Ferenc Nógrádi was born in present-day Slovakia, bearing the German surname Neuwirth, which was changed to Nógrádi after the war. He joined top flight Hungarian side Honvéd as a left midfielder in 1959, remaining there until 1966. During that period, the team was runner up in the domestic league twice, and won the cup in 1964. In 1966, Honvéd also reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners’ Cup. In 1963, Nógrádi was first selected for the Hungarian national team. He would eventually play four “A Internationals”, none of which were won. He was also in the selection for Euro 1964 (but did not play) and on the Olympic team that went on to claim the title in Tokyo.
Hungary