by As with any award show, the announcement of the nominees of the MFA Awards have been met by a range of emotions, from elation to outcry. However, the controversy has mostly surrounded the criteria & award list. The nominations of foreign-based footballers, Haley Bugeja & Maria Farrugia, have shed light into the criteria of the Footballer of The Year award, as one anomalous to the rest of the awards. The imbalance between award categories has also sparked discussion.
Footballer Of The Year
The Malta Football Association’s announcement of the five players nominated for the Female Footballer of The Year Award has sparked controversy as the eligibility criteria comes under the spotlight.
Though unchanged, it was exposed by the nominations of foreign-league-based Maltese nationals, Haley Bugeja (Inter Women) and Maria Farrugia (Sheffield United Women), despite the award usually being associated with player playing in the Maltese leagues. They are nominated alongside three players who played their football in the Assikura Women’s League, namely Nicole Sciberras (Hibernians), Emma Xuereb (Swieqi United) and Shona Zammit (Swieqi United).
The men’s Footballer of the Year category features five players playing in the Malta Premier League namely, Henry Bonello (Hamrun Spartans), Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians), Alexander Satariano (Birkirkara), Dunstan Vella (Floriana) and Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana).
Before diving into controversy, one will state outright that the nomination of all individuals is within the criteria stipulated for the award, which is detailed below. However, before diving into the criteria, it is worth mentioning what each of these players have done this past year.
In alphabetical order, Haley Bugeja marked her second season with Inter Women within the Serie A increased appearances from the bench after a tough opening season marred also by injury. Alongside a star-studded squad, the Maltese youngster battled for a place in the team, with substitute performances becoming more consistent as the season wore on. She aided the team to secure a second-place finish and a Champions League spot next season for the first time. She ultimately secured the goal to spoil the final matchday for Serie A champions, Juventus.
At national team level, Haley Bugeja has been a constant presence in driving Malta forward. Vital in both with goalscoring and assisting, while making partnerships up front tick, her contributions have been and will continue to be crucial as the side looks to secure a place back into League B within their final two outings.
Maria Farrugia spent her year with Sheffield United Women. Among the undroppable names in the team, Farrugia lit up the attack with assists and four goals in the Barclays Women’s Championship. They included a strike against Bristol City which earned her the Best Goal of the Season in the Women’s Professional Game Barclays Championship Awards 2024/25. Despite Farrugia’s efforts in driving the side forward, Sheffield United Women will be relegated.
At national team level, Maria Farrugia was no doubt one of the standouts in Malta’s League B campaign, punching above with seemingly endless lung-capacity, as the fatigue set in around her against top-drawer opposition. The Gozitan continued to follow up as the year progressed. Tasked with key bursts in getting Malta up the pitch, as well as continuing to work the partnerships to punish opposition near the net, Farrugia’s presence for Malta has also been a crucial one as they fight for a return to League B.
Nicole Sciberras was a mainstay in Hibernians’ midfield in a season where the Assikura Women’s League featured a four-horse race until the final two matchdays. Quiet but hard-working, the Paolites vice-captain was one of those few who maintained consistency throughout the season, despite dips in form of those alongside her.
Scorer of a few goals as well, while a key instigator in quick transitions to get the team in possession and on the front foot, Sciberras’ nomination shows that her work ethic has been recognised despite her quiet demeanour.
Her appearances with the national team were just as industrious. The midfielder remained true to character, keen to win back possession and get the team going without too many charades.
Emma Xuereb marks her nomination after a season as a full-back at Swieqi United as they made their way to claim the Super Cup and the Assikura Women’s League. The Gozitan’s defensive qualities were crucial as the Owls attained the best defensive record in the league. The full-back also brought plenty of energy to run up and down the flank, while bringing the experience to push the team toward these titles. This especially considering the tough start Swieqi United had which they converted into consistent wins to earn the title, throughout what has been a highly competitive season.
At national team level, Xuereb worked her way back from injury, which kept her out for most of the League B campaign, reclaiming a full-back starting position and push Malta in a positive direction as they hone in on the final three points needed to claim promotion back to League B.
Finally, Shona Zammit went into this season freshly fitted with the captain’s armband at Swieqi United and surrounded by a young midfield. The Swieqi skipper rose to the occasion in action every week, willing to run the miles for the team, help in defense and create attacks for the side. This while being an effective communicator to build belief and consistency within the team even in matches where heads had started to drop.
Winner of the Super Cup Player of the Match award, with an assist and a goal, while continuing to push the team toward the maiden league title, Zammit’s performances caught the eye with the midfielder already grabbing the MFPA’s Best Player award for the season’s exploits.
Earning back a consistent spot at the heart of Malta’s midfield since the League B campaign, Zammit’s work ethic has served Malta greatly, in winning back the ball, pushing up field and ultimately also in securing the only goal against Andorra for Malta to earn the three points.
As a page which is dedicated to women’s football, the description of the seasons that each nominated for the men’s accolade had, is left to those who cover their seasons in more depth.
The Criteria For Footballer Of The Year
As noted above, there is no taking away the merit of each player’s season. However, the nominations raised discussion as players playing in foreign leagues on a professional basis are pitted against players playing in Malta’s league on a semi-pro or amateur level.
Questioned about the nomination criteria and the personnel voting for each category, the Malta Football Association pointed toward its Regulations of the MFA Awards. These were last amended in 2023.
Although the Footballer of The Year award is generally associated with the top Maltese league, the criteria specified in the Regulations, for the eligibility of the Footballer of the Year award actually states that, ‘The voting panel shall vote for players who during the current season were eligible to play for the male National ‘A’ Team and the female National ‘A’ Team, respectively.’
This means that the difference in the nominations between the two gender categories is merely a reflection of the nominations passed by the voting panels and not a difference in eligibility criteria between the two genders. However, in both cases, the award is actually not exclusive to the Maltese leagues, but reserved for any player who eligible to play in the Malta National Team (men or women).
According to the regulations of the MFA, the voting panels for these awards include three members from each club (coach, captain and one club official), the National Team head coach and assistant coach (for the respective gender), along a list of media. The media list stipulated in regulations amasses a maximum of eleven journalists accredited by the MFA, but the fine print suggests that the list may change as the MFA deems necessary, presumably to reflect coverage.
The regulations thus suggest that the majority of votes is held by the clubs, followed by the media personnel, with limited input from MFA personnel. Each of the voters would vote for three players, ranked first to third preference, with the points associated being 5 points for first preference, 3 for second preference and 1 for third preference.
Thus, despite the uproar, the nominations of Haley Bugeja & Maria Farrugia are well within the eligibility criteria, much as those of Nicole Sciberras, Emma Xuereb and Shona Zammit. However, perhaps the controversy is exactly related to the criteria.
Most nations’ awards are reserved for their own domestic leagues, but one also probably must consider that in cases awards are not specifically held by the FAs. In this regard, perhaps the criteria points toward an uncomfortable truth for the MFA, that without it, it currently has no way to reward players playing abroad, assuming it wishes to have an award gives it that ability. Of course, one solution could be to create a separate award. At the same time, the open criteria aligns perfectly to reward those heeding the mantra often pushed by MFA’s top officials, including President Bjorn Vassallo, for Maltese players to play in foreign leagues.
It is quite baffling how the most prestigious award has no segregation between shortlisting and final voting. Having a wide panel of voters, there are no pre-selections from a technical panel. There isn’t even a threshold of the minimum number of minutes played to be eligible. The only restrictions are that one should have been eligible to play for the senior national team of Malta and that the player was not suspended for one month during the season. A similar situation applies for a few other awards, including that of the Challenge League Best Player.
On the flip side, the criteria makes the most prestigious award given by the FA the anomalous one against all the other standard trophies it awards on the night, each of which specify that they are given for each of the domestic leagues: the Challenge League, the Amateur Leagues and the Youth Leagues. Top Scorer awards are also reserved only for the domestic leagues, as well as the nominations for Goal of the Season. In truth, the top leagues organised in Malta for the men and women respectively currently have no specific award dedicated to their players.
However, those discussions would have need to have happened before the eligibility criteria was passed to voters. Indeed as things stand, that would have warranted a revision of the Regulations, though as further addressed below, perhaps it is one overdue.
Further Inconsistencies
While the Footballer of The Year award gained a lot of spotlight, for perhaps the wrong reasons, a deeper look at the list of award categories points toward further inconsistencies which one would have expected to have been addressed from previous years.
As noted above all other awards refer to domestic leagues. While the Footballer of The Year award is limited to the Maltese nationals, the Best Foreign Player is reserved for the foreign men playing in the Malta Premier League. Despite there being more than twenty foreign nationals in the Assikura Women’s League, the 2025 Award Show will prevail without their recognition once more.
Indeed, the Footballer of the Year Award and Best Foreign Player seem reserved for separating the Maltese from Foreign Nationals playing in the top leagues. However, there is no such separation in the criteria for the Challenge, Amateur or Youth Leagues, which perhaps is one element that has sparked some confusion once more.
A further look shows that the Best Coach award remains one reserved for only those coaching in the top male national league competition, the Malta Premier League. Any other coaches in women’s or male football leagues are completely overlooked.
Women’s Youth League Player & Top Scorer
There is just one other category from the main list of awards which is dedicated to women’s football, making the recognition of women’s football a total two out of ten awards (besides top scorer awards).
Three youngsters are nominated for their showings in the Assikura Women’s Youth League. Birkirkara duo Lara May Azzopardi and Maia Gauci lead the nominations, with Macedonian international Eva Koneva of Swieqi United completing the line-up.
Lara May Azzopardi impressed both at youth domestic and international level, while also debuting and being increasingly trusted by Vince Galea in Birkirkara’s senior title challenge this year. The seventeen-year-old has taken like a duck to water and certainly merits the nomination. Picked for the U19 Malta squad, Azzopardi showed her form also at international level with maturity and composure. The cherry on the cake was to grab the winning goal against Latvia.
Teammate Maia Gauci has also continued to push forward on previous seasons and is recognised for her efforts with the side. A speedster with versatility in playing up front but also ready to pop in defence and the flanks, Gauci is certainly an interesting prospect for the future. Like Azzopardi, she also had the faith of Vince Galea on numerous occasions with Birkirkara’s senior side to good effect. Gauci also formed part of Clint Tabone’s U17 squad back in November.
Finally, Eva Koneva debuted in the Assikura Women’s Youth League this year under the tutelage of Mandy Debono. Growing in composure at seventeen years old, the Macedonian international was a mainstay for the Owls, often trusted in midfield and defence, as the side defended both the League and Knockout titles. An intelligent passer whose introduction in the domestic league has been a joy to witness, her efforts also earned her a place in the U19 international squad for Macedonia.
Meanwhile, there will be one other award for women’s football. San Gwann’s Hailey Russell will be the most at ease out of all mentioned above, as her 27 goals earn her certainty in grabbing the Top Scorer in the Assikura Women’s League award. Transferring from Birkirkara at the beginning of the season, Russell’s laser accuracy has been the downfall almost all goalkeepers in the league, with the American being an important piece of the puzzle for San Gwann’s rise to the top of the Bottom Four table this season.
The Best XI Of All Time
The highlight of all this year is the ‘Best XI of All Time’, in honour of the 125th anniversary of the MFA this year. “This year is special, because aside from the awards that we usually hold, we will also be awarding the Best XI of All Time to mark the occasion of the Association’s 125th anniversary. This will be the highlight of Friday’s event,” Vice President Adrian Casha explained to the press as the nominees were unveiled on Monday.
The Malta Best XI of All Time selection includes votes from fans, administrators, coaches, match officials, journalists, researchers, writers, and also presenters of sports programmes. Adrian Casha commended the positive response to the award, with over 800 public votes received.
The special award will no doubt recognise some of Malta’s best stalwarts donning the Maltese shirt in male football, men who have represented the Maltese public with pride even when the current was against them. As expected, such nominations will always spark debate into who should have made the cut, and certainly 125 years worth of football players gives plenty to think about, with a tendency for bias toward more recent individuals as they will certainly be more familiar amongst the voting demographic.
In honour of the 125th anniversary, the MFA has created a packed calendar intended to give the spotlight to both National Teams and all its leagues. This is fairly recognised. However, there is still an itch in naming the ‘Best XI Of All Time’.
It is not yet in the MFA’s vocabulary to recognise the men as men, while it has no problem distinguishing the women as women, despite this being something that by now one would have expected to have been addressed with representative naming for both categories. However, perhaps simply naming the award as ‘Best Men’s XI Of All Time’ would have shown some respect to simply acknowledge that in the past 25 years, the MFA actually created a women’s national team. One wonders whether any acknowledgement for that feat in the past 25 years will feature in the Awards.
As to the sparked debates, they certainly give plenty of food for thought into where these awards are going as the footballing landscape evolves and the Malta FA’s role changes with it.
Until then, those nominated will be on the edge of their seats to learn their faiths. The 2025 Malta FA Awards Night will be held tomorrow, Friday 23rd May 2025, at Doubletree by Hilton Malta.
The full list of nominees for the MFA Awards 2025:
MFA Footballer of the Year
Henry Bonello (Hamrun Spartans)
Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians)
Alexander Satariano (Birkirkara)
Dunstan Vella (Floriana)
Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana)
MFA Female Player of the Year
Haley Bugeja (Inter Milan – ITA)
Maria Farrugia (Sheffield United – ENG)
Nicole Sciberras (Hibernians)
Emma Xuereb (Swieqi United)
Shona Zammit (Swieqi United)
Coach of the Year
Darren Abdilla (Floriana)
Stefano De Angelis (Birkirkara)
Paul Zammit (Sliema Wanderers)
Young Player of the Year
Nathan Agius (Mosta)
Jake Micallef (Zabbar St Patrick)
Sven Xerri (Hamrun Spartans)
Foreign Player of the Year
Maxuell Maia da Silva (Birkirkara)
Franklin Sasere (Floriana)
Alex de Aguiar Gomes (Marsaxlokk)
BOV Challenge League Best Player
Jake Azzopardi (Valletta)
Sulahmana Mamadu Bah (Zurrieq)
Brandon Paiber (Valletta)
IZIBET Amateur League 1 Best Player
Julian Azzopardi (Birzebbuga St Peter’s Montekristo)
Brandon Bray (Qrendi)
Ricardo Velasquez (San Gwann)
IZIBET Amateur League 2 Best Player
Ferdinando Apap (Victoria Hotspurs)
Matthew Gauci (St George’s)
Timothy Thomas (Kalkara United)
Best Youth League Player
Zak Barbara (Valletta)
Jayden Farrugia (Mosta)
Silas Alfred Hamanjode (Hibernians)
Female Youth League Best Player
Lara May Azzopardi (Birkirkara)
Maia Gauci (Birkirkara)
Eva Koneva (Swieqi United)
The full list of nominated Best XI of All Time players:
Goalkeeper
John Bonello, David Cluett, Alfred Mizzi
Right-back
David Carabott, Alex Muscat, John Privitera
Left-back
Jeffrey Chetcuti, Lolly Debattista, Edwin Farrugia
Centre-back
Andrei Agius, Joe Cilia, John Holland
Sweeper
John Buttigieg, Anton Camilleri, Kris Laferla
Defensive Midfielder
Joe Brincat, Stefan Giglio, Gareth Sciberras
Central Midfielder
Louis Arpa, Willie Vassallo, Raymond Vella
Right Winger
Gilbert Agius, Ronnie Cocks, Noel Turner
Left Winger
Michael Degiorgio, Sammy Nicholl, Carlo Seychell
Forwards
Carmel Busuttil, Joe Cini, Michael Mifsud, Tony Nicholl, Andre Schembri, Raymond Xuereb
The list of Top Scorers for the MFA Awards 2025:
360 Sports Malta Premier
Maxuell Maia da Silva (Birkirkara) – 22 goals
BOV Challenge League
Sulahmana Mamadu Bah (Zurrieq) – 20 goals
IZIBET National Amateur League 1
Joshua Ojelabi (Marsaskala) – 20 goals
IZIBET National Amateur League 2
Timothy Thomas (Kalkara United) – 17 goals
Assikura Women’s League
Hailey Russell (San Gwann) – 27 goals
Lead Image: Malta FA
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