Few could have guessed that the final seconds Federico Falcone spent on the pitch during Sunday’s FA Trophy final against Birkirkara would mark the end of his professional playing career.
Accorting to the local sports website, Replay the 35-year-old Argentine striker has decided to hang up his boots, ending a memorable chapter with a major triumph—lifting Malta’s second-most prestigious domestic honour, the Meridianbet FA Trophy, with Hibernians FC.
This win completes Falcone’s Maltese football legacy. Having already won the Premier League title with Valletta FC in the 2015/16 season, the FA Trophy was the last major silverware missing from his collection.
Although he never secured the league’s top scorer title, Falcone came close in his debut Maltese season. In 2015/16, he netted 16 goals, finishing second in the Golden Boot race behind Mario Fontanella of Floriana. He matched the goal tally of Balzan’s Alfred Effiong—both now retired, though Fontanella is rumoured to be eyeing a return to Malta as he nears 36.
Falcone’s Maltese journey saw him represent three clubs: Valletta, Birkirkara, and Hibernians. He spent two seasons with Valletta before taking a brief detour to Malaysia and Portugal, where he played in the top tier with Boavista. In 2019, he returned to Malta, joining Birkirkara where he enjoyed his longest stint—three and a half seasons.
Midway through the 2023/24 season, Falcone rejoined Valletta for a second spell, though it ended in disappointment as the club was relegated to the Challenge League. For his final season, 2024/25, he moved to Hibernians, making 28 appearances and scoring 6 goals.
In total, Falcone played 184 official matches in Malta, scoring 71 goals. In the Premier League alone, he appeared 170 times, netting 63 goals. His best goal return came with Valletta—40 goals in just 81 appearances, compared to 28 in 82 matches with Birkirkara.
Beyond Maltese shores, Falcone’s career included spells at Argentina’s Newell’s Old Boys, Chilean sides Huachipato and Deportes La Serena, Portugal’s Desportivo Aves, and Terengganu FC in Malaysia. His most high-profile stint was with Boavista, a historic Portuguese club now relegated from the Primeira Liga.
Though his playing days are now behind him, Falcone departs the game having left a lasting impact on Maltese football and a reputation as one of the most consistent foreign strikers to grace its top flight.
