Former Handball Star in the Ring

An athlete of extraordinary ability, he was a world-class right back who led his teams from the field as their captain. The life of László Nagy, a two-time Champions League winner and two-time Olympic fourth-place finisher, is unimaginable today without handball. As the sports director of One Veszprém HC and vice president of the Hungarian Handball Federation (MKSZ), he is committed to helping the record-breaking champion and our men’s national team reach the highest possible level. Meanwhile, he makes sure that exercise doesn’t take a back seat: in his free time, he often goes running and cycling, but he also occasionally shows up at padel and gym workouts. A few months ago, he even became friends with boxing, but no matter how much he enjoys it, he certainly won’t be stepping into the ring at the Sztárbox gala show.

For nearly a quarter of a century, 45-year-old László Nagy has been a defining figure in Hungarian handball, even though the 6-foot-8.5 athlete began his career intending to become a basketball player. This would have made perfect sense, as his father had played for the national team, but his son— despite being offered a scholarship to the U.S. at age 14—chose handball instead. It was likely a good decision, as two years later he was already playing for the senior team of top-tier Pick Szeged. He soon became a member of the team that won the 1999 European Youth Championship, and then world-famous Barcelona took notice of the rising star’s talent and exceptional skills, only to be outmaneuvered at the turn of the millennium snatching him away from Fotex KCV, which was in a more modest financial position at the time. The Catalans made a great deal with him; suffice it to say that by the end of his first season, they had already doubled his salary, signaling just how satisfied they were with his performance. He later rose to the ranks of the biggest stars at the Blue-and-Reds, finding common ground with his teammates. They accepted him in every respect; it is no coincidence that he was the first foreign captain of the giant club. He spent a total of twelve seasons in Barcelona, which he considered his second home; the culture, mindset, and people shaped him in such a way that he wanted to retire from the club. 

– he said earlier. His dream was then dashed when the Spanish team did not offer long-term contracts, so the star player—who had also been courted by Szeged, Paris, and Kiel—signed with MKB Veszprém as part of a multi-year agreement. As he later admitted, he considers his move to Hungary one of the best decisions of his life. The three-time world champion thus moved back home, but in the end, he was unable to help the Bakony team realize their plan to lift the coveted Champions League trophy, even though they were in the running in three finals. This is at least as painful for him as the fact that he never won a medal with our national team at a major international tournament. In those years, as team captain, he rallied, inspired, and supported his teammates, while organizing the defense and even scoring goals. Finally, in 2019, he decided (...though many urged him to stay, as he had the strength to continue) to give up competitive play, hanging up his gear, but it was clear that he would remain in the world of handball. In this regard, he was given the opportunity by the Veszprém team and the national handball federation, and remains an indispensable figure in Hungarian and international handball to this day.

– noted the four-time winner of Hungary’s Handball Player of the Year award, who, no matter where he played, always handled the pressure of the high expectations placed on him by his employers with ease. 

– he adds, as if to suggest that he is just as hardworking as he was as a player, meaning he is still working to stay in top form.

As I understand it, as time went on, he became increasingly mindful of his body and soul, so much so that he began attending massage therapy sessionsand yoga, which helped him push the end of his career as far into the future as possible. 

The four-time Spanish and six-time Hungarian champion could hardly wait for the long and harsh winter would pass and the good weather would arrive, so he could hop back into the saddle of his bike. As we’ve already mentioned, he works out at the gym regularly, but he also enjoys padel, a sport that combines elements of tennis, racquetball, and soccer. And running has long been his “passion.” 

“Wherever I am—whether in Veszprém, on the shores of Lake Balaton, or in Budapest— I try to keep a pair of running shoes and a change of workout clothes with me, because whenever I can, I go for an hour-long run or cover 10–12 kilometers. Sometimes I tackle my daily run on my own, but other times others join me, whichjust as happy about as when our trusty four-legged friend joins me. Our Italian hound loves to run and is good at it, so he’s a great partner by my side at times like this,”

– he notes, adding that the handball player has scored 749 goals in 209 matches for our national team talks about how the newest form of relaxation in his life is reading, which he discovered at the end of 2025. 

“I was taking my daughter to handball practice when I ran into an old friend near the Fradi field, the former professional world champion Mihály Kótai, with whom I chatted about boxing until I finally gave myself a chance to get to know the sport. Today, I feel the same way—I’m glad we found each other, since the extremely complex training regimen is an excellent a full-body workout that simultaneously develops endurance, strength, and coordination, while increasing speed and reflexes. The strenuous sessions always achieve their goals. I really like our exclusively training-oriented exercises; I don’t even spar in Hungary, and before you ask: I don’t want to participate in the Sztárbox galas either.”

László Nagy pays attention not only to exercise but also to his diet, and even more so as he gets older. As an athlete, he never had any weight issues, and fortunately, this remains the case even after his active career. Of course, let’s not forget that he generally eats the right amount and quality of food, because, as he makes clear, he considers maintaining his health to be important. From time to time, however, even he succumbs sometimes to getting carried away by the wonders of pastries, and a good tripe stew can practically knock him off his feet at any moment. As he puts it: in such cases, you have to find the right balance between moderation and regularity—or, more precisely, strike a balance. If you manage to keep things under control and also get enough exercise, then nothing serious should happen. And so there will be no obstacle to handball continuing to fill a significant part of his life, where he still has goals. More accurately, he has always had serious plans in life. The vast majority of which have come true; it is no coincidence that he is where he is today.

Author: Ferenc Király