Malta enjoyed an excellent showing across multiple categories as it played host to the European Table Football Championships held over the weekend at the Kirkop Sports Complex.
The standout performance came from the Veterans national team, who were crowned champions in their category. Malta topped their group and went on to defeat Belgium in the semi-finals. In a thrilling final, they edged past Italy with a 2-1 victory. The Veterans squad was made up of Charlie Aquilina, Massimo Cremona, Mario Camilleri, Jason Pisani, Adrian Bonnici, Joseph Mifsud, Patrick Pace, and John Zammit.
In the Under-16 category, Malta also made it to the final. During the group stage, the Maltese side beat Spain and drew against Italy. However, in the final, they were defeated 0-3 by Italy. The Under-16 team featured Jayden Bonnici, Gabriel Ebejer, Luke Xerri, and Robert Farrugia Randon.
Malta also impressed in the Open category, where they won a group consisting of France and Austria. Unfortunately, they were narrowly eliminated by Belgium in the barrage stage, losing on goal difference after a 1-1 draw. The Open team included Samuel Bartolo, Derek Conti, Mark Gauci, Jurgen Balzan, Jamie Bonnici, Jean Tabone, and George Ebejer.
Individual Competitions
In the Open individual competition, Samuel Bartolo reached the quarter-finals, where he was narrowly defeated 4-3 by eventual champion Carlos Flores. George Ebejer made it to the round of 16, while Mark Gauci and Jean Tabone reached the barrage stage.
In the Veterans individual competition, Massimo Cremona progressed to the semi-finals, losing narrowly 1-0 to Massimo Bolognino. Charlie Aquilina and Jason Pisani reached the round of 16, while John Zammit made it to the barrage stage. Joseph Mifsud and Patrick Pace were eliminated in the group stage.
In the Under-16 individual competition, Jayden Bonnici reached the semi-finals, where he was beaten by eventual winner Angelo Bisio. Robert Farrugia Randon advanced to the quarter-finals, while Luke Xerri was knocked out in the group stage.
Malta’s strong performances across all categories confirm its rising status within the European table football community, with both individual and team players continuing to make their mark on the international stage.
