Pál Dárdai

Pál Dárdai (born 16 March 1976) is a Hungarian retired footballer who played mainly as a defensive midfielder. He was most recently the head coach of 2. Bundesliga club Hertha BSC.

In a 20-year professional career, he played for over a decade with the same club, Hertha BSC, in Germany. With 286 Bundesliga appearances, he is the club's most capped player. Dárdai gained 61 caps for the Hungary national team in 12 years, scoring five goals. He also worked as the country's manager.

Hungary
Born in Pécs, Dárdai began his professional career with local Pécsi Mecsek FC, moving in January 1996 to Budapesti VSC. He helped his new club finish second in both the league and cup.

Hertha BSC
In January 1997, Dárdai signed with Germany's Hertha BSC, appearing in ten matches for the 2. Bundesliga side before the end of the season, as the club was promoted to the top-flight Bundesliga. In 1998–99, he made 21 appearances (6 as a starter) as Hertha finished in third place, behind second-placed Bayer Leverkusen by one point.

On 13 November 2008, Dárdai marked his 250th Bundesliga appearance during the 1–0 win against 1899 Hoffenheim. Following the match, he thanked "the team and the fans".

On 16 January 2009, Dárdai damaged his meniscus during training. He was operated on by Gert Schleicher after returning to Berlin from Marbella in Spain, where Hertha spent their winter training camp.

Hertha extended Dárdai's contract by one year on 28 May 2009, and he became the club's longest-serving player.

He expressed his wish to further extend his link, stating, "I can imagine that I will end my career here in Berlin, but before I return to Hungary I want to fulfil my ambition and that is to win the championship and the cup." Dieter Hoeneß responded by saying the club would also like to keep him.

Dárdai helped The Old Lady qualify several times for the UEFA Cup, appearing sparingly from 2004 to 2006 (33 total matches) but featuring heavily in the following years. From 2009, his appearances became less and less frequent: after only one match in the 2010–11 campaign – with eventually returning to the top level – and being demoted to the reserve team, the 35-year-old retired from football, having appeared in 297 league contests.

International
Dárdai began playing for Hungary with the under-21s, in 1996. He made his senior debut in a friendly against Slovenia on 19 August 1998, and scored his first international goal on 10 October in an UEFA Euro 2000 qualifier against Azerbaijan, in the 58th minute of a 4–0 triumph.

Often cast as starting central midfielder alongside Krisztián Lisztes, under managers Bertalan Bicskei and Imre Gellei, Dárdai captained the national side seven times in 2006, netting twice. On 15 November 2006, he was not included in Péter Várhidi's provisional 25-man squad for the Euro 2008 qualifying phase, but featured in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign as Hungary was now managed by Erwin Koeman.

2012–2015: Hertha BSC
In 2012, Dárdai began working as a coach at Hertha BSC, his assistants at the under-15 team being Admir Hamžagić and Jochem Ziegert.

2014–15: Hungary
On 18 September 2014, Dárdai was appointed as interim manager of the Hungary national team. He turned down an offer from the Hungarian Football Federation ("MLSZ") to manage the side on a permanent basis, with the former's president Sándor Csányi confirming the latter would be in charge of three Euro 2016 qualifying matches for free.

On 23 September 2014, Zsolt Lőw, assistant coach of Red Bull Salzburg, was not permitted by his club to join Dárdai's coaching staff in the same capacity. The latter's debut took place on 11 October against Romania, a 1–1 draw in Bucharest. Three days later, he managed his first win, prevailing 1–0 away against the Faroe Islands; he said after the second match that "the minimum aims were to get the three points".

Former international István Sallói said in an interview with Nemzeti Sport in October 2014 that, "Dárdai is the only chance for Hungarian football." The former was appointed by the latter as the aid to map the opponents of the national team, and also said, "In the last ten days it became incredible clear what type of work I have to do."

On 14 November 2014, Hungary won their first home match under Dárdai by beating Finland 1–0 thanks to Zoltán Gera's 84th-minute goal in the Euro 2016 qualifier at the Groupama Arena in Budapest. The following month, the MLSZ announced Dárdai would remain as manager until 30 November 2015,  and he admitted that his son influenced him in making the decision by saying, "You have to return because without you they are not going to win."

After returning to Hertha BSC, Dárdai was replaced as Hungary manager by his former mentor, Bernd Storck.

In November 2015, Hungary under Storck qualified for the UEFA European Championship after a 44-year absence, and Dárdai stated in an interview with Hertha's official website that he built the base of the team while his successor added his part to reach the finals.

2015–2019 and 2021: Return to Hertha
On 5 February 2015, he was appointed interim manager of the main squad. His first match in charge was a 2–0 victory over Mainz 05 two days later.

On 29 May 2015, Dárdai signed a permanent contract with Hertha.

Hertha began the season by getting eliminated from the UEFA Europa League in the third qualifying round by Brøndby.

Hertha won the first leg 1–0 and lost the second leg 3–1.

On 16 April during the 2018–19 Bundesliga season, it was announced Dárdai would be leaving his role at the end of the season and would return to a youth coach role in 2020.

After returning to the youth section, the senior team slumped under Bruno Labbadia, he once again took over the head coach duty on 25 January 2021 after Labbadia was sacked. He was sacked on 29 November 2021. He returned to manage Hertha in April 2023. After the 2023–24 season, the contract was not extended.

Personal life
Dárdai is married and has three sons: Palkó, Márton and Bence. On 29 July 2023 Pál Dárdai played all three of his sons together at the same time for the first time in their Bundesliga 2 opener against Fortuna Düsseldorf.

On 20 July 2002, Balázs Dárdai, his brother and a midfielder for FC Barcs, died during a tournament after an artery burst when he jumped for a ball. His father, also named Pál (1951–2017) and the club's coach, were watching the game when it happened; Balázs was only 23 years old.

International goals

 * Scores and results list Hungary's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dárdai goal.

Honours
Budapesti VSC
 * Hungarian Cup runner-up: 1995–96

Hertha BSC
 * 2. Bundesliga: 2010–11
 * DFB-Ligapokal: 2001, 2002; runner-up: 2000
 * UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2006

Individual
 * Hungarian Footballer of the Year: 2006