List of foreign footballers in European communist countries

List of foreign footballers in European communist countries is a list that gathers all footballers that played as foreigners in the top leagues of the countries that had Communist regimes during 20th century in Europe. It lists the countries that formed the Eastern Bloc, COMECON, plus Yugoslavia which, despite politically being a Non-Aligned country during Cold War, did in fact have a one-party communist regime. Albania, which was ruled by the Albanian Communist Party since the end of Second World War until 1991 is also included.

When communist regimes took power in countries of Central and Eastern Europe, club football in those countries suffered major transformations. Clubs were nationalised, and started to be part of a vast doctrine in which sports played a crucial role in the society. Clubs were reorganised in a way to follow this new doctrine imposed by the new proletarian regimes. Many previously successful clubs were disbanded, while new clubs representing and being backed by the various structures of the new regimes were created from their ashes. In Soviet Union communists took power in 1917, while in the rest of the countries the change of power happened in the Second World War. Most of the existing pre-war clubs were labeled as bourgeoisie, some also as monarchist or nationalistic, and ended disbanded. Only the ones which already represented labour class were kept active.

To fill the vacuum, new clubs were created, which held names and symbols representative of the values communism promoted. Most popular names were Dynamo (Berlin, Bucharest, Dresden, Kyiv, Minsk, Moscow, Tbilisi, Tirana, Zagreb, etc.), Spartak (Moscow, Subotica, Trnava, Vladikavkaz, etc.; Sparta in case of Prague one) or Lokomotiv (backed by the railways, Durrës, Košice, Leipzig, Moscow, Plovdiv, Sofia, etc.; Lokomotiva for Belgrade and Zagreb). Another form was Železničar/Željezničar in Yugoslavia, meaning railway worker, examples Belgrade, Sarajevo, Smederevo, etc. Miners clubs were either known as Shakhtar in Soviet Union (Donetsk, Karagandy, Saligorsk, Sverdlovsk, etc.) or as Rudar in Yugoslavia (Kostolac, Pljevlja, Prijedor, Velenje, etc.) Metallurgical industry clubs were named as Metalurg (Donetsk, Rustavi, Skopje, Zaporizhya, Zestafoni, etc.), Metalist (Kharkiv) or Yugoslav version Čelik, iron (Nikšić, Zenica, etc.) Other names were Mladost meaning youth (Apatin, Bački Jarak, Kakanj, Lučani, Podgorica, Ugljevik, etc.), Sloboda meaning freedom (Novi Grad, Tuzla, Užice, etc.; Svoboda Ljubljana), Borac meaning fighter (Banja Luka, Čačak, Šamac, etc.), Jedinstvo meaning unity (Belgrade, Bihać, Bijelo Polje, Brčko, Ub, Užice, etc.), or, perhaps the most characteristic name of all politically left-wing founded clubs, the name Radnički, meaning Labourer's (Belgrade, Ivangrad, Kovin, Kragujevac, Lukavac, Niš, Obrenovac, Pirot, Sombor, Svilajnac, etc.; Rabotnički Skopje and RFK Novi Sad and RNK Split as well). Clubs were controlled by powerful structures within the regime such as the army or the interior ministries. Examples of "Army clubs" usually held names such as CSKA (Moscow and Sofia) or Partizan (Belgrade and Tirana). Red Star, or just Star, was another popular name (Crvena zvezda from Belgrade or Gnjilane, Steaua from Bucharest, or Ruda Hvezda from Bratislava, but also there were Red Stars from Paris, Zurich, Seaham, Caracas, Huambo, Beira and even Chicago). Besides the name, the club emblems often were changed in order to display the communist symbology.

Besides the nationalization of ownership, change in names, and emblems, the communist regimes also changed the management and structure of the teams. While previously most clubs did their best to bring star coaches and players by attracting them with high salaries, communist regimes diverted the focus into the local academies and domestic players. Many countries adopted restrictions such as age-limits for players to move abroad, and the signings of foreigners became unpopular habits. This meant that many leagues which had previously had a significant number of clubs where it was common practice to sign foreign coaches and players became entirely composed of domestic stuff and players. That fact is what makes this list peculiar.

Yugoslavia, which has been the only European communist country outside COMECON and Soviet influence, is unsurprisingly the pioneer in (re)opening their clubs to foreigners. Much more open than the rest of communist countries, and being the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement, Yugoslavia had a significant presence of foreign students in its universities coming from Third World counties. Among them, some continued practicing sports while in Yugoslavia, and cases of African players which were registered in lower and amateur Yugoslav leagues occurred throughout time. In the top-league, although rare, the cases of players from COMECON countries in Yugoslavia were the only cases of foreigners in these leagues for most of the 1950s till 1970s. In 1980s Yugoslavia starts having its first Africans and South-Americans in its league. With few cases, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Soviet Union follow suit.

Foreigners played major role in the beginnings of clubs in Russian Empire. However, after the 1917 Revolution and the creation of Soviet Union, the vast majority of foreigners left the country and clubs played exclusively with domestic players all the way until the fall of Communism in late 1980s. The Baltic states were incorporated into Soviet Union in 1945 and afterwards became closed to foreign exchange. Previously they had been majorly influenced by the Central-European school just as most of the other countries we cover here. Football appeared in this part of Europe while still most of these countries were part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Within the empire football became highly developed, and by early 20th century, football in these region was at pace with United Kingdom, Germany, France or Italy. The Central-European school became the avant-garde in football, and coaches from territories that was once Austro-Hungary were highly regarded throughout the globe. At the end of First World War, the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved, and the successor countries continued the tradition of its football school. Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland and Romania became the core that would compete against the few other football powerhouses. Prior WWII it was common to see Austrian and Hungarian coaches in all European top clubs, plus players, added by Czechoslovaks and Yugoslavs. In clubs of all these Central-European leagues, it was common to see coaches and players from other parts of Europe. However, when communists came to power, this practice was discontinued, and clubs were forced to develop their schools and focus on domestic players only. Between the 1950s and 1970s this was the reality of all countries. It will be at the 1980s that this reality slowly starts to change.

By late 1980 and early 1990s it is notorious the presence of Soviet players in these leagues. Mentality begins changing at this point, and signings of other communist-country players slowly open-way to signings of players from other parts of the world. In Yugoslavia, foreigners with Yugoslav origins also contributed to the massification of imports. However, in the entire region, it was the fall of Berlin Wall that marked the real shift, and the start of foreign players in these league. During the 1980s only a handful of players from other continents had been signed, mostly in Czechoslovak, Yugoslav and Hungarian leagues.

By late 1980s clubs from these countries started paying attention to world competitions. Signed were the players that shined at 1988 Olympics, cases such as of the Chinese players Jia and Liu brought by Partizan, Nigerian Okwaraji by Dinamo Zagreb, and Soviet goalkeeper Prudnikov by Velez Mostar, Zambians Chansa, Makinka and Mwanza signed by Soviet Second League Pomir Dushambe, while American Vermes was signed by Hungarian side Győri ETO .

It will be in 1990 that the world will see the emergence of clubs from communist countries competing to sign players in highlight at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Dinamo Zagreb won the bid in signing Costa Rican duo Medford and Gonzalez, his compatriot Chavez signed with Inter Bratislava, Colombians Redin and Pimiento with CSKA Sofia, Algerians Bouiche and Haraoui with Ferencvaros and Slovan Bratislava respectively and Americans Trittschuh by Sparta Prague, Bliss by Energie Cottbus, and Caligiuri by Hansa Rostock.

Signings happened between these leagues started being more frequent. When Yugoslav Red Star was building their European and Intercontinental Cup-winning team in the late 1980s, their target became the Romanian international, one of main pillars and captain of Steaua that had won European Cup in 1987. Since Romania was still closed and didn't allow their footballers to emigrate, they convinced him to defect, and after an intense struggle with rivals Partizan, they signed him in 1989 although he had to wait an entire year for FIFA to allow him to debut in official games. After him, many others followed. Yugoslav Binić moved to Sparta Prague, Czechoslovak Jeslinek to Yugoslav Hajduk Split, Soviets Tatarchuk to Czechoslovak Slavia Prague, and Karavajevs and Ruzgys to Yugoslav OFK Belgrade. As this were still the beginnings of signings of foreigners, bad decisions also happened. A lower-half table side NK Osijek was not doing well in their campaign in the Yugoslav First League so to turn their luck they brought three Soviet players for trials. Two of them, Metlitskiy and Shalimo were granted a contract, while the third one, Andriy Shevchenko, was deemed as "not good enough".

Besides this high-profile signings, there was an increase in moves from one country to another. In Hungary for instance, there was a major influx of ethnic Hungarian players from neighboring countries.

American footballers were present as pioneers among the foreign-signings in these leagues. Examples are signing of Sullivan and Vermes with Győri ETO, Trittschuh with Slavia Prague, Caligiuri with Hansa Rostock, Bliss with Energie Cottbus, or Mullholland with Lokomotiv Moscow.

Brazilians, who will storm these leagues later in the new millennium, had its first player in this part of the globe in Yugoslavia. It was a goalkeeper with Croatian roots, Domingo Franulovic, who was signed in 1956 by a bottom-table club RNK Split. Giving the fact that Franulovic was of Yugoslav origin and possessed double-nationality, the first real Brazilian signing happened in 1990, when Yugoslav top-league side Spartak Subotica brought three experienced Brazilians to their squad, Jatoba, Marquinhos and Monteiro.

Although Argentinian Roberto Oreb spent some time during the 1950s with teams that would later form FK Zemun, he has failed to debut in the league. Next South American was Peruvian international Jose Moreno who joined Yugoslav side Dinamo Zagreb in 1980 but played only for reserves team. So presumably, the first South-American footballers to debut in the top-leagues of former-communist countries were the three Brazilians of Spartak Subotica in 1990. A years later, the first major influx of South Americans was registered in the region, with five Argentinians signing for Polish Ekstaklasa teams in 1991.

Although some Africans students were registered and even played in lower-leagues during previous decades, the first African major signings happened in the 1980s. The first was Nigerian Umoh who signed with Hungarian Ujpest in 1982, followed by Gabonese Delicat who signed with Yugoslav side Vojvodina a year later.

The first ever Chinese players to play in a top-league in Europe were Xie Yuxin and Gu Guangming, playing with FC Zwolle (Netherlands) and SV Darmstadt 98 (Germany).^[1] They had come in summer 1987, but just half a year later, Jia Xiuquan and Liu Haidong arrived in Belgrade and played in the Yugoslav First League for next year.

First Australian player was Socceroos international Eddy Krncevic who came to Yugoslavia and played three seasons with Dinamo Zagreb, between 1981 and 1984.

Below we have the list of foreigners that played in the leagues of communist countries in Europe. The list is divided by countries, and lists the nationalities of the players that played as foreigners. If the name of the player is bolded it means the player has senior national team appearances for their nation. Following players name is the club, or clubs in some cases, and next are the years the player has played at the club.

Bulgaria

• Nikolay Arabov – Tirana 1992–1993

Albania

• Skënder Begeja – Akademik Sofia 1948–50

Colombia

• Carlos Pimiento – CSKA Sofia 1990–1992
• Bernardo Redín – CSKA Sofia 1990–1991

Egypt

• Magdy Tolba – Levski Sofia 1992–1993

Soviet Union

• Nazim Ajiev – Pirin Blagoevgrad 1992
• Borys Derkach – Levski Sofia 1991–1992
• Oleg Kazmirchuk – Haskovo 1992
• Igor Kislov – Etar 1990–96^[2]
• Oleg Morgun – Etar 1924, Levski Sofia 1991–1995
• Asylbek Momunov – Haskovo 1992
• Vladislav Nemeşcalo – Yantra 1992^[3]
• Ivan Shariy – Etar 1924 1989–1991
• Nematjan Zakirov – Pirin Blagoevgrad, PFC Velbazhd Kyustendil 1992–97

Yugoslavia

• Vlatko Kostov – Lokomotiv Sofia 1986–1988

Algeria

• Youssef Haraoui – Slovan Bratislava 1991–1993

Bulgaria

• Borislav Futekov – SK Kladno 1946–1947

Costa Rica

• José Carlos Chaves – Inter Bratislava 1990–1992

Hungary

• Tamás Andó – Jednota Košice 1946–1947
• Rudolf Illovszky – ŠK Bratislava 1946–1947
• János Klimcsók – Jednota Košice 1946–1947
• Attila Pintér – Dunajská Streda 1991–1992
• István Turbéky – Jednota Košice 1946–1948
• Eugen Wellisch – ŠK Bratislava 1946–1948

Indonesia

• Nil Maizar – Sparta Prague 1990–1992
• Rochy Putiray – Dukla Prague 1990–1991

Soviet Union

• Aleksandr Bokiy – Sigma Olomouc 1990–1992
• Viktor Dvirnyk – TJ Chemlon Humenné 1989–1990, Inter Bratislava 1990–1992, Sparta Prague 1992–1993
• Rashid Gallakberov – Tatran Prešov 1991–1993
• Oleg Kuzhlev – Žilina 1990–1991
• Vadym Lazorenko – Košice 1991–1992
• Valeri Masalitin – Sigma Olomouc 1992–1993
• Mykhaylo Olefirenko – Tatran Prešov 1991–1992
• Yuri Petukhov – Lokomotíva Košice 1991–1993
• Gennadi Salov – Dunajská Streda 1991–1992
• Oleksandr Sopko – Zemplín Michalovce 1991–1993
• Yuri Surov – Spartak Hradec Králové 1991–1992
• Vladimir Tatarchuk – Slavia Prague 1992–1994
• Sergei Timofeyev – Dunajská Streda 1989–1992
• Stanislav Tskhovrebov – Slovan Bratislava 1992–1993
• Igor Yakubovskiy – Dynamo České Budějovice 1992–1993
• Mykola Yurchenko – Zbrojovka Brno 1991–1993^[6]
• Yevgeni Yurka – Prostějov 1945–1946
• Aleksandr Zhitkov – Tatran Prešov 1991–1992, Vítkovice 1992, Bohemians Prague 1993

United States

• Steve Trittschuh – Sparta Prague 1990–1991

Yugoslavia

• Dragiša Binić – Slavia Prague 1991–1993
• Vinko Golob – Bohemians Prague 1946–1948
• Dejan Joksimović – Sparta Prague 1991–1992
• Valdet Shoshi – Vítkovice 1990–1991

Zambia

• Timothy Mwitwa – Sparta Prague 1990–1991

Bulgaria

• Petar Aleksandrov – Energie Cottbus 1990–1991
• Antonio Ananiev – Energie Cottbus 1990–1991

West Germany

• Peter Lux – Dynamo Dresden 1990–1991

Hungary

• József Dzurják – Chemnitzer FC 1990–1991
• Péter Disztl – Rot-Weiß Erfurt 1990–1992

Soviet Union

• Anatoliy Demyanenko – 1. FC Magdeburg 1990–1991

United States

• Brian Bliss – Energie Cottbus 1990–1991
• Paul Caligiuri – Hansa Rostock 1990–1991

Yugoslavia

• Munever Krajišnik – Carl Zeiss Jena 1990–1991

Algeria

• Naçer Bouiche – Ferencváros – 1990–1991

Congo

• Jean-Claude Mbemba – Vasas, Veszprém – 1988–1996

Greece

• Panagiotis Kermanidis – MTK Budapest – 1971–1973

Iran

• Amir Hashemi – Vasas – 1990–91
• Nader Mirahmadian – Vasas – 1990–91

Netherlands

• Jos Smeets – Haladás – 1985–1986

Nigeria

• Agustino Igbinadolor – Veszprém – 1988–1990
• Patrick Umoh – Újpest – 1982–1983, Csepel – 1985–1986

Romania

• Gheorghe Bănică – Tatabánya – 1991–1992
• Ion Bogdan – MTK Budapest – 1946–1947
• Sorin Cigan – Szeged SC, Újpest, Ferencváros, Vasas, Stadler – 1990–1995
• Petru Chiratcu – Győr, FC Sopron – 1991–1992, 1993–1995
• Romulus Gabor – Diósgyőri VTK – 1991–1992
• Ovidiu Lazăr – Budapest Honvéd – 1991–1992
• Gheorghe Mărginean – Debrecen – 1990–1991
• Zsolt Muzsnay – Videoton FC – 1990–1991, 1992–1995
• Adrian Negrău – Budapest Honvéd, BVSC Budapest, Haladás – 1991–1994, 1995–1998
• Ioan Petcu – Diósgyőri VTK – 1991–1992
• Gheorghe Pena – Győr, Csepel, Budapest Honvéd – 1991–1996
• Florian Radu – Szentlőrinci AC – 1947–1948
• Dorel Toderaş – Debrecen – 1990–1991, 1993–1994
• Gheorghe Tulba – Debrecen – 1989–1991
• Viorel Vancea – Videoton FC, Budapest Honvéd, Békéscsaba, Vasas, BVSC Budapest – 1989–1995
• Ioan Varga – Újpest – 1990–1991
• Nistor Văidean – Győr – 1990–1992
• Ion Voicu – Vasas – 1990–1991
• Ion Zare – BFC Siófok, Pécsi MFC – 1990–1993, 1993–1994

Soviet Union

• Vasyl Rats – Ferencváros – 1991–1992

United States

• Christopher Sullivan – Győri ETO – 1989–1990, 1996–1997
• Peter Vermes – Győri ETO – 1988–1989

Yugoslavia

• Srđan Bošković – Újpest – 1990–1991
• Radovan Marić – Vasas – 1988–1989
• Momčilo Medić – Veszprém – 1989–1990
• Mirsad Sprečak – Videoton – 1989–1990, Siofok – 1990–1991, Veszprém – 1992–1993
• Mirko Tintar – Videoton – 1989–1990

Argentina

• Guillermo Coppola – GKS Katowice (1991)
• Jorge García – Wisła Kraków (1991)
• Fabio Marozzi – Śląsk Wrocław (1990–1991)
• Germán Darío Rodríguez – Lech Poznań (1991)
• Marcelo Süller – Igloopol Dębica (1991)

Belarus

• Syarhey Amyalyusik – Motor Lublin (1990)
• Andrey Hlebasolaw – Wisła Kraków (1992)
• Yury Maleyew – Zawisza Bydgoszcz (1991–1994)
• Syarhey Saladownikaw – Jagiellonia Białystok (1992)
• Mikhail Smirnow – Zawisza Bydgoszcz (1992)
• Syarhey Yasinski – Jagiellonia Białystok (1992)

Georgia

• Gia Jishkariani – GKS Katowice (1992)
• Zaza Revishvili – GKS Katowice (1992–1993)

Italy

• Constante Bonazza – Arkonia Szczecin (1949–1951)^[7]

Lithuania

• Algis Mackevičius – Jagiellonia Białystok (1989)

Russia

• Sergei Basov – Śląsk Wrocław (1992–1993)
• Aleksandr Gitselov – Zagłębie Lubin (1991–1992)
• Vladimir Grechnyov – Śląsk Wrocław (1991–1992)
• Aleksandr Kanishchev – Legia Warsaw (1991)
• Sergei Mikhailov – Motor Lublin (1991–1992)
• Vadim Rogovskoy – Zagłębie Lubin (1991–1995)
• Sergei Shestakov – Legia Warsaw (1992–1993)
• Sergei Shipovskiy – Hutnik Kraków (1992–1997)
• Aleksey Zverev – Olimpia Poznań (1992)

Sweden

• Stefan Jansson – Pogoń Szczecin (1992)

Ukraine

• Anatoliy Demyanenko – Widzew Łódź (1991–1992)
• Oleh Derevinskyi – Wisła Kraków (1991–1993)
• Valeriy Hoshkoderya – Stal Stalowa Wola (1991)
• Ruslan Kolokolov – Igloopol Dębica (1992)
• Ihor Korniyets – Lech Poznań (1992)
• Serhiy Raluchenko – Stal Mielec (1991–1992)
• Vasyl Yatsyshyn – Igloopol Dębica (1991)
• Volodymyr Yurchenko – Stal Stalowa Wola (1991–1992)

Zambia

• Derby Makinka – Lech Poznań (1992)
• Noel Sikhosana – Wisła Kraków (1991)

Albania

• Roland Agalliu – Universitatea Craiova, Oţelul Galaţi – 1990–1993
• Ilir Bozhiqi – FC Brașov – 1991–1995
• Agim Canaj – FC Brașov – 1991–1994
• Arben Kokalari – Oţelul Galaţi – 1991–1993
• Arben Minga – FC Brașov, Dacia Unirea Brăila – 1991–1993
• Perlat Musta – Dinamo București – 1991–1994

Czechoslovakia

• Jozsef Anthos – Cluj – 1946–1947^[8]

Ghana

• Nelson Mensah – Dinamo București – 1991–1993

Greece

• Kostas Choumis – Venus București, Gaz Metan Mediaș, UTA Arad – 1945–1950
• Dan Georgiadis – Juventus București – 1945–1947
• Christos Metskas – UTA Arad – 1957–1969
• Giorgos Zindros – Universitatea Craiova – 1974–1976

Hungary

• János Börzsei – Ferar Cluj – 1946–1947
• Árpád Fekete – Carmen București – 1946–1947
• Gyula Lóránt – UTA Arad – 1946–1947
• Adolf Vécsey – CA Oradea – 1946–1952

Moldova

• Alexandru Guzun – Rapid București – 1992–1994
• Alexei Scala – FCM Bacău – 1992–1993
• Iurie Scala – FCM Bacău – 1992–1993

Bulgaria

• Tenyo Minchev – Krylia Sovetov Samara 1989

Greece

• Andreas Niniadis – Dinamo Batumi 1990–1991

Poland

• Bolesław Habowski – Spartak Moscow 1941
• Michał Matyas – Dynamo Kyiv 1940–1941
• Oleksandr Skotsen' – Dynamo Kyiv 1940–1941

Romania

• Lică Movilă – Zimbru Chisinau 1991 (2nd league)
• Claudiu Vaișcovici – Zimbru Chisinau 1991 (2nd league)

Spain

• Agustín Gómez Pagóla – Krylya Sovetov Moscow (1946), Torpedo Moscow (1947–1956)

United States

• Dale Mulholland – Lokomotiv Moscow 1990
• Adam Wolanin – Spartak Moscow 1941

Zambia

• Wisdom Mumba Chansa – Pamir Dushanbe 1989
• Derby Makinka – Pamir Dushanbe 1989
• Pearson Mwanza – Pamir Dushanbe 1989–1991

Albania

• Edmond Abazi – Hajduk Split 1990–1992
• Ramiz Bisha – Budućnost Podgorica 1991–1992
• Besnik Hasi – Prishtina 1991–1992
• Rahim Sherifi – Partizan Belgrade 19__–19__
• Zamir Shpuza – Budućnost Podgorica 1991–1992
• Dodë Tahiri – Budućnost Titograd 1946–1949

Australia

• Eddie Krncevic – Dinamo Zagreb 1981–1984

Brazil

• Domingo Franulovic – RNK Split 1956–1965
• Carlos Roberto Jatobá – Spartak Subotica 1990–1991
• Marquinhos – Spartak Subotica 1990–1991
• Osvaldo Monteiro – Spartak Subotica 1990–1991

Bulgaria

• Todor Atanaskov – Red Star Belgrade 1946–1948
• Blagoy Simeonov – OFK Belgrade 1946–1947
• Kiril Simonovski – Partizan Belgrade 1945–1950
• Metodi Tomanov – Radnički Niš 1990–1992

Canada

• Nick Dasovic – Dinamo Zagreb 1989–1991

China

• Jia Xiuquan – Partizan Belgrade 1987–1989
• Liu Haiguang – Partizan Belgrade 1987–1989

Costa Rica

• Rónald González – Dinamo Zagreb 1990–1991
• Hernán Medford – Dinamo Zagreb 1990–1991

Czechoslovakia

• Jiří Jeslínek – Hajduk Split 1990–1991
• Karel Skopový – Željezničar Sarajevo 1946–1950
• Milan Zvarík – Vojvodina 1985–1986

Gabon

• Anselme Délicat – Vojvodina 1983–1986

East Germany

• Boris Binkowski – Maribor 1965–1973

West Germany

• Rudolf Corn – Olimpija 1962–1970
• Robert Puha – Spartak Subotica 1989–1990

Greece

• Theodoros Apostolidis – Bor 1969–1972

Hungary

• János Báki – Radnički Kragujevac 1945–1946
• János Borsó – Vojvodina 1985–1986
• Ladiszlav Csányi – Vojvodina 1967–1969
• Pál Dárdai – Vojvodina 1985–1986
• József Dzurják – Spartak Subotica 1990–1991
• István Gligor – OFK Belgrade 1973–1974
• Jenő Kalmár – Radnički Belgrade 1945–1946
• József Lakatoș – 14. Oktobar Niš 1946–1947
• Tamás Nagy – Spartak Subotica 1990–1991
• István Nyers – Spartak Subotica 1945–1946
• Gyula Spitz – Partizan Belgrade 1946–1947
• Ladiszlav Tőrők – Nafta Lendava 1946–1947

Italy

• Aldo Giurini – Kvarner Rijeka 1952–1954, Lokomotiva Zagreb 1954–1955
• Mario Ravnich – Kvarner Rijeka 1946–1949
• Franco Rosignoli – Maribor 1967–1971

Nigeria

• Samuel Okwaraji – Dinamo Zagreb 1985–1986

Romania

• Miodrag Belodedici – Red Star Belgrade 1989–1992
• Aurel Han – Spartak Subotica 1991–1992
• Vasile Păunescu – 14. Oktobar Niš 1946–1947
• Virgil Popescu – Partizan Belgrade 1946–1948

Soviet Union

• Asteri Filaktov – OFK Belgrade 1963–1964
• Pavel Georgijevski – Vardar Skopje 1975–1984
• Oļegs Karavajevs – OFK Belgrade 1990–1993^[9]
• Mikhail Markhel – Budućnost Podgorica 1991–1992^[10]
• Aliaksandr Metlitskiy – Osijek 1990–1991^[11]
• Aleksei Prudnikov – Velež Mostar 1990–1991, Sarajevo 1991–1992
• Kęstutis Ruzgys – OFK Belgrade 1991–1992^[12]
• Andrei Shalimo – Osijek 1990–1991
• Ivan Spotar – OFK Belgrade 1957–1958
• Mykhailo Stelmakh – Spartak Subotica 1991–1992

Sweden

• Frederick Enaholo – Vojvodina 1991–1992
• Niclas Nylen – Vojvodina 1984–1985

Switzerland

• Darije Kalezić – Velež Mostar 1987–1994

United States

• Christopher Sulincevski – Vardar Skopje 1988–1989

• Foreign players in NBI chronologically at nela-hu (in Hungarian)