GB United, the amateur football team of the British Embassy in Budapest and the football team of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade joined the ‘Football Remembers’ initiative on 11 December 2014, commemorating the First World War Christmas Truce.

The 100th anniversary of the First World War Christmas Truce has been marked by British Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions all around the world by hosting a series of football matches and tournaments with people from their local communities.

Working in partnership with the Football Association, British Council, Premier League and Football league, the matches formed part of the “Football Remembers” week to commemorate the magical moment of December 1914, when British and German soldiers came together and played football in no-man’s land.

The Christmas Truce was an unplanned and unexpected event. It happened many times and in many places along the front lines of World War I. Enemies met at the trenches and sang Christmas carols together, exchanged souvenirs and took photos of one another. In some cases, it seems they even played football. It’s very hard to pin down the story of the 1914 Christmas Truce, but it is widely remembered as a unique act of humanity during the war.

To commemorate the event, the British Embassy in Budapest played a friendly football match with the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 11 December to highlight the global nature of the First World War and the scale of sacrifice of the many countries which took part.

Jonathan Knott, British Ambassador to Hungary headed up GB United, the amateur football team made up of British diplomats and businessmen, including the Chairman of Vác FC, John P. Marshall. The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade team was lead by Minister of State for Public Administration, Balázs Kohut. The match could not have been concluded more appropriately,  a 4-4 draw.

Jonathan Knott, British Ambassador to Hungary noted before the match:
“I am delighted that the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade accepted the challenge of a friendly football match with us. As we play football today we remember together the lives lost in conflict and celebrate our countries’ relationship.”

More information:

Football Remembers is being delivered jointly by the Premier League, The FA and the Football League, in partnership with the British Council, and will see a number of events taking place throughout December to commemorate the First World War.

More details of events taking place for the campaign are available at www.footballremembers.com

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