Lipót "Lippo" Hertzka was born in Budapest on 19 November 1904 and died on 14 March 1951, aged only 46. He played for Essener Turnerbund, MTK Budapest and Real Sociedad before turning to coaching in Spain in his twenties, where he took charge of Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla. His most celebrated work came at Real Madrid between 1930 and 1932: in 1931/32 he led them, unbeaten, to the first league championship in the club's history. Spells at Hércules and Granada followed before the Spanish Civil War pushed him westwards.

He arrived at Benfica in July 1936, his first match a 5-1 win over CF União on a tour of Madeira on the 12th of that month. Inheriting the side that Vítor Gonçalves had just made champions, he won the national championship in 1936/37 and again in 1937/38, giving the club three titles in a row. He left in 1939 and returned for a single season, 1947/48, ending with a 3-0 cup semi-final defeat by Sporting on 27 June 1948. Over the two spells he took charge of 132 matches, winning 87 and losing only 26.

A product of the Danubian school, he coached a passing game unusual for Portugal at the time, with the ball worked out from the back through his half-backs rather than hit long, and he was known for the detail of his training sessions. Between and after his Benfica spells he coached widely in Portugal, at Belenenses, Porto, Académica, Estoril and Portimonense among others, and he is remembered as one of the Central European coaches who professionalised the Portuguese game.