by Top honours went to Andjela Kricak and Joseph Mbong at the Malta Football Players Association Awards, with Mgarr United collecting ten honours — including Yulya Carella’s double, Ryan Vella’s Best Coach award and the Merit recognition for Raymond Vella.
Kricak & Mbong Claim Best Crown, As Carella & Azzopardi Most Promising
The Malta Football Players Association (MFPA) Awards were held on Monday evening, with the top awards going to Swieqi United’s Serbian midfielder, Andjela Kricak, and Hamrun Spartans’ Joseph Mbong.
Racking up 1922 minutes on the pitch in domestic competitions, Kricak served up seven assists and eight goals in all domestic competitions as Swieqi United claimed a second-place finish in the league, together while defending the Super Cup trophy. The Serbian also played a part as the club debuted in European football in the UEFA Women’s Champions League last August.
Yulya Carella’s season with Mgarr earned her double honours as well, with the youngster named among the Best XI and the MFPA’s Best Young Player of the Year. The prolific winger continued to gain the reputation for having a knack for the spectacular, bagging ten goals and four assists, helping the side to accrue triple honours this season in the Jubilee Cup, the Assikura Women’s League and the Assikura Women’s Knockout.
The Best Coach award in the women’s game went to Mgarr United’s Ryan Vella as he steered the Greens to consecutive trophies after leading them to the maiden triumph at the end of last season.
In the men’s categories, Joseph Mbong continued to mark his remarkable spell with Hamrun Spartans, most notably involved in earning a historic qualification to the group stage of the UEFA Conference League. This as the Spartans continue to bid to retain the top crown in the men’s Maltese top division.
Valletta midfielder Jake Azzopardi bagged the MFPA Men’s Best Young Player with the youngster playing a key role in the side’s return to the top flight, as well as grabbing the Jubilee Cup.
Floriana’s Daniel Portela Da Silva earned the Best Coach award in the Premier League.
The Assikura Merit Award was given to Raymond Vella, ‘il-Mundu’, with the veteran recognised for outstanding contributions to football as a player for club and country.
A former Malta captain and key member of the successful Ħamrun Spartans side of the 1980s and early 1990s, Vella earned 67 caps for the national team between 1984 and 1994. Known for his vision, technique and passing, Vella was named MFA Footballer of the Year twice, in 1987 and 1991.
Today, he is still an active member, forming part of Mgarr United’s technical setup as the women’s side earned multiple honours.
The top accolade in the Challenge League went to Oluwatobiloba Awosanya of Balzan, with Manuel Caruana claiming the Best Coach in the division. Precious Nwankwo (Attard) and Ryan Dalli (Kalkara United) claimed the Best Player in the Amateur League 1 and 2, respectively.
Women’s Best XI
Having almost had an unblemished season despite several long-term injuries, it was no surprise that Mgarr United bagged seven awards out of the eleven available.
The Greens’ Giulia D’Antuono captured the best goalkeeper award, taking the crown from Swieqi’s Patricia Araujo who was on course for retaining the crown for the third consecutive year.
D’Antuono was accompanied by three defenders from the side as captain Abigail Camilleri also earned the best centre-back, together with Mgarr’s full-backs Rebecca Bajada and Yanina Mendez. Amber Grech retained her place in the Best XI from last season, together with Valeria Villegas Caly, while Yulya Carella completed Mgarr’s dominion in the Best XI.
The best of the 2025/26 season as chosen by the players were completed by Best Player Andjela Kricak (Swieqi United), who was accompanied by teammate and league top scorer, Salamatu Abdulai, as well as Birkirkara duo Stephania Farrugia and Momo Ueda.
MFPA AWARDS 2026 – THE WINNERS
MFPA MEN’S BEST PLAYER – Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans)
MFPA WOMEN’S BEST PLAYER – Andjela Kricak (Swieqi United)
MFPA WOMEN’S BEST YOUNG PLAYER – Yulya Carella (Mġarr United)
MFPA MEN’S BEST YOUNG PLAYER – Jake Azzopardi (Valletta)
MFPA MEN’S BEST XI (1-4-3-3)
Goalkeepers: Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans)
Centre-backs: Emerson Marcelina (Ħamrun Spartans); Sava Radic (Valletta)
Right-back: Rafael Compri (Ħamrun Spartans)
Left-back: Leandro Aguirre (Marsaxlokk)
Midfielders: Jake Grech (Floriana); Yuri Messias (Valletta); Federico Varela (Floriana)
Forwards: Thaylor Aldama (Valletta); Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans); Joao Souza Dos Santos – Vitinho (Naxxar Lions)
MFPA BEST PREMIER LEAGUE COACH – Daniel Portela Da Silva (Floriana)
MFPA WOMEN’S BEST XI (1-4-3-3)
Goalkeepers: Giulia D’Antuono (Mġarr United)
Centre-backs: Abigail Camilleri (Mġarr United); Stephania Farrugia (Birkirkara)
Right-back: Rebecca Bajada (Mġarr United)
Left-back: Yanina Mendez (Mġarr United)
Midfielders Amber Grech (Mġarr United); Andela Kricak (Swieqi United); Momo Ueda
(Birkirkara)
Forwards: Salamatu Abdulai (Swieqi United); Yulya Carella (Mġarr United); Valeria Villegas
Caly (Mġarr United)
MFPA WOMEN’S BEST COACH – Ryan Vella (Mġarr United)
MFPA CHALLENGE LEAGUE BEST XI (1-4-3-3)
Goalkeepers: Reeves Cini (Pietà Hotspurs).
Centre-backs: Juan Bolanos Ramirez (Birżebbuġa St. Peter’s); Samuel Okoh (Swieqi United) Right-back: Isaac Davey (Swieqi United)
Left-back: Matteo Gambin (Fgura United)
Midfielders: Kian Leonardi (Swieqi United); Salam Mawuena (Swieqi United); Matthew
Xuereb (Birżebbuġa St. Peter’s)
Forwards: Oluwatobiloba Awosanya (Balzan); Paul Lapira (Birżebbuġa St. Peter’s); Cristhyan
Noto Souza (Mġarr United)
MFPA BEST CHALLENGE LEAGUE PLAYER – Oluwatobiloba Awosanya (Balzan)
MFPA BEST CHALLENGE LEAGUE COACH – Manuel Caruana (Pietà Hotspurs)
MFPA BEST AMATEUR LEAGUE 1 PLAYER – Precious Nwankwo (Attard)
MFPA BEST AMATEUR LEAGUE 2 PLAYER – Ryan Dalli (Kalkara United)
MFPA ASSIKURA MERIT AWARD – Raymond Vella
Lead Image: Domenic Aquilina
