Hungary Vs Kazakhstan: Rossi’s Side Seeks 6pm Debrecen Finish

Hungary vs Kazakhstan arrives in Debrecen on Tuesday at 6pm with Hungary trying to close a difficult run on a high. Marco Rossi’s side missed out on the World Cup, and this friendly is their last international fixture before the Nations League begins.

Rossi and Szoboszlai in Debrecen

Hungary reach the match after beating Finland 2-1 on Friday, a result that kept their recent form moving in the right direction. Dominik Szoboszlai remains the class act in the squad, and Hungary will lean on that quality as they look to finish the year with a cleaner edge than their qualifying campaign delivered.

The frustration came in November against the Republic of Ireland, when Hungary surrendered a stoppage-time winner and dropped to third in their group. That result sent them out of the play-off places and left them without a World Cup berth for the tournament cycle.

Hungary’s qualifying collapse

Rossi reacted to the defeat by offering his resignation, but the Hungarian FA still view him as the right man for the job. His case is backed by the rest of the qualifying picture: Hungary had only one other defeat, a 3-2 loss to Portugal, and they drew 2-2 with Portugal in Lisbon and 2-2 in Ireland.

Those numbers explain why the campaign felt so narrow. Hungary were competitive in several big fixtures, but the late collapse against Ireland proved costly, and it has now been 40 years since they last appeared at the World Cup.

Kazakhstan’s road problems

Kazakhstan arrive with a more encouraging recent stretch, having lost just one of their last seven games. They drew 1-1 in Armenia on Saturday and earlier held Belgium to a 1-1 draw, even after a 6-0 road defeat to the same opponent.

The away record is the sharper warning for Tuesday. Kazakhstan have lost 12 of their last 15 road trips, though they have drawn two of their last three away matches and beat Liechtenstein 2-0 in March 2025.

The match closes both teams’ international schedules until the Nations League gets under way, so Hungary get one last chance to reset after the World Cup qualifying letdown. For Rossi, Szoboszlai and the rest, Debrecen is the final test before the calendar shifts again.