The countdown is on! With less than a week to go before the eagerly-awaited MFPA Awards, the final nominees have been revealed. All eyes will be on the outstanding performers during season 2024-25 during the MFPA’s annual flagship event, this year taking place on 12th May at the Radisson Blu Golden Sands Resort.

A total of 36 awards will be presented on the night, including the 11 players earning a spot in the MFPA Best XI for both men and women, and the two most coveted prizes – the MFPA Men’s and Women’s Best Player. 

The winner of the MFPA Merit Award, given to a former player or football personality who has excelled during his/her career, will also be revealed on the night.

There are a total of 22 finalists in the MFPA Best XI categories for both men and women. With the 360 Sports Malta Premier title to be decided in Saturday’s championship showdown between Birkirkara and Ħamrun Spartans, the contenders for the MFPA Men’s Best XI mostly hail for the clubs who competed in the Top Six in the second phase of this season’s championship. Floriana and Sliema Wanderers, both of whom made it to the Final Four, lead the way with five nominees each.

Swieqi United, who have won their first ever women’s league title this season, and Mġarr United, league runners-up and winners of the Assikura Women’s Knock-Out, are the most represented clubs in the female categories.

The final nominees for the MFPA best player awards (men and women) will be unveiled during the MFPA Awards night followed by the announcement of the winner. Forward Luke Montebello and Marta Grosso, who played for Ħamrun Spartans and Birkirkara respectively last season, were voted as best players by their peers in 2024 but they are not in contention this year.

There are three candidates for the MFPA Best Men’s and Women’s Young Player awards, last year won by Floriana’s Carlo Zammit Lonardelli and Nicole Sciberras, of Hibernians. Both Zammit Lonardelli and Sciberras are in contention to retain the best young player accolade.

In the Challenge League categories, the shortlisted candidates in the four categories are in the running to win the MFPA Best Overall Challenge League Player award, last year won by Melita midfielder Matthew Debattista. There are three contenders for the MFPA Best Amateur League 1 and 2 player awards.

In addition to the eligibility criteria over the minimum playing time for all the nominees, players could not vote for a candidate who plays for the same team. The initial nominees were selected by a panel of coaches. 

Carlo Mamo, the MFPA General Secretary, said: “The MFPA Awards are all about celebrating the achievements of football players who are at the heart of our mission. We are very pleased that the popularity of this annual event has grown significantly in recent years as highlighted by the increased participation in the voting process.

“This year will see the introduction of two new awards, one for the best player of the National Amateur League 2 and the other for the best coach in the women’s league. The latter award is of particular significance as we have now achieved parity in terms of the ratio of awards for men’s and women’s football, meaning that all categories of senior women’s football as well as the coaches of the senior women’s teams are covered.

“The preparations for the 2025 MFPA Awards are now in the final stages and we look forward to another successful and enjoyable event on 12 May.”

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Fadal inqas minn ġimgħa għall-MFPA Awards 2025 u l-finalisti fid-diversi kategoriji issa huma magħrufa. L-attenzjoni kollha tkun iffukata fuq il-wirjiet u l-kisbiet tal-iktar plejers li spikkaw matul l-istaġun 2024-25 waqt dan l-avveniment annwali organizzat mill-Malta Football Players Association, li din is-sena se jsir fit-12 ta’ Mejju fil-Radisson Blu Golden Sands Resort.

B’kollox se jiġu ppreżentati 36 unur matul is-serata, fosthom il-11-il plejer li ser jiffurmaw l-MFPA Best XI kemm għan-nisa kif ukoll għall-irġiel, flimkien maż-żewġ unuri l-aktar prestiġjużi – il-MFPA Best Player għan-nisa u għall-irġiel. 

Ir-rebbieħ/a tal-MFPA Merit Award, mogħti lill-plejer jew personalità fil-futbol li ta jew tat kontribut eċċezzjonali lil-logħba tal-futbol matul il-karriera, jitħabbar matul is-serata.

Fil-kategoriji tal-MFPA Best XI, kemm għan-nisa kif ukoll għall-irġiel, insibu total ta’ 22 finalist. Bil-kampjonat 360 Sports Malta Premier ikun deċiż fil-logħba kruċjali ta’ nhar is-Sibt li ġej bejn Birkirkara u Ħamrun Spartans, il-parti l-kbira tan-nominati għall-MFPA Men’s Best XI ġejjin mill-klabbs li kkompetew fit-Top Six fit-tieni fażi tal-kampjonat. Floriana u Sliema Wanderers, li avvanzaw għall-Final Four, għandhom l-akbar numru ta’ nominati – ħamsa kull wieħed.

Swieqi United, li dan l-istaġun rebħu l-ewwel titlu tagħhom fil-kampjonat tan-nisa, u Mġarr United, it-tieni fil-klassifika tal-kampjonat u rebbieħa tal-Assikura Women’s Knock-Out, huma l-aktar klabbs rappreżentati fil-kategoriji tan-nisa.

Il-finalisti u r-rebbieħa tal-MFPA Best Player (irġiel u nisa) se jiġu żvelati matul is-serata. Luke Montebello u Marta Grosso, li lagħbu ma’ Ħamrun Spartans u Birkirkara rispettivament  l-istaġun li għadda, kienu ntagħżlu bħala l-aqwa plejers fl-2024 iżda mhumiex fost in-nominati din is-sena.

Hemm ukoll tliet kandidati għall-MFPA Best Young Player (irġiel u nisa), unur li s-sena l-oħra ntrebaħ minn Carlo Zammit Lonardelli, ta’ Floriana, u Nicole Sciberras li tilgħab ma’ Hibernians. Kemm Zammit Lonardelli kif ukoll Sciberras huma fost il-finalisti għall-istess unur li rebħu fl-2024.

Fiċ-Challenge League, in-nominati fil-kategoriji ta’ Goalkeeper, Difensur, Midfielder u Attakkant huma wkoll biċ-ċans li jirbħu l-unur tal-MFPA Best Overall Challenge League Player, li s-sena l-oħra ntrebaħ minn Matthew Debattista ta’ Melita. Hemm tliet kontendenti għall-unuri tal-MFPA Best Amateur League 1 u 2.

Minbarra l-kriterji ta’ eliġibbiltà dwar il-ħin minimu tal-logħob, il-plejers ma setgħux jivvutaw lil kandidati li jilagħbu fl-istess tim tagħhom. In-nominati inizjali ġew magħżula minn panel ta’ kowċis.

Carlo Mamo, is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-MFPA, qal: “L-MFPA Awards huma ċelebrazzjoni tal-kisbiet tal-plejers tal-futbol li huma fiċ-ċentru tal-missjoni tagħna. Aħna sodisfatti li l-popolarità ta’ dan l-avveniment annwali kibret b’mod sinifikanti fis-snin riċenti, kif rifless ukoll miż-żieda fil-parteċipazzjoni fil-proċess tal-votazzjoni.

“Din is-sena se naraw l-introduzzjoni ta’ żewġ unuri ġodda, wieħed għall-aqwa plejer tal-Amateur League 2 u l-ieħor għall-aqwa kowċ fil-kampjonat tan-nisa. Dan tal-aħħar għandu sinifikanti  partikolari għaliex issa ksibna parità fir-rappreżentanza tal-unuri għall-futbol tal-irġiel u tan-nisa, li tfisser li l-kategoriji kollha tal-futbol tan-nisa kif ukoll il-kowċis issa huma koperti.

“It-tħejjijiet għall-MFPA Awards tal-2025 issa waslu fl-istadju finali u nħarsu ’l quddiem għal avveniment ieħor ta’ suċċess fit-12 ta’ Mejju.”

THE FINAL NOMINEES OF THE MFPA AWARDS 2025

MFPA MEN’S BEST XI (1-4-3-3)

Goalkeepers: Emeka Kelvin Agu (Sliema Wanderers), Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans).

Left-Backs: Leandro Aguirre (Marsaxlokk), Myles Beerman (Sliema Wanderers).

Right-Backs: Joseph Mbong (Ħamrun Spartans), Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana).

Centre-Backs: Gustavo Alcino (Sliema Wanderers), Jean Borg (Sliema Wanderers), Oualid El Hasni (Floriana), Gabriel Mentz (Gżira United).

Midfielders: Prince Afriyie (Mosta), Khevin Fraga (Hibernians), Mattias Garcia (Floriana) Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians), Alexander Satariano (Birkirkara), Dunstan Vella (Floriana).

Forwards: Thaylor Aldama (Gżira United), Mohamed Awad (Sliema Wanderers), Alex Gomes (Marsaxlokk), Maxuell Maia (Birkirkara), Yuri Messias (Marsaxlokk), Franklin Sasere (Floriana).

MFPA MEN’S BEST PLAYER 

All the candidates for the MFPA Men’s Best XI are nominated.

MFPA MEN’S BEST YOUNG PLAYER 

Alexander Satariano (Birkirkara), Sven Xerri (Ħamrun Spartans), Carlo Zammit Lonardelli (Floriana).

MFPA BEST COACH

Darren Abdilla (Floriana), Stefano De Angelis (Birkirkara), Paul Zammit (Sliema Wanderers).

MFPA WOMEN’S BEST XI (1-4-3-3)

Goalkeepers: Patricia Araujo Da Silva (Swieqi United), Patricia Ebejer (Mġarr United).

Left-Backs: Yanina Mendez (Mġarr United), Emma Xuereb (Swieqi United).

Right-backs: Rebecca Bajada (Mġarr United), Jade Schembri (Swieqi United).

Centre-Backs: Leanne Cefai (Mġarr United), Natalee Grace Geren (Hibernians), Rafanny Andreina Mendoza (Swieqi United), Charlene Zammit (Birkirkara).

Midfielders: Luana Cabral (Birkirkara), Michaela Cachia (Swieqi United), Tourki Chaimaa (San Ġwann), Amber Grech (Mġarr United), Nicole Sciberras (Hibernians), Shona Zammit (Swieqi United).

Forwards: Karima Abdulai (Swieqi United), Salamatu Abdulai (Swieqi United), Erica Bispo (Birkirkara), Alexis Veronica Espitia (Hibernians), Hailey Russell (San Ġwann), Valeria Villegas Caly (Mġarr United).

MFPA WOMEN’S BEST PLAYER 

All the candidates for the MFPA Women’s Best XI are nominated.

MFPA WOMEN’S BEST YOUNG PLAYER 

Michaela Cachia (Swieqi United), Yulya Carella (Mġarr United), Nicole Sciberras (Hibernians).

MFPA WOMEN’S BEST COACH 

Kenneth Costantino (Hibernians), Dorianne Theuma (Swieqi United), Ryan Vella (Mġarr United).

MFPA CHALLENGE LEAGUE

Goalkeepers: Timothy Aquilina (Valletta), Reeves Cini (Pietà Hotspurs), Andreas Vella (Tarxien Rainbows).

Defenders: Darren Borg (Żurrieq), Neil Micallef (Valletta), Juan Pablo Morales (Swieqi United).

Midfielders: Jake Azzopardi (Valletta), Thomas Melillo (Pietà Hotspurs), Brandon Paiber (Valletta).

Forwards: Sulahmana Bah (Żurrieq), Andrei Ciolacu (Valletta), Duvan Torres (Żebbuġ Rangers)

MFPA BEST OVERALL CHALLENGE LEAGUE PLAYER

The candidates in the four Challenge League categories are nominated.

MFPA BEST AMATEUR LEAGUE 1 PLAYER

Julian Azzopardi (Birżebbuġa St Peter’s), Godwin Emmanuel (Vittoriosa Stars), Ricardo Velasquez (San Ġwann).

MFPA BEST AMATEUR LEAGUE 2 PLAYER

Rondinely Monteiro (Victoria Hotspurs), Andres Tenorio (Mqabba), Timothy Thomas (Kalkara).