by Gabriella Zahra called time on her journey at international level on Saturday, marking the end of her story with Malta, sixteen years on since her debut. The midfielder made her sixty-first and final appearance against Belarus, captaining the side for her final moments at national level.
Questioned about the decision, Gabriella Zahra welled up as she said after the match, “I didn’t think I’d be this overwhelmed with emotion. I’ve been thinking about it for the past year, and I think it’s the right time, given my minutes at international level have reduced because of course I have gotten older and also given that I would also like to spend more time with my son as well. So, I think putting everything together, I think it’s the perfect time.”
She almost had a dream end, rising high to meet Maria Farrugia’s corner late on, only to be denied by Maryia Svidunovich. Speaking about the moment after the match, Zahra said, “I don’t where the goalkeeper came from, you obviously wish to end it in the best way possible and make your mark for the team. However, in the end, I am honoured to have made that final appearance.”
In fact, reminiscing on her journey with Malta since debuting against Latvia in 2009, the midfielder said, “It’s memories that will last a lifetime. Things were very different when I started, there were no divisions between age groups, so the development wasn’t so kind on us. You were sort of thrown in the deep end immediately. Our kits were men’s kits and we trained late. Things have changed a lot since then so I really hope that the young players rising today appreciate the things that they have around them and make the most of the opportunity. The time comes only once.”
She formed part of the teams that hit some of the biggest milestones in Malta’s story on the international level, including the preliminary round qualification of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2013 and the two promotions to League B that Malta gained in the UEFA Women’s Nations League cycles in the past two years.
Looking forward to life beyond international football the midfielder hinted at curtains beyond the national setup, “I don’t know my life without playing for the team, I will learn a new aspect of life. Football is part of my identity and it has given me friends for life, ones who still play and others who have already stopped. I have no regrets.”
Lead Image: Brandon Bonett
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