Zita Szucsánszki, Hungary’s all-round player

Zita Szucsánszki had won a considerable amount of silverware before she even turned 25 in May 2012.

In 2006, in one of her first seasons at Hungarian side FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria which she had joined at the age 18, she won the Women’s EHF Cup.

In 2011 and 2012, just nine days out of her 25th birthday, she won the Cup Winners’ Cup. And even the past four years that have gone by without another European title have not done any harm to her career.

Quite the contrary, 29-year-old Szucsánszki has emerged into a key figure not only at FTC but also in the national team.    

Versatility came in handy

It is not easy in the Hungarian national team to shine on the centre back, which has been filled so excellently with Anita Görbicz, but the former World Handball Player of the Year inspired Szucsánszki to some excellent performances.

Hungary’s national team coaches like Karl Erik Böhn or Andras Nemeth knew Szucsánszki could not be left out and made good use of her versatility by deploying her as a left back with great success.

Szucsánszki was already an important figure of the bronze medal-winning national team at the EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia, and the two-time Player of the Year in Hungary, who made her international debut at the age of 19, will likely be even more important for new head coach Kim Rasmussen and his team.  

On both ends of the court

Szucsánszki is not only a fast, athletic attacker but an aggressive, agile defender, too. A prolific goal scorer who is also a rock-solid defender would be enough to call her world-class but she can also play in two positions in attack.

She is very fast and excellent when it comes to finishing fast break chances. Her fast legs prove to be useful in defence, too as she doesn’t get sent off for late challenges. Any right back who faces Szucsánszki is in for a difficult game.

Even when deployed as a left back, Szucsánszki maintains her playmaking virtues and tends to look for the pass. However, the 1.75 metre tall player has a lethal shot from nine metres out as well.

After the tragic death of coach Karl Erik Böhn, there has not been much success for Hungary but times are expected to change since Kim Rasmussen, winner of the Women’s EHF Champions League with CSM Bucuresti in 2016, was appointed national team coach.

The Dane is contracted until the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and has plenty of time to find the best line-up for Hungary but the first game (a convincing 32:22 win against Slovenia) proved Szucsánszki will remain a key player under Rasmussen, too.

With heavy competition for the centre back position (Anita Görbicz and Anikó Kovacsics), Szucsánszki is likely to take the left back position for Hungary, but her three goals against Slovenia prove she will be ready to be the leader in Sweden, too.