The fall of the Berlin Wall did not end football’s conflictual relationship with Eastern Europe. For over 40 years, players from these countries would risk life in prison and permanent separation from family to play outside their home country for basic freedoms like professional opportunities which were unavailable back at home due because there was no market or playing environment suitable enough until recently when some East German teams started appearing again after reunification made it possible that they could do so without fear stiffling potential talent along way if not entirely preventing any chance whatsoever—hence why you’ll find international stars now plying their trade right here on this side.
Though it is a well-known story that the first player to defect from communism was Hungarian International László (Ladislao) Kubala after he fled his home country in 1949 and joined Barcelona. He would go on play for them until 1955 when General Franco’s Spain imposed an international ban against football players who were not Spanish or fronting up their own club teams made him famous throughout Europe but more importantly helped pave way towards other athletes later choosing this same path including Czechoslovakian ice hockey star Vlastimil Grossman who also played under.
Less than 10 years after their stunning victory in Budapest, Hungary would again see revolution when Captain Ferenc Puskás led the Galloping Major’s defection from Honved. He joined Real Madrid and became one of history’s greatest players while Sándor Kocsis brought his footballing brilliance to Barcelona FC following an earlier departure under mysterious circumstances with Jenő Kalmár managing both teams which were suspensions due largely because he remained outside preparing for what was thought would be just another match but ended up being much more complicated thanthat–especially since many other top athletes also decided not return home after learning about political changes during this time period.
The Budapest-born Zoltán Varga left his home country of Hungary after defecting to Belgium with the belief that he would be offered a contract. However, upon arriving at Standard Liège’s stadium where they were supposed Top Play Ball Under lied about being involved in an bribery scandal while playing for Hertha Berlin and Borussia Dortmund amongst others before serving as Aberdeen’s manager (2007).
In 1966, Poland had to contend with the defection of Polonia Bytom trio: forward Jan Banaś; midfielders Stefan Liberda and Norbert Pogrzeba. The three players left for Dutch football clubs AZ Alkmaar (BMania) and NAC Braga respectively after only one year in Turkey due largely because they were offered higher wages than what was available back home—and also more freedom!