Last November, Alfredo Di Stefano came. The following month Sepp Blatter, FIFA president, was here.

Inside the Kutvljyi Hospital lies Ferenc Puskas, the man who showed the English how the game should be played. Where once his grace and strength swept England aside, now Puskas is weak and ill, suffering with arteriosclerosis, a blood circulation condition which makes life at 73 a continuing struggle.

He is confined to bed and only family and close friends are allowed to visit. Every day his wife, Elisabeth, comes to care for him. From their home in the suburbs she makes the journey across the Danube to Pest to sit with and tend her ailing husband.

'He needs me now more than before, just like I need him,' she said. 'I hope he will be out of hospital by the summer.'

Her optimism looks ill-placed. Even the doctors do not know when Puskas will be fit to return home. He has been out of hospital only twice in the last 10 weeks since he was admitted to Kutvljyi, on Christmas Day and once in November when he attended a gala dinner for the survivors of the match that shook English football to the core. For England, Puskas will forever be the man who inspired Hungary's 6-3 win at Wembley in 1953.

The performance of the Mighty Magyars that day, capped by two goals from Puskas, was the wake-up call the English game needed. As Tom Finney noted at the time: 'I came away wondering what we had been doing all those years.'

The first team from outside the British Isles to win in front of the Twin Towers sounded a message loud and clear that England was in danger of becoming a footballing backwater. The warning was drummed in a year later when Puskas and the Magyars beat England 7-1 in Budapest.

'I am touched that the English still care about him and I thank you for your interest,' said his wife. 'It is moving. It strengthens and encourages me and gives me a lot of pleasure.'

It is curious that, in the annals of English football history, the name Puskas resonates almost as strongly as Wright, Matthews and Moore. 'He can never quite understand why you English regard him with such affection,' said his friend and business partner Jozsef Barkovics. 'After all, he played such a big part in beating your team.'

For the Scots, though, he will always be the man who gave them the great-est game of all time, the 1960 European Cup final, when his team, Real Madrid, defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in a match of free-flowing splendour.

More than 134,000 crammed into Hampden Park in Glasgow that night to see the world's greatest side claim their fifth successive European Cup - and Puskas score four times. To the fans of Real Madrid, Puskas will always be the greatest player in the greatest team.

Real were last month nominated FIFA's team of the century and Puskas is currently edging out his great friend and former team-mate, Di Stefano, now honorary president of the club, in an official internet poll to find the club's best-ever player.

Despite being confined to a hospital bed, and tiring easily, friends of Puskas insist he can maintain his lucidity even in these difficult days.

He and Di Stefano chatted in Spanish recently when the great striker visited the great schemer in hospital. Doubtless the old friends pondered a moment on the madness that is 21st century football. What price a Di Stefano and a Puskas, when Luis Figo can cost their former club £37million?

Although the millions swilling around the modern game to reward even the mediocre were never on offer for the masters of a former age, Puskas's family insist they are facing no real financial hardships.

Some of his friends are urging Real to organise a testimonial for their greatest performer, but the family claim there is no need at the moment.

'Everyone has been very supportive. Real Madrid, FIFA, everyone,' said Elisabeth Puskas, with calm dignity. 'Everyone has helped.'

The private hospital room has been provided by the Hungarian government and the bills are met by social security payments.

According to Barkovics, Hungary's national icon will be well looked after. 'Ferenc Puskas is still a great ambassador and symbol for Hungary. The Government will ensure he is cared for properly,' he said.

If Puskas requires further treat-ment abroad, his family may look to Real and FIFA for help. The prognosis, though, is uncertain.

There is a hope that he may be able to attend the first of the soccer schools being founded in his name in April. But at present there is only time for rest and recovery.

And for football, of course. Barkovics tells how Puskas watched Real Madrid sweep past Leeds United at Elland Road in the Champions League last November. 'He greatly enjoyed that,' said Barkovics.