and a change of coaches happened, so the situation is a bit confusing, but I feel in good shape and however many chances I get, I feel I can help the team.

– You have tough games ahead of you. The team's performance in the Nations League has been a surprise so far. Will there be other surprises?
– I hope there will be surprises. We're up against two tough opponents again, but neither of them will look down on us. I'm sure they'll be at their best to defeat us. We'll focus on ourselves, do what the national team head coach wants us to do, and bring the team spirit that has characterized the national team so far.

– The last time you were in the squad was in November. How is the current atmosphere compared to then?
– The atmosphere here is always great, it's one of the keys to a good performance by the national team. Almost everyone is good friends with everyone. It's not very typical at the club level where there's a lot more coming and going. Players don't come from the same nation there, but there's a very good atmosphere here, and it's like coming to a team of best friends.

– What do you think of the great interest in the team? Almost 200,000 ticket applications have been received.
– It's amazing to see the number of people who follow Hungarian football and those who care about it. The national team is on the right track, people don't want to come out to watch the Italian national team, but they want to experience what we did this summer.

THE HUNGARIAN NATIONAL TEAM SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Dénes Dibusz(Ferencvárosi TC),Péter Gulácsi(RB Leipzig – Germany),Péter Szappanos (Budapest Honvéd FC)
Defenders:Bendegúz Bolla(Grasshoppers – Switzerland),Endre Botka(Ferencvárosi TC),Attila Fiola(Mol Fehérvár FC),Ákos Kecskés(LASK – Austria),Ádám Lang(Omonia – Cyprus),Attila Mocsi(Zalaegerszegi TE FC),Willi Orbán(RB Leipzig – Germany),Attila Szalai (Fenerbahce – Türkiye)
Midfielders:Péter Baráth(Debreceni VSC),Milos Kerkez(AZ – Netherlands),László Kleinheisler(NK Osijek – Croatia),Ádám Nagy(AC Pisa – Italy),Loïc Négo (Mol Fehérvár FC),András Schäfer (FC Union Berlin – Germany,Callum Styles (Millwall FC – England),Bálint Vécsei(Ferencvárosi TC)
Attackers: Martin Ádám(Ulsan Hyundai – South Korea),Dániel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union – United States),Ádám Szalai(FC Basel – Switzerland),Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig – Germany),Zalán Vancsa(Lommel SK – Belgium), Kevin Varga(Hatayspor – Türkiye)

NATIONS LEAGUE
LEAGUE A
GROUP 3
ROUND 5
September 23, Friday
8.45 pm:Germany–HUNGARY(TV:M4 Sport)– live on NSO!
8.45 pm:Italy–England

ROUND 6
September 26, Monday
8.45 pm: HUNGARY–Italy (TV:M4 Sport)– live on NSO!
8.45 pm:England–Germany