Lajos Tseyzler Hungarian football coach. Date of Birth: 05.10.1893 Country: Hungary

1. Early Career
2. Stints in Italy
3. Success in Sweden
4. Return to Italy and AC Milan
5. Later Career
6. Death and Legacy

Early Career

Born in 1894, Béla Guttmann began his coaching career in Poland in the early 1920s. He led ŁKS Łódź for three seasons before moving to Italy in 1927.

Stints in Italy

In Italy, Guttmann managed Udinese in Serie C, where they finished sixth. He then took over Faenza, helping them establish their position in Serie C. After a brief stint with Lazio's youth team, Guttmann was forced to leave Italy due to laws restricting foreign coaches.

Success in Sweden

Guttmann returned to Poland before moving to Sweden in the early 1940s. He became coach of Norrköping, where he achieved his greatest success. He guided the club to five Swedish league titles (1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948) and two Swedish Cup victories (1943, 1945). Guttmann holds the record as the oldest coach to win the Swedish championship, achieving the feat at the age of 54 years, 8 months, and one day.

Return to Italy and AC Milan

After his triumphs in Sweden, Guttmann returned to Italy and took charge of AC Milan. In his first season, the team finished second to Juventus, showcasing an attacking style of play. Inspired by the "Gre-No-Li" trio (Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl, Nils Liedholm) whom he brought from Norrköping, Milan won the Italian championship in the following season, finishing one point ahead of rivals Inter Milan. However, after another second-place finish behind Juventus, Guttmann was replaced by Gre-No-Li's only member who did not play for Norrköping, Gunnar Gren.

Later Career

Guttmann briefly managed Padova, finishing 16th in Serie B before taking over the Italian national team. Despite easily winning the qualification matches for the 1954 World Cup, Italy suffered a disappointing exit in the tournament after a defeat to Switzerland in the second round of group play. He later managed Sampdoria, Fiorentina, and Benfica, winning domestic doubles with Fiorentina and Benfica.

Death and Legacy

Béla Guttmann passed away on May 6, 1969, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most successful and influential coaches in football history. He is best known for his success with Norrköping and AC Milan, where he instilled an attacking style of play that would continue to influence generations of coaches and players.