by The Malta Football Players’ Association (MFPA) will be holding its annual awards night tomorrow Sunday 5th May. The ceremony will bestow a total of thirty-five awards, including the most coveted best male and female player awards. The event will also commemorate the ten year anniversary since the MFPA became a FIFPRO member.
Tenth Anniversary
Award season will renew once more with the Malta Football Player Association (MFPA) Awards that will bestow a total of thirty-five awards on players, coaches and referees contributing to the local game. The winners shall be announced tomorrow Sunday 5th May at the Radisson Golden Sands Resort. This year, the event will also commemorate the ten anniversary since the Association was accepted as a full member of FIFPRO, the trade union representing football players worldwide.
MFPA General Secretary, Carlo Mamo, spoke of the preparations towards the special night, “Being the biggest annual event organised by our Association, the MFPA Awards entails months of preparations as we strive to put on an enjoyable show to recognise and celebrate the achievements of football players at the end of a demanding season.”
Highlighting the decade of membership within FIFPRO, Mamo continued, “Driven by our commitment to support our members in the best way possible, the MFPA has evolved over the years and the support of FIFPRO is crucial for us to sustain and increase our services, assistance programmes and projects. Ten years of FIFPRO membership is an important milestone for the MFPA and we look forward to commemorating this anniversary during the awards night on 5th May.”
The Nominations
Initial nominations were shortlisted by panels of coaches from the respective streams of the women’s and men’s game. Once shortlisted, the nominees rely on the votes cast by players who are members of the MFPA to elicit the winners that will be rewarded on Sunday evening.
Among the most sought after awards are the MFPA Best Eleven who are selected for both the women and men’s sectors. All players nominated for the best eleven award are automatically eligible for the coveted Best Player award. The Best Young Player award is also intended to reward those young talents making waves in their domains. These are restricted to homegrown players who are under twenty-three years of age.
The Challenge League and Amateur League have their own respective awards, ultimately determining the Best Player in the respective leagues. Awards are also bestowed for the Best Coach and Best Referee.
As in previous editions, the MFPA will also honour a former player or personality who has made an outstanding contribution to Maltese football.
The final nominations are listed below. The awards will be broadcast a week later on TVM, while those wishing the follow the live announcements may do so by following the MFPA’s social media channels.
MFPA WOMEN’S BEST XI (4-3-3)
Goalkeepers: Patricia Araujo Da Silva (Swieqi United); Janice Xuereb (Birkirkara).
Centre-backs: Stephania Farrugia (Birkirkara); Natalee Grace Geren (Hibernians); Rafanny Andreina Mendoza (Swieqi United); Charlene Zammit (Birkirkara).
Right-backs: Rebecca Bajada (Mġarr United); Valentina Rapa (Birkirkara).
Left-backs: Kiley Nicole Norkus (Hibernians); Ann-Marie Said (Birkirkara).
Midfielders: Brenda Borg (Mġarr United); Luana Vitoria Cabral (Mġarr United); Marta Grosso (Birkirkara); Veronique Mifsud (Birkirkara); Nicole Sciberras (Hibernians); Shona Zammit (Swieqi United).
Forwards: Karima Abdulai (Swieqi United); Salamatu Abdulai (Swieqi United); Joelma Alves Gabriel (Mġarr United); Arianna Del Moral (Birkirkara); Alexis Veronica Espitia (Hibernians); Alishia Sultana (Birkirkara).
MFPA WOMEN’S BEST PLAYER
All the candidates for the MFPA Women’s Best XI are nominated.
MFPA WOMEN’S BEST YOUNG PLAYER
Kaysia Micallef (Swieqi United); Veronique Mifsud (Birkirkara); Nicole Sciberras (Hibernians).
MFPA MEN’S BEST XI (4-3-3)
Goalkeepers: Rashed Al-Tumi (Sliema Wanderers); Georgi Kitanov (Floriana).
Centre-backs: Murilo Henrique Bernardo (Sliema Wanderers); Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers); Oualid El Hasni (Floriana); Emerson Marcelina (Ħamrun Spartans).
Right-backs: Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans); Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana).
Left-backs: Ryan Camenzuli (Ħamrun Spartans); Maksim Valadzko (Floriana).
Midfielders: Geoffrey Acheampong (Sliema Wanderers); Yuri De Jesus Messias (Marsaxlokk); Edson Farias (Naxxar Lions); Matias Nicolas Garcia (Floriana); Roko Prsa (Ħamrun Spartans); Dunstan Vella (Floriana).
Forwards: Pablo De Carvalho (Naxxar Lions); Matheus De Sousa (Floriana); Uros Djuranovic (Ħamrun Spartans); Jonny Do Nascimento (Ħamrun Spartans); Luke Montebello (Ħamrun Spartans); Kemar Reid (Floriana).
MFPA MEN’S BEST PLAYER
All the candidates for the MFPA Men’s Best XI are nominated.
MFPA MEN’S BEST YOUNG PLAYER
Rashed Al-Tumi (Sliema Wanderers); Paul Mbong (Birkirkara); Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana).
MFPA BEST COACH
Mauro German Camoranesi (Floriana); Paul Zammit (Sliema Wanderers); Luciano Zauri (Ħamrun Spartans).
MFPA CHALLENGE LEAGUE
Goalkeepers: Reeves Cini (Pietà Hotspurs); Matthew Grech (Żabbar St Patrick).
Defenders: Christian Grech (Senglea Athletic); Rodolfo Soares (Żabbar St Patrick).
Midfielders: Matthew Debattista (Melita); James Scicluna (Żabbar St Patrick).
Forwards: Augusto Renè Caseres (Marsa); Andre Penha Da Costa (Melita).
MFPA BEST OVERALL CHALLENGE LEAGUE PLAYER
All the candidates in the four Challenge League categories are nominated.
MFPA BEST AMATEUR LEAGUE PLAYER
Kurt Borg (Mtarfa); Weverton Gomes (Pembroke Athleta); Jurgen Suda (Mġarr United).
MFPA BEST REFEREE
Ishmael Barbara; Trustin Farrugia Cann; Slobodan Petrovic.
Lead Image: MFPA
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