List of foreign K League 1 players

This is a list of foreign players in K League 1.

Players in bold are currently playing in K League 1.
Nationality is listed under the official K League player registration; players may acquire multiple citizenship.
If players have been capped for a national team, this nationality takes precedence over the nationality stated in the official K League player registration database.
In dual citizen annotation, if dual citizen players have an international career, the country listed in italics is the national team they have played for.

Africa (CAF) edit

Jean-Marc Benie Bolou (2000 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma)
Loukou Auguste (2000 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma)

Modou Barrow (2020–2022 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) ※ Dual citizen of Gambia and Sweden^[a]

Frédéric Mendy (2016 Ulsan Hyundai, 2017 Jeju United) ※ Dual citizen of Guinea-Bissau and France^[c]

Cheick Tidiani Dao (2002 Bucheon SK)
Cheick Oumar Dabo (2002–2004 Bucheon SK)

Geovanni Jeannot (1996–1997 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i)

Olivier Bonnes (2016–2017 Gwangju FC); also played in K League 2 ※ Dual citizen of Niger and France^[d]

Lars Veldwijk (2020 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, 2021–2023 Suwon FC); also played in K League 2 ※ Dual citizen of South Africa and the Netherlands^[e]

Asia (AFC) edit

Rodrigo Souza Silva (2017 Daegu FC); when Rodrigo was registered in K League, he was a dual citizen of East Timor and Brazil. He was declared ineligible to participate for the representative teams of the East Timor Football Federation.^[1]

Pratama Arhan (2024–present Suwon FC)

Abbas Obeid Jassim (1996–1997 Anyang LG Cheetahs, 1997–2001 Pohang Steelers)
Sadiq Saadoun Ridha (1996 Anyang LG Cheetahs)
Ali Abbas Al-Hilfi (2016–2017 Pohang Steelers) ※ Dual citizen of Iraq and Australia^[f]
Jiloan Hamad (2019 Incheon United) ※ Dual citizen of Irag and Sweden^[g]
Rebin Sulaka (2024–present FC Seoul)

Éder (2017 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors); also played in K League 2 ※ Dual citizen of Palestine and Brazil^[h]

Álvaro Silva (2015 Daejeon Citizen); also played in K League 2 ※ Dual citizen of the Philippines and Spain

Hosam Aiesh (2023 FC Seoul) ※ Dual citizen of Syria and Sweden

Valeri Sarychev (1992–1998 Ilhwa Chunma / Cheonan Ilhwa Chunma, 2000–2004 Anyang LG Cheetahs / FC Seoul) ※ Dual citizen of Tajikistan and South Korea
Vitaliy Parakhnevych (1995–1998 Jeonbuk Hyundai Dinos, 1998–2000 Suwon Samsung Bluewings, 2001 Anyang LG Cheetahs, 2002 Bucheon SK) ※ Dual citizen of Tajikistan and Ukraine^[i]

Europe (UEFA) edit

Valentinos Sielis (2017–2019 Gangwon FC); also played in K League 2

Dietmar Schacht (1985 POSCO Atoms)
Frank Lieberam (1992 Hyundai Horang-i)
Paulo Rink (2004 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors) ※ Dual citizen of Germany and Brazil
Stanislav Iljutcenko (2019–2020 Pohang Steelers, 2021–2022 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, 2022–present FC Seoul) ※ Dual citizen of Germany and Russia
Igor Jovanović (2020 Seongnam FC) ※ Dual citizen of Germany and Croatia

Diego Giaretta (2011 Incheon United) ※ Dual citizen of Italy and Brazil
André Moritz (2015 Pohang Steelers) ※ Dual citizen of Italy and Brazil
Nicolao Dumitru (2021 Suwon Samsung Bluewings) ※ Dual citizen of Italy and Romania
Boadu Maxwell Acosty (2023 Suwon Samsung Bluewings) ※ Dual citizen of Italy and Ghana; also played in K League 2

※ Known as Macedonia before 2019

Jon Olav Hjelde (2003 Busan I'Cons)
Bjørn Maars Johnsen (2020 Ulsan Hyundai, 2023 FC Seoul) ※ Dual citizen of Norway and the United States

※ Includes players who played during the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–2003) and Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006) period

Fabián Caballero (2007 Daejeon Citizen) ※ Dual citizen of Spain and Argentina
Osmar (2014–2017 & 2019–2023 FC Seoul); also played in K League 2
Urko Vera (2015 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
Jaime Gavilán (2016 Suwon FC); also played in K League 2

North America, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF) edit

Mathias Coureur (2019 Seongnam FC) ※ Dual citizen of Martinique and France^[q]

Jeff Yoo (2000 Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i, 2001 Bucheon SK)
Mix Diskerud (2018–2019 Ulsan Hyundai) ※ Dual citizen of United States and Norway^[r]

South America (CONMEBOL) edit

Notes edit

^ Modou Barrow's listed country in the K League player registration is Sweden.
^ Derek Asamoah's listed country in the K League player registration is the United Kingdom.
^ Frédéric Mendy's listed country in the K League player registration is France.
^ Olivier Bonnes's listed country in the K League player registration is France.
^ Lars Veldwijk's listed country in the K League player registration is the Netherlands.
^ Ali Abbas Al-Hilfi's listed country in the K League player registration is Australia.
^ Jiloan Hamad's listed country in the K League player registration is Sweden.
^ ^a ^b Registered with Palestinian nationality until 2017, and with Brazilian nationality since 2018.
^ Vitaliy Parakhnevych's listed country in the K League player registration is Ukraine.
^ Rubenilson Monteiro Ferreira's listed country in the K League player registration is Brazil.
^ Jasmin Mujdža's listed country in the K League player registration is Croatia.
^ Ivan Medvid's listed country in the K League player registration is Croatia.
^ Gordan Bunoza's listed country in the K League player registration is Croatia.
^ Mario Kvesić's listed country in the K League player registration is Croatia.
^ Dino Islamović's listed country in the K League player registration is Sweden.
^ Borys Tashchy's listed country in the K League player registration is Bulgaria.
^ Mathias Coureur's listed country in the K League player registration is France.
^ Mix Diskerud's listed country in the K League player registration is Norway.

References edit

^ AFC Disciplinary Committee decision 20170119DC01

External links edit

K League Official website: Player Profile Index (in Korean)
National football teams

[1] Modou Barrow's listed country in the K League player registration is Sweden.

[2] Derek Asamoah's listed country in the K League player registration is the United Kingdom.

[3] Frédéric Mendy's listed country in the K League player registration is France.

[4] Olivier Bonnes's listed country in the K League player registration is France.

[5] Lars Veldwijk's listed country in the K League player registration is the Netherlands.

[7] Ali Abbas Al-Hilfi's listed country in the K League player registration is Australia.

[8] Jiloan Hamad's listed country in the K League player registration is Sweden.

[eder-9] Registered with Palestinian nationality until 2017, and with Brazilian nationality since 2018.

[10] Vitaliy Parakhnevych's listed country in the K League player registration is Ukraine.

[11] Rubenilson Monteiro Ferreira's listed country in the K League player registration is Brazil.

[12] Jasmin Mujdža's listed country in the K League player registration is Croatia.

[13] Ivan Medvid's listed country in the K League player registration is Croatia.

[14] Gordan Bunoza's listed country in the K League player registration is Croatia.

[15] Mario Kvesić's listed country in the K League player registration is Croatia.

[16] Dino Islamović's listed country in the K League player registration is Sweden.

[17] Borys Tashchy's listed country in the K League player registration is Bulgaria.

[18] Mathias Coureur's listed country in the K League player registration is France.

[19] Mix Diskerud's listed country in the K League player registration is Norway.

[6] AFC Disciplinary Committee decision 20170119DC01

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Africa (CAF) edit

Cameroon edit

DR Congo edit

Cote d'Ivoire edit

Egypt edit

Gambia edit

Ghana edit

Guinea edit

Guinea-Bissau edit

Mali edit

Mauritius edit

Niger edit

Nigeria edit

Senegal edit

Sierra Leone edit

South Africa edit

Asia (AFC) edit

Australia edit

China edit

East Timor edit

Indonesia edit

Iran edit

Iraq edit

Japan edit

Korea DPR edit

Palestine edit

Philippines edit

Saudi Arabia edit

Syria edit

Tajikistan edit

Thailand edit

Uzbekistan edit

Vietnam edit

Europe (UEFA) edit

Albania edit

Armenia edit

Austria edit

Azerbaijan edit

Belarus edit

Belgium edit

Bosnia and Herzegovina edit

Bulgaria edit

Croatia edit

Cyprus edit

Czech Republic edit

Denmark edit

England edit

Finland edit

France edit

Georgia edit

Germany edit

Hungary edit

Italy edit

Latvia edit

Lithuania edit

Moldova edit

Montenegro edit

Netherlands edit

North Macedonia edit

Northern Ireland edit

Norway edit

Poland edit

Portugal edit

Romania edit

Russia edit

Serbia edit

Slovenia edit

Spain edit

Sweden edit

Switzerland edit

Turkey edit

Ukraine edit

North America, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF) edit

Canada edit

Costa Rica edit

Martinique edit

United States edit

South America (CONMEBOL) edit

Argentina edit

Bolivia edit