The Foreign Link

The Botev Plovdiv FC have moved a step to completing the signing of new legionary. The defender Johnathan Carlos Pereira Souza or simply Johnathan (born 4 April 1995) is the 13th Brazilian to wear the club colors. He is coming from Stal Kamianske where appeared in 13 matches this season in the Ukrainian Premier League. There he has earned a total of 1123 minutes, get an average of 0 assists for every 90 minutes and scored a total of 1 goal. 

The proportion of foreign players in Bulgarian football teams has increased steadily over the last twenty years. This progression has been particularly stronger in Europe after the intertwining of legal and economic criteria and the 1995 "Bosman" ruling has weakened the quota regime that was in force before. Throughout the history of football, foreign footballers have always enjoyed a privileged status within teams. The existence of quotas strictly limiting their presence has obliged clubs to orientate their international recruitment towards experienced players. The latter were generally among the best footballers of the squad and became as a result favourites in the public eye. This situation has changed considerably today in Europe. The weakening of quotas has led to a multiplication of international flows. The main beneficiaries of the liberalisation of flows are the top clubs of the most financially powerful leagues. These dominant teams can indeed concentrate talent even more strongly than in the past. This process is at the heart of the deterioration of the competitive balance in Europe.

With players from near or far the BPFC link in global trends is as follow: (last updated June 2019)

Argentina Mauro Alegre – (2006–2010) Armenia Armen Ambartsumyan – (1997–2001) Brazil Manuel Peterson – (2008-2009) Alexandre da Silva A Cerdeira – (2009) Arthur Henrique Ricciardi Oyama – (2012-2013) Vander Sacramento Vieira – (2012-2014) Fernando Viana Jardim Silva – (2017-2018) Felipe Brisola – (2016-2018) João Paulo da Silva Araújo – (2016 and 2018) Rafael Diego de Souza – (2016) Victor Hugo Mateus Golas – (2015-2016) Alvaro Juliano Ongilio – (2017-2018) Gustavo Affonso Sauerbeck - (2017-present) Diogo Campos Gomes - (2018-present) Johnathan Carlos Pereira - (2018-present) Burkina Faso Habib Bamogo – (2013-2014) Cameroon Benjamin Niemo – (1999-2001) Gustave Bahoken – (2009) Alfred Mapoka – (2009) Émile Mbamba – (2008-2009) Canada Robert Cabai – (1991-1992) Cape Verde Sténio Nivaldo Matos dos Santos – (2016) Czech Republic Tomáš Jirsák – (2012–2015) Republic of the Congo Férébory Doré – (2014) France Romain Inez – (2014–2015) Rahavi Kifouéti – (2015-2016) Omar Kossoko – (2016–2017) Daudet N'Dongala – (2017-present) Georgia Avtandil Gvianidze – (2002–2004) Ghana Erick Kabu – (2008-2010) Italy Emanuele Morini – (2009) Luca Brignoli – (2009) Alan Carlet – (2009) Fabio Tinazzi – (2009) Massimiliano Brizzi – (2009) Marco D'Argenio – (2009) Ciro Sirignano – (2009) Gilberto Zanoletti – (2009) Alberto Rebecca – (2009) Ilario Lanna – (2009) Marco Di Paolo – (2009) Alessio Locatelli – (2009) Lithuania Ernestas Šetkus – (2012-2013) Macedonia FYR Boban Grnčarov – (2012-2014) Madagascar Anicet Andrianantenaina – (2013-2014) Morocco Mohammed Semal – (2008) Netherlands Civard Sprockel – (2013-2014) Marlon Pereira Freire – (2013) Luís Pedro – (2013-2014) Romario Kortzorg – (2013-2014) Joël Tshibamba – (2015) Gregory Nelson – (2015–2016) Nigeria Daniel Ola – (2009) Omonigho Temile – (2008–09) Poland Adam Stachowiak – (2013-2015) Daniel Kajzer – (2017-present) Romania Ilie Sandu – (2001) Alexandru Benga – (2014) Alexandru Curtean – (2014) Srdjan Luchin – (2014) Scotland John Inglis – (2001–02) Serbia Marko Ilić – (2006) Slovenia Elvedin Džinić – (2013) Spain Rubén Palazuelos García – (2012) Tunisia Hamza Younés – (2014) Ukraine Ihor Kulis – (1990-1993) Dmitro Parhomenko – (2001) Serhyi Khomenko – (2001-2002) Dmitryi Mazur – (2001-2002) Ihor Oshchypko – (2015) Uruguay Sebastián Flores – (2009) César Nicolás Varela Bautista – (2015)

Mauro Alegre Adam Stachowiak Fernando Viana Arthur Henrique Joao Paulo Boban Grncarov Tomas Jirsak Omar Kossoko Emanuele Morini Vander Vieira