The recipe for success consists of a winning mentality, the warrior’s fighting spirit, and tactical discipline.
HUNGARY GAVE THE WORLD MANY FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS
István Fekete was born in Budapest, Hungary but raised in Monor, Pest County, a small city 34 km east of the capital.
The social documentarian photographer has been living in Budapest now for almost 20 years and smiles when asked what the city means to him, “It’s a vibrant and colourful city, I have been to many places, but I think it’s the best place in the world.”
It’s certainly a city that has inspired him to become a photographer.
“I got to know photography during my university years at Pázmány Péter Catholic University where I studied journalism.
“My first teacher was Zoltán Móser, a famous Hungarian portrait photographer, ethnographer and writer.
“He is a charming person, and if he wasn’t my teacher, I might have never fallen in love with photography.
“We analysed many images during the lessons, and I clearly remember the photo that really opened my eyes: The Steerage, taken by Alfred Stieglitz in 1907. For me, it was a straight path to documentary photography. “
It would be the start of an adventure that would take him to the György Bálint Journalist Academy, founded and run by the Association of Hungarian Journalists, the leading organisation of Hungarian journalists. It is here where he would study photojournalist
After his studies, he began an internship at Index Hungary’s leading news site, which led to him working as an event photographer.
István’s life is led by curiosity, and his fascination for people and places has taken him travelling across the world, where he has documented the story behind a rural hockey movement in Romania, and journeyed to find the world’s smallest football league, as well as capturing football in Albania and Kosovo and learning about the impact war and football in Ukraine.
“Ever since I got my first camera, I have been interested in documentary photography as well as sports photography.
“Hungary gave the world many famous photographers (Capa, Kertész, Brassaï, Munkácsi – just to name a few.), I think they inspired me the most – and now my colleagues inspire me constantly.
“My interests are centred on the relationship between sport and society, especially football, but recently I did a project about ice hockey in villages with a Hungarian majority in Transylvania (Romania) and about a disabled, 71-year-old, 9-time arm wrestling world champion.”
When we caught up with István it was to learn more about his recent travels to Iceland where he explored the stunning landscapes of Rekyavic, the Snæfellsnes peninsula and Vestmannaeyjar, to investigate football culture on the Nordic island.
I’M ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR THE STORIES BEHIND THEM
The stadium of Vestmannaeyjar, the Hásteinsvöllur was named as one of the Top 10 Most Beautiful Sporting Arenas by the BBC in 2017.
When I found this out, I decided immediately that I wanted to get there. However I’m not just a groundhopper, I’m always searching for the stories behind them. And when I came home I immediately knew I wanted to go back to Iceland.
Usually, my journeys are preceded by a lot of research and planning. It soon became clear that the next destination after the capital would be the Snæfellsnes peninsula. I love the hidden pitches of its small villages.
The Hásteinsvöllur is breathtaking, the sea on one side, the valley on the other, and the mountains behind the stand.
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar is not an unbeatable club, but it was always difficult for the opponents when they came to play here – said Tryggvi Gudmundsson, who is Iceland’s all-time top scorer.
He told me, that the community is very close in Vestmannaeyjar, the volcanic eruption of the Eldfell (1973) brought them together and that, “In this society, you are not forced to do sports, only encouraged.”
THE FIRE OF PASSION
In the Snæfellsnes, logistics could be a serious challenge. There is no team bus, so the parents, who rely on each other in this area, have the enormous task of transporting the children to the matches (in the case of long distances, thanks to the joint effort, it is sometimes possible to get a bus, so that the parents do not have to drive 5-6 hours). Of course, even such tiring trips have their own charm, long journeys have such a forging power.
I could only compare the fire of passion in Iceland to the Faroese Islands. The smaller a community is (the current population of Iceland is 394,500), the more proud its members are when they achieve great success.
Today, Iceland has 20,000 registered football players, which corresponds to 6% of the population – the same ratio is roughly 2.5% in our country – so the coaches have more options to choose from.
In Iceland – despite the long distances – the scouting system works great, and it is practically impossible for a previously discovered talented player to disappear from the “radar”.
The recipe for success consists of a winning mentality, the warrior’s fighting spirit, and tactical discipline.
IT WAS GREAT TO EXPERIENCE THE MOMENT
I would highlight two things from my trip to Iceland that have stayed with me. The first one is the “slútt”, which means the end of the season. I was lucky enough to experience it in Selfoss last year (September 2023), after the match of the women’s team.
At the end of the season, community members gather next to the pitch, sell hotdogs, eat and drink. A real folk festival, which I was glad to be a part of.
It is also unique when the head coach of the national team visits Ölver, a bar in Reykjavík, where the members of the most famous Icelandic supporters group, Tólfan, usually gather before the matches.
I was there when Åge Hareide gave a speech among other things about tactics, lineups etc. to the supporters before the game against Bosnia in the pub.
You are not allowed to take photos or make recordings during these events. However, it was great to experience the moment when the coach and fans became one.
ALL OUR THANKS TO ISTVÁN FEKETE.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS WORK HERE