CFR Cluj a deschis moda „stranierilor” chiar din primul său an în prima Ligă, 2004-22005, când „feroviarii” au închis o pauză de 28 de ani în care s-au zbătut în noroiul ligilor inferioare.
Printre primii stranieri din Gruia au fost cei din spațiul ex-iugoslav – Mijin, Bruncevici, Z. Miloșevici -, dar, pentru o perioadă scurtă a apărut și un ucrainean: Vitali Balițki.
Acesta apare în statistici cu 2 meciuri jucate la CFR Cluj în sezonul 2004 – 2005.
Unul dintre primii stranieri de la CFR Cluj a murit. Cauza decesului nu s-a dezvăluit
Vitali Balițki era născut pe 22 august 1978. A jucat la CSKA 2 Kiev, Podilla Hmelnițki, CSKA Kiev, Arsenal Kiev, Alania Vladikavkaz, Volin Luțk, Zirka Kirovohrad, Nyva Vinița, Nafkom Brovary și alte echipe mărunte din Ucraina.
El și-a încheiat cariera în sezonul 2009 – 2010, la Dynamo Hmelnițki, în orașul său natal.
Balițki, care putea juca mijlocaș sau fundaș, a strâns 12 selecții și 1 gol la naționala de tineret a Ucrainei.
A început apoi cariera de tehnician, mai întâi la sectorul de copii și juniori. În 2016, a fost antrenor principal interimar la echipa mare, iar în perioada 2016 – 2018 a fost „secund” la aceeași formație.

Anunțul ucrainenilor
Cauza decesului în floarea vârstei n-a fost făcută publică.
Dintre fotbaliștii străini care au evoluat în România au mai murit brazilianul Maicon (ex-Steaua), nigerianul Olubayo Adefemi (ex- Rapid), Patrick Ekeng (ex-Dinamo), Ibrahim Dossey (ex-FC Brașov, ex-Rapid), ivorianul Moise Apanga (ex-Poli Timișoara).
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