Sándor Torghelle

During his career, he played for Honvéd, Marcali, Crystal Palace, Panathinaikos, PAOK, Carl Zeiss Jena, FC Augsburg, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Videoton, and Vasas. He played 42 games for the Hungary national team between 2004 and 2010.

Sándor Torghelle

Torghelle with MTK Budapest in 2016
Personal information
Date of birth	(1982-05-05) 5 May 1982 (age 41)
Place of birth	Budapest, Hungary
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
0000–1999	Marcali
1999–2002	Honvéd
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999–2003	Honvéd	73	(15)
2001–2002	→ Marcali IFC (loan)	32	(14)
2003–2004	MTK Budapest	22	(9)
2004–2005	Crystal Palace	12	(0)
2005–2006	→ Panathinaikos (loan)	11	(0)
2006–2007	PAOK	24	(1)
2007–2008	Carl Zeiss Jena	27	(8)
2008–2010	FC Augsburg	48	(14)
2010–2011	Fortuna Düsseldorf	16	(1)
2011	Fortuna Düsseldorf II	1	(0)
2011	Honvéd	6	(3)
2012–2014	Videoton	35	(7)
2014–2019	MTK Budapest	138	(52)
2019–2020	Vasas	10	(2)
Total		455	(126)
International career
1999–2000	Hungary U17	9	(2)
2000–2001	Hungary U19	3	(1)
2002–2003	Hungary U21	7	(2)
2004–2010	Hungary	42	(11)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Crystal Palace

After developing in Hungary and playing for Budapest Honvéd, Marcali VFC and MTK Hungária, Torghelle signed for Crystal Palace, in August 2004 for a fee of roughly £750,000. He caught their eyes after scoring both goals for Hungary national team in their shock international friendly 2–0 victory over Germany in Kaiserslautern before UEFA Euro 2004. He wore the number 10 shirt, that of a first-choice striker, but found it hard to gain a regular place in the Crystal Palace starting eleven with Andy Johnson often playing as a lone striker. He scored only one goal in a League Cup match against Charlton, but the referee sent him off late in the game for diving.

After 12 months at Palace, Torghelle was first stripped of his first-team squad number (given number 30, while 10 went to new signing Jon Macken), and shortly after was loaned out to Panathinaikos in Greece for the 2005–06 season. In the deal, there was no clause for re-calling him, so he spent the whole season in Greece. However, he failed to impress, and Panathinaikos chose not to make the deal permanent.

PAOK

Torghelle was transferred to PAOK in Greece and handed a three-year contract, being one of the three players that were traded for the transfer of striker Dimitris Salpingidis.

He was also famous for his failure to score even a single goal since he was transferred from Crystal Palace, yet this "curse" was lifted when he scored in a PAOK-Olympiakos derby in early 2007. He left PAOK at the end of the 2006–07 season for 2. Bundesliga team Carl Zeiss Jena. There, he finally met the expectations, scoring eight goals over the course of the 2007–08 2. Bundesliga season. Carl Zeiss Jena finished in last place and was relegated to the new 3. Liga.

FC Augsburg

Torghelle transferred to 2. Bundesliga team FC Augsburg before the start of the 2008–09 season. He played two seasons for the largest team in Swabian Bavaria.

Fortuna Düsseldorf

On 17 May 2010, Torghelle left FC Augsburg and signed with another 2. Bundesliga team Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Budapest Honvéd

Torghelle signed with former club Honvéd in August 2011. That reunion was short-lived and he signed for fellow Hungarian National Championship team Videoton FC in January 2012.

Torghelle made 42 appearances for the Hungary national team. He scored several decisive ones during the 2010 World Cup Qualification campaign, such as against Albania and Malta. He came to prominence after scoring both goals in a 2–0 victory over Germany in a friendly match in 2004.

Club