Defensive rock Janos Kovacs can hardly wait to follow in the footsteps of his national hero and grace the famous Wembley turf.
You can barely step foot in his native Hungary without hearing about the country’s 6-3 thumping of England at the famous old stadium in 1953, when legendary striker Ferenc Puskas grabbed two of the goals.
The match was dubbed ‘game of the century’ and the victory has taken on almost iconic status in Hungary, meaning Sunday’s play-off showdown is all the more special for the Hatters centre back.
“Puskas is still our biggest hero in football,” Kovacs said. “Everyone knows him around the world, and when you say Puskas people say he had a good left foot, maybe the best left foot. Like him, I’m so happy to have the chance to step on that pitch.
"To be a foreign player and to play in England is already a great achievement at any level. To play at Wembley in a play-off final, even more so.”
Puskas scored a phenomenal 84 goals in 85 international appearances and wrote himself into folklore at Real Madrid with another incredible strike tally.
Although Kovacs’ responsibilities will be at the other end of the pitch, calling upon some of the qualities, shown by his compatriot will be key for getting past York.
“We just have to win it, it doesn’t matter how,” he said. “We’re going to need heart, passion, and of course quality.
“In the main part of the season the heart and the passion was missing, but we have that now, as well as togetherness.
"If you go to Wembley that’s something you always have automatically. We are one group now and a big family.”
The 26-year-old, in his second permanent spell with Luton, said that occasions like the play-off final are why he came back to Kenilworth Road.
Five years ago he also spent one-month on loan at today’s opponents York City, but as the spell was so short he doesn’t have any special feelings for the Minstermen.
If Luton do prevail at Wembley, Kovacs has no doubt that the club can flourish back in the promised land of the Football League.
He said: “I think if you look at the top ten clubs in the Conference, all of them could stay in League Two easily.
“Luton Town, this club, with its support and history, I think we are good enough to stay in League One.
“However, all of these conversations are pointless because at the end of the day we were in the Conference this season.
“But hopefully no more.”
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