Next up in our alphabetical world tour is North Macedonia. A former Yugoslav state, North Macedonia became a FIFA member in 1994, following the dissolution of Yugoslavia. According to the Premier League website, four Macedonians have appeared in the Premier League.
However, full Macedonia international Goran Popov is listed on the website without a nationality. We consider him to have represented North Macedonia in the Premier League and thus we believe the total number of Premier League Macedonians to actually be five.
First Player – Vlado Bozinoski (Ipswich Town; 1992-93)
The Premier League lists Vlado Bozinoski as Macedonian despite the fact he made junior and senior appearances for the Australia national team. Assuming the Premier League is correct, Vlado Bozinoski was the first player to represent Macedonia in the Premier League, appearing nine times for Ipswich in 1992/93.
If the Premier League is wrong, that means former Barnsley striker Georgji Hristov was the first player to represent North Macedonia in the Premier League.
Hristov made 23 league appearances as the Tykes were relegated in their only season in the Premier League to date. He managed eight league goals, the only goals scored by a Macedonian in the Premier League. With 16 goals in 48 appearances for North Macedonia (then known as Macedonia), Hristov is his nation’s second-highest goalscorer of all time.
Records
- Most appearances – Georgi Hristov (23)
- First appearance – Vlado Bozinoski (Coventry City 2-2 IPSWICH TOWN, December 5th 1992)
- Most goals – Georgi Hristov (4)
- First goal – Georgi Hristov (BARNSLEY 2-1 Bolton, August 27th 1997)
Other Players
Later in 1997/98 after Hristov made his top-flight bow for Barnsley, Goce Sedloski made four appearances for Sheffield Wednesday. Five years later, Artim Šakiri played three games for West Brom in their memorable great escape of 2004/05.
The Premier League does not list Goran Popov as Macedonian on their website. However, with 46 international appearances for the Red Lions, he very much is. Popov is the most recent Macedonian to appear in the Premier League, playing 14 league games for West Brom between 2012 and 2013.
Trivia
- Goce Sedloski is one of two players to have won 100 caps for North Macedonia (also Goran Pandev (108).
- Goran Popov is the only Macedonian to have played in more than one Premier League season.
