Birkirkara midfielder Alexander Satariano and Swieqi United’s Shona Zammit were crowned Footballer of the Year in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, during the 2025 Malta FA Awards held on Friday, May 23.
The Foreign Player of the Year award went to Birkirkara’s Maxuell Maia da Silva, while Floriana’s Darren Abdilla edged out Birkirkara’s Stefano De Angelis and Sliema Wanderers’ Paul Zammit to claim the Coach of the Year accolade.
Carlo Zammit Lonardelli of Floriana won the Best Goal of the Year award for his spectacular long-range, left-footed strike against Gzira United in the 360Sports Malta Premier League.
Hamrun Spartans’ Sven Xerri was named BOV Young Player of the Year following an impressive season both at club level and with the Malta U21 national team. Meanwhile, Valletta players Brandon Paiber and Zak Barbara received the BOV Challenge League Best Player and Best Youth League Player (Men) awards, respectively, capping a successful title-winning campaign for their club.
Julian Azzopardi of Birzebbuga St Peter’s Montekristo and Ferdinando Apap of Victoria Hotspurs were awarded Best Player honors in the IZIBET National Amateur League 1 and 2, respectively. Rabat Ajax earned the Fair Play Award, while Hamrun Spartans were recognized with the Football Social Responsibility Award for their “Hamrun Ħanin” initiatives, which focus on education, inclusion, disability awareness, and anti-discrimination efforts.
The President’s Award was presented to former Malta international Joe Cini, while Maria Farrugia, current Malta Women’s National Team player and Sheffield United forward, was honoured with the Gozitan Achievement Award.
A major highlight of this year’s ceremony was unveiling the Malta Best XI of All Time, commemorating the Malta FA’s 125th anniversary. The lineup was selected through votes from fans, administrators, coaches, referees, journalists, researchers, writers, and sports program presenters. Over 800 public submissions contributed to the final selection.
In the women’s youth category, Birkirkara and Malta WU17 midfielder Maia Gauci was named the Assikura Best Youth League Player (Women).
Veteran referee Antonio P. Briguglio became the first official to be inducted into the Malta FA Hall of Fame. Starting his career in 1960, Briguglio spent over 16 years on the FIFA Panel and officiated the FA Trophy Final nine times—six of those consecutively. In 2022, he was awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika for his contributions to Maltese sport.
Joe Cini, recipient of the President’s Award, was a member of Malta’s first national team that played against Austria in 1957. Earning 18 caps, he also captained Malta against England in 1971 and was the first Maltese player to both play and score in English competitions while at Queen’s Park Rangers.
The event, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton, was well-attended and celebrated the best in Maltese football across various categories.
Full List of Award Winners
- Assikura Best Youth League Player (Women): Maia Gauci (Birkirkara)
- Best Youth League Player (Men): Zak Barbara (Valletta)
- BOV Young Player of the Year: Sven Xerri (Hamrun Spartans)
- National Amateur League 1 Best Player: Julian Azzopardi (Birzebbuga St Peter’s Montekristo)
- National Amateur League 2 Best Player: Ferdinando Apap (Victoria Hotspurs)
- Fair Play Award: Rabat Ajax FC
- Gozitan Achievement Award: Maria Farrugia (Sheffield United)
- Foreign Player of the Year: Maxuell Maia da Silva (Birkirkara)
- President’s Award: Joe Cini
- Football Social Responsibility Award: Hamrun Spartans FC
- BOV Challenge League Best Player: Brandon Paiber (Valletta)
- Coach of the Year: Darren Abdilla (Floriana)
- Hall of Fame Inductee: Antonio P. Briguglio
- Best Goal of the Year: Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana vs Gzira United)
- Footballer of the Year (Women): Shona Zammit (Swieqi United)
- Footballer of the Year (Men): Alexander Satariano (Birkirkara)
Top Scorers by Division
- 360Sports Malta Premier: Maxuell Maia da Silva (Birkirkara) – 22 goals
- BOV Challenge League: Sulahmana Mamadu Bah (Zurrieq) – 20 goals
- National Amateur League 1: Joshua Ojelabi (Marsaskala) – 20 goals
- National Amateur League 2: Timothy Thomas (Kalkara United) – 17 goals
- Assikura Women’s League: Hailey Russell (San Gwann) – 27 goals
Malta Best XI of All Time
- Goalkeeper: David Cluett
- Right-back: David Carabott
- Centre-backs: John Holland, John Buttigieg
- Left-back: Lolly Debattista
- Holding Midfielder: Joe Brincat
- Central Midfielder: Raymond Vella
- Right Winger: Gilbert Agius
- Left Winger: Michael Degiorgio
- Forwards: Carmel Busuttil, Michael Mifsud
