Queens Park Rangers and Plymouth Argyle have both issued statements expressing concern for former midfielder Akos Buzsaky, who has been reported missing in his native Hungary. The 44-year-old, who spent several seasons in English football, has reportedly not been seen for more than a week, according to reports from Hungarian media. Local police are said to be searching for him.
QPR, where Buzsaky enjoyed some of the most memorable years of his career, shared a message of support on social media. "The club are concerned to learn that R's favourite Akos Buzsaky has been reported missing," the statement read. "We're all praying he's found safe and well."
Plymouth Argyle, another of his former clubs, echoed those sentiments in their own post. "We are concerned to hear that Akos Buzsáky has been reported missing," the statement said. "Everybody at Plymouth Argyle is hoping that Akos is found safe soon."
Buzsaky's playing career took him across Europe. He began at MTK Budapest in his home country before earning a move to Porto in 2002, where he trained under Jose Mourinho. During the 2003-04 campaign, he was loaned out to Academica while Porto, under Mourinho's guidance, went on to lift the Champions League title — a triumph that would soon see the Portuguese manager depart for Chelsea.//
In 2005, Buzsaky made the switch to English football, joining Plymouth Argyle. His performances there eventually led to a loan spell with QPR, which was made permanent in 2008. He went on to spend four years at Loftus Road, becoming a fan favorite during that period, tallying 125 appearances and 24 goals for the club. His time in England also included a move to Portsmouth and a loan stint at Barnsley.
At the international level, Buzsaky earned 20 caps for Hungary, scoring twice. His first goal for the national team came in 2007 against Greece, who were the reigning European champions at the time.
He returned to Hungary in 2013 to play for Ferencvaros before retiring from professional football in 2015 due to ongoing injury issues.
After hanging up his boots, Buzsaky spoke candidly about personal struggles he faced following retirement. In comments made during a podcast appearance, he opened up about battling addiction. "What addictions are there: gambling, alcohol, drugs. I fell into one of them, which I am not proud of," he said. "It is a part of my life, if I were to deny it or declare that period as not having happened, I would be deceiving myself."
News of his disappearance has prompted an outpouring of concern from fans and former clubs alike, with both QPR and Plymouth urging supporters to keep him in their thoughts as authorities in Hungary continue their search. No further details regarding the circumstances of his disappearance have been made public at this time.
Based on reporting from Independent Football.