Currently, many have gone to play for clubs in various leagues from neighboring leagues such as the Thai League and the Malaysian League. Aung Thu has won the Thai Premier League, Thai FA Cup, and Thai League Cup with Thai club Buriram, while Kyaw Ko Ko has won the Thai Championship with Chiang Rai.

However, in the past, it was not so easy for Myanmar players to play abroad, and there were even players who had problems because of playing abroad. I would like to mention some of the Myanmar players who have played abroad since the early days.

If I were to name the first player from Myanmar to play abroad, I would have to mention a player whose name is unlikely to be heard by today's youth. He is Aung Tun Tun. Aung Tun Tun is a player who emerged from the Yangon Region team and joined the Myanmar national team from the Yangon Region team, which is the state and regional champion. He played for the Myanmar national team in the SEA Games and the Thai King's Cup, and was linked to the Thai Port team and played abroad, but the Myanmar Football Federation did not issue a permit to play abroad and suspended him, so he could only train with the Thai Port team in the first year. Only later did he get a chance to play and played for the Thai Port team for 7 years. In addition, when the Malaysian Semi-Pro League started, he went to play for the Malaysian club Parit for 3 seasons. Then, he went to the French club Marseille to train together and learn football and coaching skills, and returned to the Thai Port team and continued to work as a youth team coach. Aung Tun Tun was called the Myanmar Rudy Gullit in his time because of his hairstyle.

Then, it should be mentioned that there are two players who have won trophies while playing abroad before Aung Thu and Kyaw Ko Ko. They are Kyi Lwin and Aung Naing. They played for the Perak team. In the Malaysian FA Cup final, they faced the famous Malaysian club of that time, Slanggol. They won 4-2 and won the Malaysian FA Cup together, with Aung Naing scoring two crucial goals. The first goal was the first equalizer when Slanggol were leading 2-0, and the second goal was the first goal for Perak after the score was 2-2. They are the only Myanmar players to have played abroad and won the trophy. Kyi Lwin also played for Chinese club Yunnan Tangyang in 1996. It is worth noting that both of them were praised by Malaysian newspapers at the time for their performances in the Malaysian League and their performances for Perak.

They were followed by the famous trio of Myanmar's silver era, Than Toe Aung, Tin Myint Aung and Myo Hlaing Win. All three of them moved to Malaysia, a Malaysian club, and played together. They moved in 1989 and returned to Myanmar in 1991.

After that, Myanmar players were completely banned from playing abroad, and Myanmar players playing abroad became a dream again. After the establishment of the Myanmar National League and the emergence of many Myanmar players, hopes were revived that foreign players would emerge. These hopes were revived with the transfer of Kyaw Ko Ko. Kyaw Ko Ko went on loan to Chiang Rai in 2018 and then to Sumedh Prakan City in 2019. He then continued to play for many clubs, including Sukhothai and Chiang Mai United.

After him, Aung Thu, Many Myanmar players, including national team stars Zaw Min Htun and Maung Maung Lwin, are playing for foreign clubs. Myanmar midfielder Than Nya, who plays for semi-pro team Mindale Aces based in Darwin, Australia, Soe Moe Kyaw of Cambodian League Phnom Penh Crown, Chin national Van Thoung of Danish club 𝐎𝐊𝐒, and 22-year-old midfielder Tae Ado of New Zealand National League club Lapland United, are already playing abroad, and many Myanmar players have already arrived in the Thai league. It is a long journey for Myanmar players, but it remains to be seen who will reach the higher leagues in the future.

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