by Yulya Carella’s role in Mgarr United’s treble was recognised with the women’s top award at the Malta FA Awards, as Joseph Mbong made the clean sweep in the men’s section following Hamrun Spartans’ historic European campaign. At youth level, Hibernians captain Nyorah Celeste and Valletta’s Thomas Melillo were also recognised after title-winning seasons with their respective sides.
Mbong Makes The Sweep As Carella Claims Top Award In Women
The Malta Football Association (MFA) Awards were held on Tuesday evening with the top awards in football going to Mgarr United’s Yulya Carella in the women’s category and Hamrun Spartans’ Joseph Mbong in the men’s.
Carella earns the award for the first time, with the 21 year old capping off a strong season with the Greens during which she was instrumental in the club’s achievement of the treble in the Assikura Women’s League title, the Jubilee Cup and the defending of the Assikura Women’s Knockout.
Meanwhile, a strong figure in the men’s game for many years, Joseph Mbong’s impact this year secured him the top accolade, together with the top scorer award in the YoHealth Malta Premier League. Most notably the Spartans made headlines after achieving the dream of European group football, though ultimately missing out on defending their domestic league title.
Both players formed part of Malta’s national teams’ respective setups. Carella had a fringe role as the women’s side competed in League B level for the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifications, a competition that will reach is climax in the beginning of June with an away leg against EURO quarter-finalists Switzerland, completed with the home leg against Turkey. Meanwhile, Joseph Mbong formed part of the men’s side as they battled for promotion, most recently in the play-offs against Luxembourg in March during which Luxembourg emerged with the victorious hand.
Celeste Claims Youth Prize Alongside Melillo
The Assikura Women’s Youth League player award went to Hibernians’ captain Nyorah Celeste. The youngster had a leading role with the Paolites as they claimed the double at Youth Level, in the Assikura Women’s Youth League and the Assikura Women’s Youth Knockout.
Valletta’s Thomas Melillo claimed the Men’s Youth League Best Player, with the youngster also forming part of the title-winning side as the Citizens topped the Male’s Section A category.
Abdulai Grabs Top Scorer As Bajada, Cefai & Bugeja Miss Out On Other Awards
The top scorer award in the Assikura Women’s League went to Salamatu Abdulai of Swieqi United. She racked up 22 goals in the season, helping the Owls to claim second place in the league.
Though Mgarr United duo Leanne Cefai and Rebecca Bajada were nominated for the Gozitan Achievement Award, this went to Swieqi United’s Benjamin Hili.
The Best Goal of the Year Award aimed to award the best goal of the 2025/26 season. Only one of twelve nominations came from women’s football and this was Haley Bugeja’s winner against Cyprus that confirmed the promotion of Malta to League B – a competition held during the 2024/25 season. The award went to Armando Melo Dos Santos Brenner for his goal in the match between Xewkija Tigers and Melita.
The complete list of other awards handed out on the night may be perused below.
The full list of awards presented can be found below:
– Assikura Women’s Youth League Best Player – Nyorah Celeste (Hibernians FC)
-Men’s Youth League Best Player – Thomas Melillo (Valletta FC)
-BOV Young Player of the Year – Jake Azzopardi (Valletta FC)
-BOV Challenge League Best Player – Paul Lapira (Birżebbuġa St Peter’s FC)
-BOV Amateur League 1 Best Player – Precious Uchechukwu Nwankwo (Attard FC)
-BOV Amateur League 2 Best Player – Ryan Dalli (Kalkara United FC)
-Fair Play Award – Swieqi United
-The Gozitan Achievement Award – Benjamin Hili (Swieqi United FC)
-Foreign Player of the Year – Federico Nicolás Varela Escudero (Floriana FC)
-The Football Social Responsibility Award – Thomas Debono
-President’s Award – Sava Radić (Valletta FC)
-Coach of the Year – Daniel Portela (Floriana FC)
-Hall of Fame – Freddie Mizzi ‘Il-Pampalun’
-Best Goal of the Year Award – Armando Melo Dos Santos Brenner (Xewkija Tigers FC) vs Melita FC
-Women’s Footballer of the Year – Yulya Carella (Mġarr United FC)
-Men’s Footballer of the Year – Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans FC)
Top Scorers:
-YoHealth Malta Premier – Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans FC): 14 goals
-BOV Challenge League – Arthur Felippe Stelmach Santana (Pietà Hotspurs FC) and Cristhyan Noto Souza (Mġarr United FC): 18 goals
-BOV National Amateur League 1 – Precious Uchechukwu Nwankwo (Attard FC): 32 goals
-BOV National Amateur League 2 – Ronaldinho Nathaniel Daley (Dingli Swallows FC): 20 goals
-Assikura Women’s League – Salamatu Abdulai (Swieqi United FC): 22 goals
Lead Image: Malta FA
