by The annual Malta Football Association (MFA) Awards return tonight with the Player of The Year and Best Youth League Player awards up for grabs in the men’s and women’s categories. The Association will also give special recognition to the national teams who brought most success toward Maltese shores, while individual accolades are in store for those who constantly punched above their weight to nudge their teams toward their goals.
Acknowledging A Special Season
The feats of another domestic season will be commemorated tonight by the Malta Football Association (MFA). A total of nineteen awards will be presented encompassing a range competitive domestic levels in both men’s and women’s football. Among them will be the highly coveted ‘Player of The Year Award’ awaits for one female and one male player.
At national team level, there were two teams who raised Malta’s flag high this year and both will be recognised on the night. The Malta Women’s National Team will be acknowledged for clinching promotion into League B on the first time of asking last December. The team will in fact return at the Centenary Stadium against Bosnia & Herzegovina this Friday as they seek to retain the spot in League B.
The Malta Men’s Futsal Team will also be recognised in view of their top of the group finish in the UEFA European Championship Preliminary Round.
An inaugural award will be presented in the form of ‘The Social Resposibility Award’, focusing on an initiative that had a positive effect on social justice. Meanwhile, the efforts by Gozitan players to plunge into Maltese leagues will also be recognised with ‘The Gozitan Achievement Award.’
As always, there will also ‘The President’s Award’ which is chosen by the President of the Football Association, Bjorn Vassallo. Additionally, the Association will also induct a new member into the Hall of Fame.
While the majority of the awards are nominated and chosen by technical staff, players, administrators and the media, the Best Goal award is chosen also through a public vote.
The Nominations
As noted above, the highest anticipation will be toward the awards of Footballer of the Year. In the women’s categories it is no surprise that three players donning Birkirkara’s shirt are nominated in Stephania Farrugia, Ann-Marie Said and Alishia Sultana. They are joined by Brenda Borg (Mgarr United) and Shona Zammit (Swieqi United).
Stephania Farrugia continued to lead from the back with a take no prisoners attitude to block threats at both club and country level. Ann-Marie Said was the standout full-back for club and country, cementing the position by consistently being willing to push forward and whip balls into the box, while never shirking defensive duties. Alishia Sultana’s determination to pester defences earned both Birkirkara and Malta success, with Sultana setting up and grabbing a few crucial goals along the way as well. In a few words, the trio have been outstanding for their club, but also for their country as Malta continues to push forward.
Brenda Borg is also in the running, who continued to pull the strings in Mgarr United’s midfield consistently throughout the season. Like her peers, she was also a key figure in Malta’s triumph in the UEFA Women’s Nations League, perhaps most strikingly unlocking Moldova’s defence in the first home match. Setting up former teammate Haley Bugeja, who sent Malta’s crowd on their feet for the first time in the competition.
Shona Zammit of Swieqi United completes the list of nominees. The midfielder was a crucial backbone in Swieqi United’s team, taking also the captain’s duties on the pitch throughout the majority of the season, while chipping in with a few delightful assists and goals as well. The midfielder has also been a key figure in Malta’s line-ups as they embarked on the UEFA Women’s European Qualification phases.
The men’s category is led by three of Floriana’s players, in Kemar Reid, Dunstan Vella and breakout star Carlo Zammit Lonardelli. Joseph Mbong and Luke Montebello of BOV Premier League champions Hamrun Spartans complete the nominations.
While the ‘Player Of The Year Award’ gets the most flashes, recognition is also given to the best youth prospects. In the women’s categories, Swieqi United lead with the Assikura Women’s League top-scorer Salamatu Abdulai and the Assikura Women’s Youth League top scorer Kaysia Micallef. Joining them is Hibernians’ forward Nyorah Celeste, who consistently came up with the goods for Hibernians in the Assikura Women’s Youth League.
All three featured for their respective youth national teams. Abdulai was amongst those who secured Ghana’s qualification to the upcoming FIFA Women’s U20 World Cup to be held in Colombia later this year. Celeste and Micallef were key members in Malta’s return to the UEFA Women’s U17 EURO Qualifications.
In the men’s categories, Valletta lead the nominations with Jake Azzopardi and David Emmanuel Garba. Mosta’s Ensell Attard is also in the running for the award.
Acknowledgements are also given to the best players in the lower tiers in men’s football, as well as the Best Coach. In men’s football, the Best Foreign Player and Best Young Player are also recognised, but these are yet to be mirrored in the women’s categories.
The full list of nominations is listed below. The Malta Football Association Awards will be broadcast live on TVM Sport+ at 8 pm.
List of Nominated Players for MFA Awards 2024:
MFA Footballer of the Year:- Mbong Joseph (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Montebello Luke (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Reid Kemar (Floriana FC), Vella Dunstan (Floriana FC), Zammit Lonardelli Carlo (Floriana FC).
MFA Female Player of the Year:- Borg Brenda (Mġarr United FC), Farrugia Stephania (Birkirkara FC), Said Anne Marie (Birkirkara FC), Sultana Alishia (Birkirkara FC), Zammit Shona (Swieqi United FC).
Coach of the Year:- Camoranesi Mauro German (Floriana FC), Zammit Paul (Sliema Wanderers FC), Zauri Luciano (Ħamrun Spartans FC).
Young Player of the Year:- Debono Matthias (Naxxar Lions FC), Spiteri Owen (Floriana FC), Vassallo Jake (Mosta FC).
Foreign Player of the Year:- Alves Furtado Luis Willis (Floriana FC), De Jesus Yuri Messias (Marsaxlokk FC), Prsa Roko (Ħamrun Spartans FC).
BOV Challenge League Best Player:- Debattista Matthew (Melita FC), Penha Da Costa Andre Carlos (Melita FC), Scicluna James (Żabbar St. Patrick FC).
IZIBET Amateur League Best Player:- Borg Kurt (Mtarfa FC), Gomes Weverton (Pembroke Athleta FC), Suda Jurgen (Mġarr United FC).
Best Youth League player:- Attard Ensell (Mosta FC), Azzopardi Jake (Valletta FC), Garba David Emmanuel (Valletta FC).
Female Youth League Best Player:- Abdulai Salamatu (Swieqi United FC), Celeste Nyorah (Hibernians FC), Micallef Kaysia (Swieqi United FC).
Lead Image: Malta Football Association
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