My career as a football player featuring the start of women’s football in Malta - Maria Coppola

Maria Coppola has published a book about her career as a football player and soon will be distributed to the leading bookshops in Malta and Gozo as from Thursday 26.07.2018.

This book shows the beginning of women's football in these islands as from 1990 onwards and about Coppola’s life, and how she started the game of football which is too close to her heart.

In Coppola’s own words, “I was born in a family of 5 with Anna my twin sister and Lorraine the elder and my parents, Hermann and Vinnie.

“In 1983 we emigrated to Australia to start a new life there, but after three months some problems cropped up and my parents decided to return back to Malta.

“My father started to take me at Infetti sports ground in Birkirkara where he was involved in a football organisation, namely the Birkirkara Falcons.

“There I started to kick the ball for the first time almost every Saturday with boys at 10 years of age, and started loving the football game.

“In 1992, I started playing football with Depiro in a five a side league organised by Luxol. Then in 1994, I played in seven a side league organised by San Gwann. Interest grew in the number of females. A selection from San Gwann league travelled to Chec Republic to take in tournament there.

“As interest continued to grow, in 1995 the Malta Football Association organized a 7-a-side league in Infetti Sports Ground and later a 9 for a side league.

“An American scout watched me playing there and noticed my skills and invited me to play in the American league and I grasped this opportunity that helped me to play there for five years.

“After this wonder adventure, I came back to Malta and started playing in a 11-a-side league at Pace Grosso inside Melita in 2000/2001.

“In 2001, a selection of women's team was chosen to play for Malta in Mozzocane, Italy, and from then onwards the Malta National team gained popularity.

“Another good opportunity in 2004 came by in my career to play in France with US Le PecQ. A year later I moved to Paris St Germain. I had very good trail but unfortunately, I got ill with meningitis and had to leave the game of football for some time.

“As my health improved when I returned back to Malta I joined a team from Imgarr between 2011/2012 where we won a league and had a good year.

“The lesson I learned throughout my football career is that one should never lose heart and always look forward no matter what happens. Then I retired from the football playing and started concentrating on my coaching career.”