Dominik Szoboszlai cannot shoulder all the tasks on the pitch for Hungary

Dominik Szoboszlai was appointed captain of the Hungarian national team at the age of 22 in November 2022. In the opening match against Switzerland, the Liverpool midfielder became the youngest captain in the history of the EURO finals (23 years, 7 months and 21 days).

Being captain of Hungary means Szoboszlai has to deal with a lot of pressure. There are captains who lead with spirit and there are those who lead with action. Szoboszlai is not the type of person who likes to talk a lot. The Kop star is a captain who likes to show through action.

In the match against Switzerland, Szoboszlai tried to do it all. The 23-year-old midfielder was not the reason Hungary lost the match, but he was part of the reason why Hungary could not equalize. After falling 1-0 behind, when Hungary tried to step up their attack, Szoboszlai tried to take on multiple roles on the pitch, such as building play, creating combinations and even finishing.

Szoboszlai tried very hard to score against Sommer. Photo: AFP

Szoboszlai endured a difficult second half of the season at Liverpool. After playing every minute of the first 10 Premier League games and becoming one of the standout signings of the season, Jurgen Klopp limited the 2000-born midfielder to just six appearances from February onwards.

Klopp said Szoboszlai was overloaded after a period of continuous playing at the beginning. In addition, the pressure to maintain form also caused the 23-year-old star to be stuck in the latter part of the season.

However, Hungary coach Marco Rossi insists that Szoboszlai has not lost his form ahead of EURO 2024. The Hungarian captain has tried to stay positive, but his performance in the opening match against Switzerland has not lived up to expectations.

Dominik Szoboszlai was outclassed by Remo Freuler. The Swiss midfielder was tasked with controlling the Hungarian captain, and Freuler followed Szoboszlai like a shadow. When Switzerland took a 1-0 lead, Szoboszlai was determined to change the way he played. The Liverpool star began to drift wide of Freuler, dropping deep in search of the ball, disrupting the team's build-up play. He occasionally appeared on the flanks.

Freuler almost successfully blocked Szoboszlai. Photo: AFP

Szoboszlai was desperate for a goal but to no avail. It felt like the Hungarian captain was everywhere on the pitch, doing everything he could to help his team win.

Hungary's best moments came when Szoboszlai returned to an attacking position on the left flank. With the 23-year-old midfielder tucked away on the left, he had the space to make a difference.

Dominik Szoboszlai's touches in the 1-3 defeat to Switzerland. Photo: The Athletic

Barnabas Varga's goal to reduce the score to 1-2 for Hungary was a typical example. Szoboszlai made a pass that fell precisely to his teammate. The assist was a reminder that, sometimes, Szoboszlai needs to be forgotten to regain motivation.

Szoboszlai is the soul of Hungary but his ability to be the brains, heart and legs of the team on his own is not sustainable for long. Marco Rossi needs to make adjustments with his player so that Szoboszlai has to do less work on the pitch, thereby freeing up his inspiration.

Source: https://laodong.vn/bong-da-quoc-te/dominik-szoboszlai-khong-the-ganh-vac-tat-ca-nhiem-vu-tren-san-cua-hungary-1353881.ldo