István Kozma | |
Birth Date: | 1964 12, df=yes |
Birth Place: | Pásztó, Hungary |
Height: | 1.85 m[1] |
Position: | Midfielder |
Years1: | ?–? |
Years2: | 1983–1989 |
Years3: | 1989 |
Years4: | 1989–1992 |
Years5: | 1992–1993 |
Years6: | 1993–1995 |
Years7: | 1995–1997 |
Years8: | 1997–1999 |
Years9: | 1999 |
Years10: | 2000 |
Years11: | 2000–2001 |
Clubs1: | Salgótarjáni TC |
Clubs2: | Újpesti Dózsa |
Clubs3: | Girondins Bordeaux |
Clubs4: | Dunfermline Athletic |
Clubs5: | Liverpool |
Clubs6: | Újpest FC |
Clubs7: | APOEL |
Clubs8: | Újpest FC |
Clubs9: | Videoton |
Clubs10: | Tatabánya |
Clubs11: | Újpest FC |
Caps2: | 156 |
Caps4: | 90 |
Caps5: | 6 |
Caps6: | 58 |
Caps7: | 42 |
Caps8: | 33 |
Caps9: | 14 |
Caps10: | 11 |
Caps11: | 20 |
Goals2: | 10 |
Goals4: | 8 |
Goals5: | 0 |
Goals6: | 15 |
Goals7: | 5 |
Goals8: | 0 |
Goals9: | 1 |
Goals10: | 0 |
Goals11: | 3 |
Nationalyears1: | 1986–1995 |
Nationalteam1: | Hungary |
Nationalcaps1: | 40 |
Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
Nationalyears2: | 1990 |
Nationalteam2: | Scottish League XI |
Nationalcaps2: | 1 |
Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
István Kozma (born 3 December 1964) is a former Hungarian footballer who played as a midfielder. He was the first Hungarian player to ever play in the Premier League on September 26, 1992, when he appeared for Liverpool as a substitute against Wimbledon, playing 7 minutes.
He began his career at Salgótarjáni TC in his native country of Hungary. Kozma then moved to Újpest FC and then to French Ligue 1 champions Bordeaux. In December 1989 he was signed by Jim Leishman for Scottish team Dunfermline Athletic for £550,000 which is still the club's record transfer fee.
At Dunfermline Kozma became a firm fan favourite playing 103 times and scoring nine goals. In February 1992 he was a shock purchase for Liverpool, with Graeme Souness signing the Hungarian for £300,000. Kozma never looked like breaking into the first team at Liverpool. In the 1991–92 season he made five league appearances and two in the FA Cup. In the 1992–93 season he played in the 1992 FA Charity Shield and then made one league appearance as a substitute and one further substitute appearance in the League Cup,[2] before being released in July 1993. His poor performance at Liverpool earned him in 2007 the dubious success of being rated by Times Online as the fourth worst ever player to play in the Premiership.[3]
He then returned to Újpest FC. In 1995–96 he played for APOEL in Cyprus where, after amazing performances, he led his team to the Double. The next season, he helped APOEL to win the Super Cup and the Cup again.
He played 40 times for the Hungary national side, scoring once.
From season 2006–07, he was working as an assistant manager at Vasas SC.