Malta national football team
The Maltese national football team is the national football team of the Republic of Malta.
Founded in 1900, the Maltese Football Association one of the oldest in Europe. He joined FIFA in 1959 when, for the first time was in 1972 World Cup qualifiers and has been increasing since 1974 regularly participates in shuffle mode. In qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil, Malta applies to Armenia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy and the Czech Republic. Against any of those teams Malta could win a game so far, but then succeeded against Armenia on June 7, 2013 1-0 one win away.
Malta also increases regularly in the qualifiers for the European Championships in part, but could not qualify. On February 23, 1975 Malta has achieved his first international victory in a European Championship qualifier with a 2-0 win over Greece, and on 11 October 2006 an historic 2-1 victory was celebrated against Hungary.
Current squad
Squad for the match against Liechtenstein on February 29, 2012.
Goalkeeper
- Henry Bonello - Sliema Wanderers
- Justin Haber - Kerkyra F. C.
- Andrew Hogg - Valletta
Defender
- Andrei Agius - U.S. Latina Calcio
- Steve Borg - Valletta
- Roderick Briffa - Valletta
- Jonathan Caruana - Valletta
- Luke Dimech - AEK Larnaca
- Clayton Failla - Hibernians
- Alex Muscat - Sliema Wanderers
- Aaron Xuereb - Hibernians
Midfielder
- Edmond Agius - Valletta
- Shaun Bajada - Birkirkara
- Christian Caruana - Floriana
- Ryan Fenech - Valletta
- Gareth Sciberras - Birkirkara
Attacker
- Etienne Barbara - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Daniel Bogdanovic - Blackpool
- Andrew Cohen - Hibernians
- Michael Mifsud - Valletta
- André Schembri - Panionios G.S.S.
- J. P. Mifsud Triganza - Birkirkara
Most games
From the Maltese Association also some games are counted, which are not considered by FIFA. The number of considered by FIFA games is - if different - given in parentheses. (Sources: mfa.com: NATIONAL 'A' PLAYER APPEARANCES, fifa.com hundreds Club (as of August 20, 2013 ) (PDF, 56 kB), eu - football.info: PLAYERS - played for Malta national team. )
Scorer
Only three players scored more than 10 goals for the national team. Michael Mifsud is since March 3, 2010 Top scorer Malta, when he with his 24th goal of the record Carmel Busuttil surpassed in the game against Finland, which had previously since February 7, 1988 record holder, as he, in turn, the 6 -goal record had outbid by Raymond Xuereb.
Players abroad
- Carmel Busuttil played from 1988 to 1994 for KRC Genk in Belgium.
- John Buttigieg played from 1989 to 1991 for FC Brentford and 1990 for Swindon Town in England.
- Luke Dimech was from 2002 to 2003 at the Shamrock Rovers in Ireland and from 2003 to 2006, the English fourth division Chester City and Mansfield Town under contract.
- Stefan Giglio played from 2002 to 2003 at CSKA Sofia and Lokomotiv Sofia in Bulgaria.
- Justin Haber currently plays for the Greek second division Chaidari Athens; previously he played for Royal Excelsior Virton in Belgium.
- Michael Mifsud was 2001-2003 at the 1 FC Kaiserslautern and FC Valletta currently under contract.
- Raymond Xuereb played from 1990 to 1992 in France for Montpellier and Marseille. With Marseille in 1992 he became French Champion.
- André Schembri playing in the 2007/2008 season at Eintracht Braunschweig and 2008/2009 for FC Carl Zeiss Jena (3rd league).
- Etienne Barbara played until 2009 when German regional division SC Verl and is now with the Carolina RailHawks FC under contract.
Well-known former national player
- David Camilleri, 1996-2001
Well-known former coach
- Siegfried Held, 2001-2003
- Horst Heese, 1988-1991 and 2003-2005
Miscellaneous, Novelty
- In the last qualifier for the European Football Championship 1984 Spain won against Malta with 12:1. Thereafter, the Maltese team manipulation was accused because Spain exactly a victory with 11 goals difference needed to qualify for the European Championship.
- The 2-1 victory ( both goals by André Schembri ) in the European Championship Qualifiers 2008 on 11 October 2006 against Hungary was the last sensation, took care of the Malta.
- On 26 March 2008 Malta celebrated the biggest win in the association history, a 7-1 against Liechtenstein.
- On 11 October 2011, the four Maltese player David Carabott, Gilbert Agius, Carmel Busuttil and Joe Brincat were honored by UEFA for more than 100 international matches. UEFA is based on the total number of matches at the counting of the Maltese Association, which differs from the FIFA counting.
Internationals against West Germany
( Results from the perspective of Malta )
Internationals against Switzerland
( Results from the perspective of Malta )
International matches against Austria
( Results from the perspective of Malta )
International matches against Luxembourg
( Results from the perspective of Malta )