Hungary's Orban says Euro 2016 qualifying boosts self-esteem

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - Hungary's soccer-mad prime minister said Tuesday that qualifying for the 2016 European Championship has boosted his country's self-esteem and ended an "intolerable" era of failures by the national team.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a former professional footballer who founded the Ferenc Puskas Academy, said the victory was also great motivation for youngsters.

"We are a great football nation ... and we proved in the most difficult times how talented we are," Orban said referring to the 1950s Golden Team led by Puskas, while Hungary was under communist rule. "Later we drifted away from the international flow. It was intolerable."

On Sunday, Hungary defeated Norway 2-1 in a playoff to reach the European Championship for the first time since 1972. Its last major tournament was the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.