Pjerin Noga


Pjerin Noga is an Albanian retired footballer, who played the majority of his career as a defender for Dinamo Tirana.

International career

He made his debut for Albania in an April 1989 FIFA World Cup qualification match against England and earned a total of 3 caps, scoring no goals.
His final international was a May 1990 European Championship qualification match against Iceland.

Defection

Noga disappeared from the Dinamo Tirana squad in September 1990 at Marseille Airport after playing a European Champions Cup match against Olympique Marseille. At the time, Albania was still ruled by the communists. He later announced he would apply for political asylum in France. Noga was the first player not to return to Albania.
He later moved to the United States.

Honours