Iosif Szökő

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Iosif Szökő

| image = Iosif Szökő.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1930|03|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Marghita, Romania

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2002|04|01|1930|03|18|df=y}}

| death_place = Bucharest, Romania

| height =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1945–1947 |clubs1 = Bihoreana Marghita |caps1 = |goals1 =

| years2 = 1947–1948 |clubs2 = CFR Oradea |caps2 = |goals2 =

| years3 = 1948–1950 |clubs3 = ICO Oradea |caps3 = 12 |goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1951–1960 |clubs4 = Dinamo București |caps4 = 95 |goals4 = 10

| totalcaps = 107+ | totalgoals = 10+

| nationalyears1 = 1953–1956 |nationalteam1 = Romania

| nationalcaps1 = 11 |nationalgoals1= 0

| manageryears1 = 1962–1963 | managerclubs1 = Dinamo Pitești (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 1963–1970 | managerclubs2 = Dinamo București (assistant & youth)

| pcupdate = 14 November 2019

| ntupdate = 14 November 2019

}}

Iosif Szökő (18 March 1930 – 1 April 2002) was a Romanian footballer of Hungarian descent, who played as a forward for Romania national football team and teams such ICO Oradea and Dinamo București.

Club career

Szökő was born on 18 March 1930 in Marghita, Bihor County, starting his career at the local club, Bihoreana, a county level side.{{RomanianSoccer|4623/iosif-szoekoe}}{{cite web | url=https://www.marghita-magazin.ro/marghitan-in-nationala-de-fotbal | title=Marghitan în Naționala de fotbal| publisher=Clujcapitala.ro| language=Romanian |trans-title=A man from Marghita in the national football team| date=22 May 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213224615/https://www.marghita-magazin.ro/marghitan-in-nationala-de-fotbal| access-date=1 January 2020| archive-date=13 February 2016}} After some friendly games against Rapid București, CFR Oradea and ICO Oradea, young Szökő was transferred by CFR Oradea, team against whom he scored three goals. Then, after a third place in the 1947–48 Divizia B season, he moved to ICO Oradea where he made his Divizia A debut on 19 March 1950 in a 4–1 home win against Locomotiva Sibiu.

In 1951 he went to Dinamo București, his first performance with the club was reaching the 1954 Cupa României final where coach Angelo Niculescu used him all the minutes in the eventual 2–0 loss to Metalul Reșița.{{cite web|url=http://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1954.shtml|title=Romanian Cup - Season 1954|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=17 March 2025}} In the following season, Szökő helped the club win the first Divizia A title in its history, being used by Niculescu in 18 matches in which he scored once.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/menu_items/champions.shtml|title=Romania National Champions |publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=17 March 2025}} He would go on to win the 1958–59 Cupa României but coach Iuliu Baratky did not use him in the final.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/romanian_cup/1958_1959.shtml|title=Romanian Cup 1958–59|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=27 January 2020}} During his years spent with Dinamo, Szökő scored once in a derby with Steaua București which ended in a 2–2 draw.{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniansoccer.ro/stiri/68295/dinamo-bucuresti-in-1954.htm|title=Dinamo Bucuresti in 1954|publisher=RomanianSoccer|access-date=5 February 2020}} He made his last Divizia A appearance on 20 September 1959 in Dinamo's 2–0 home loss to Dinamo Bacău, having a total of 107 matches with 10 goals netted in the competition.

International career

Iosif Szökő played 11 games at international level for Romania.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=20621|title=Iosif Szökő|publisher=European Football|access-date=14 November 2019}} He made his debut at the 1954 World Cup qualifiers under coach Gheorghe Popescu I, playing in three games, the first one was a 3–1 win over Bulgaria, the second was a 2–1 victory against the same team and the third was a 1–0 loss to Czechoslovakia.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=14389|title=Romania - Bulgaria 3:1|publisher=European Football|access-date=3 November 2020}}
{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=14415|title=Bulgaria - Romania 1:2|publisher=European Football|access-date=3 November 2020}}
{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=14423|title=Romania - Czechoslovakia 0:1|publisher=European Football|access-date=3 November 2020}} His following eight games were friendlies, his last appearance taking place on 22 April 1956 in a 1–0 away victory against Yugoslavia.{{cite web|url=https://eu-football.info/_match.php?id=14673|title=Yugoslavia - Romania 0:1|publisher=European Football|access-date=3 November 2020}}

Coaching career

After retirement he started a football manager career, being the assistant coach of Virgil Mărdărescu at Dinamo Pitești. Then he worked as an assistant coach at Dinamo București, where he was also the manager of various youth squads, also during the 1970s and 1980s he was an important scouter. Among the players he coached, there were names such as Dudu Georgescu and Alexandru Sătmăreanu.

Death

Szökő died on 1 April 2002, aged 72.{{cite web | url=https://adt.arcanum.com/ro/view/GraiulSalajului_2002_04/?query=iosif+sz%C3%B6k%C5%91&pg=39&layout=s. | title=Graiul Sălajului, aprilie 2002 (Anul 13, nr. 2540-2561)| publisher=Adt.arcanum.com| language=Romanian |trans-title=Graiul Sălajului, April 2002 (Year 13, nr. 2540-2561)}}