Former Premier League Player Akos Buzsaky Speaks Out After Being Found Safe Following Missing Person Search in Hungary

Former Premier League midfielder Akos Buzsaky has spoken publicly for the first time after being reported missing in Hungary, reassuring supporters that he is safe and explaining that a series of major changes in his personal life had left him feeling overwhelmed.

The 44-year-old former QPR player had not been seen in Budapest since August 18, prompting Hungarian authorities to launch a search operation. Concern over his whereabouts also spread among people who knew him during his football career, with some of his former clubs publicly expressing their worries about his wellbeing.

After becoming aware that police had been searching for him, Buzsaky decided to contact the public himself. He posted a photograph on social media alongside a message designed to reassure friends, former colleagues and supporters that he was unharmed.

In his statement, the former Hungary international explained that the past several months had been particularly difficult because of significant changes in his life. He acknowledged that the situation had become emotionally challenging and that he eventually felt the need to distance himself from his normal routine.

“Unfortunately, significant changes have occurred in my life over the past few months,” Buzsaky wrote. “These changes have really put me to the test.”

He explained that the circumstances had become too much for him to handle and that he decided to temporarily withdraw from his everyday life. According to Buzsaky, a misunderstanding led to his mother becoming sufficiently concerned to contact the police.

He stressed that the circumstances surrounding his disappearance were not the result of an emergency and that he was ultimately able to return once he discovered that authorities had become involved.

Buzsaky also expressed his gratitude to everyone who had been worried about him and those who had kept him in their thoughts while he was away.

“Thank you so much to everyone who worried about me and kept me in your thoughts,” he said.

Once he became aware of the situation and realised that a search had been launched, Buzsaky said he ended his period away early and contacted the relevant authorities.

He finished his statement by thanking people for the affection and support they had shown him, saying that he had been deeply moved by the reaction.

The news will come as a relief to Buzsaky’s former clubs and supporters, particularly QPR, who had expressed concern about the former midfielder earlier in the week.

Buzsaky enjoyed a lengthy professional career and represented Hungary 20 times at international level. Although injuries affected parts of his career, he became a well-known figure among English football supporters after moving to England.

During his time in the English game, he represented several clubs, including Plymouth Argyle, Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth and Barnsley.

His spell at QPR eventually saw him reach the Premier League. Buzsaky made 18 appearances in England’s top division, scoring twice and providing two assists.

He retired from professional football in 2015, bringing an end to a career that had been affected by recurring injuries.

Earlier in the week, Buzsaky’s father had provided some background about his son’s current lifestyle. He explained that the former footballer now spends considerable periods of time in Greece, where he is involved in construction work.

Buzsaky has previously spoken openly about some of the difficulties he experienced after his playing career ended. In a 2022 appearance on the Hungarian podcast “Neked lágy!”, he discussed how difficult it had been to adjust to life without football and admitted that he had developed problems with alcohol, gambling and drugs.

The former midfielder described a career in which serious injuries were a recurring problem. He said that he suffered significant injuries roughly every couple of years and gradually began to anticipate the end of his professional career.

According to Buzsaky, those repeated setbacks affected him psychologically and contributed to difficulties once football was no longer part of his everyday life.

“I was constantly injured during my career,” he previously explained. “Practically every two years I had a serious injury.”

He admitted that he had mentally started preparing himself for retirement, but recognised in hindsight that he should have sought professional help during that period.

Buzsaky said that he found himself in a difficult emotional state and struggled to replace the happiness and purpose that football had provided throughout his career.

He explained that professional athletes can sometimes struggle when the activity that has dominated their lives suddenly disappears. Without football, he found himself searching for alternative sources of excitement and pleasure.

The former midfielder acknowledged that this eventually led him towards addictive behaviour.

He said that he should have spoken to a specialist when he was struggling, describing the period as one in which he felt trapped and unable to rediscover the sense of fulfilment that football had once provided.

Buzsaky also noted that people coming to the end of a sporting career can sometimes attempt to experience things they were unable or unwilling to pursue while they were professional athletes.

For him, that search for a new source of enjoyment eventually became problematic.

He openly admitted that he developed an addiction and said he was not proud of the direction his life took during that period. He specifically referred to gambling, alcohol and drugs when discussing the types of addiction he encountered.

His willingness to speak about those struggles has provided a revealing insight into the challenges some professional footballers face after retirement. While the end of a playing career can appear glamorous from the outside, former athletes can face major psychological and emotional adjustments when they lose the routine, identity and purpose associated with professional sport.

Buzsaky’s latest statement, however, focused on reassuring people that he is safe following the recent search in Hungary.

By contacting the public directly and explaining what had happened, he appears to have brought an end to the uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts.

His message is likely to provide considerable relief to his family, former clubs and supporters who had been concerned after he was reported missing.

The former QPR midfielder has now confirmed that he is safe and has thanked everyone who showed concern during the period he was away.

Although Buzsaky has experienced difficult periods since retiring from football, his latest message indicates that he is aware of the concern his disappearance caused and wanted to reassure those who care about him.

For now, his priority appears to be continuing with his life away from professional football while maintaining contact with those close to him. His story also highlights the importance of mental wellbeing and support for former professional athletes as they adjust to life after their playing careers come to an end.