Guillaumier and Flask top the charts at MFPA Awards 2023
Ħamrun Spartans and Malta midfielder Matthew Guillaumier, and Jade Flask, the Swieqi United and Malta women’s team for‐ ward, won the most prestigious honours at the MFPA Awards 2023 after being named MFPA Men’s and Women’s Best Player respectively.
As the curtains fall on the 2022‐ 23 domestic football season, the Malta Football Players Associa‐ tion once again honoured the outstanding performers during the annual Awards night, held last night at Sky Club.
Guillaumier’s nomination as the MFPA Best Player caps an‐ other brilliant season during which the 25‐year‐old consoli‐ dated his reputation as one of the best midfielders in the coun‐ try with his consistent perform‐ ances in Ħamrun Spartans’ march to the BOV Premier League title. Guillaumier col‐ lected the highest number of votes from his peers ahead of Balzan playmaker Angel Torres and Ħamrun Spartans’ team‐ mate Emerson Marcelina.
In the female category, Flask, 26, enjoyed a very positive cam‐ paign as she made her mark in the 2022‐23 Assikura Women’s League, finishing the season as top scorer with 19 goals for run‐ ners‐up Swieqi United. The other finalists for the MFPA Women’s Best Player Award were Mġarr United midfielder Brenda Borg and Ann‐Marie Said, of champi‐ ons Birkirkara.
Valletta and Malta forward Shaun Dimech was voted MFPA Men’s Best Young Player while Sara Saliba, the 16‐year‐old Birkirkara starlet, captured the MFPA Women’s Best Young Player award.
A total of 35 awards were pre‐ sented during the MFPA Awards 2023 with 22 going to the play‐ ers who made it into the MFPA Best XI for both men and women.
Newly‐crowned champions Ħamrun Spartans dominated the MFPA Men’s Best XI with a total of seven nominees. Guillaumier is joined by team‐mates, goal‐ keeper Henry Bonello, Emerson Marcelina, Steve Borg, Ryan Ca‐ menzuli, Juan Carlos Corbalan and Roko Prsa while Ħamrun Spartans coach Branko Nisevic won the MFPA Best Coach award.
The other players in the 2022‐ 23 MFPA Best XI 3‐5‐2 formation are Hibernians centre‐back Fer‐ dinando Apap, playmaker Angel Torres (Balzan) together with Enzo Cabrera (Birkirkara) and Jefferson de Assis (Gżira United).
In the MFPA Women’s Best XI, champions Birkirkara are repre‐ sented by four players – Char‐ lene Zammit and Stephania Farrugia (centre‐backs), Ann‐
Marie Said (midfielder) and Sara Saliba (forward).
The other players in the best selection are goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan (Swieqi United), right‐ back Chloe Ann Ellul (Hiberni‐ ans), left‐back Emma Xuereb (Swieqi United FC), midfielders Brenda Borg (Mġarr United) and Shona Zammit (Swieqi United) while the forward line is com‐ posed of Lexine Farrugia (Raiders‐Lija), Flask (Swieqi United) and Saliba.
CLEAN SWEEP FOR SLIEMA WANDERERS
Sliema Wanderers forward Lydon Micallef emulated his dou‐ ble success at last year’s awards as he collected the MFPA Best Challenge League Forward and Best Challenge League Player awards. The Blues, who have re‐ turned to the top division of Mal‐ tese football as BOV Challenge League champions, made it a clean sweep as goalkeeper Rashed Al‐Tumi, defender Murilo Henrique Freire Bernardo, and midfielder Ed‐ mond Agius won the remaining MFPA Challenge League awards.
The MFPA Best Amateur League award went to Senglea Athletic striker Timothy Thomas who helped his hometown team win the third‐tier championship and the National Amateur Super Cup.
FIFA referee Trustin Farrugia Cann made it five in a row after being voted best referee of the season.
MICHAEL SPITERI RECEIVES MERIT AWARD
Michael Spiteri, the former Hi‐ bernians and Birkirkara de‐ fender, was also honoured during the MFPA Awards as he was announced as the winner of the MFPA Assikura Merit Award, given for outstanding contribu‐ tion to Maltese football.
Spiteri is widely considered as one of the best defenders of his generation and was capped 24 times by Malta. He received the award from Anthony Galea, Pres‐ ident of the MFPA.
MFPA YEAR IN REVIEW
During the Awards Night, Carlo Mamo, the MFPA General Secre‐ tary, gave a detailed overview of the various projects and work carried out by the Association during the season. The Associa‐ tion will soon launch its new strategy for the period 2023‐ 2026 which will prioritise the following areas – Education, Players’ Health and Wellbeing, Women’s Football, Services to Players and the MFPA’s Sus‐ tained Growth.
The MFPA is also strengthening its support programmes and the multitude of services offered to its members, including advice on contractual matters and legal representation, and the ongoing educational courses and other academic opportunities.
MFPA AWARDS 2023 – THE WINNERS
MFPA Men’s Best Player: Matthew Guillaumier (Ħamrun Spartans)
MFPA Women’s Best Player: Jade Flask (Swieqi United)
MFPA Men’s Best Young Player: Shaun Dimech (Valletta)
MFPA Women’s Best Young Player: Sara Saliba (Birkirkara) MFPA MEN’S BEST XI (3‐5‐2) Goalkeeper: Henry Bonello (Ħamrun Spartans)
Centre‐backs: Ferdinando Apap (Hibernians); Steve Borg (Ħamrun Spartans); Emerson Marcelina
(Ħamrun Spartans)
Right wing‐back: Juan Carlos Corbalan (Ħamrun Spartans)
Left wing‐back: Ryan Camen‐ zuli (Ħamrun Spartans).
Midfielders: Matthew Guillau‐ mier (Ħamrun Spartans); Roko Prsa (Ħamrun Spartans); Angel Torres (Balzan)
Forwards: Enzo Daniel Cabrera (Birkirkara); Jefferson de Assis (Gżira United)
MFPA Best Coach: Branko Nise‐ vic (Ħamrun Spartans)
MFPA WOMEN’S BEST XI( 4‐3‐ 3)
Goalkeeper:
Cynthia Konlan (Swieqi United)
Centre‐Backs: Stephania Farru‐ gia (Birkirkara); Charlene Zam‐ mit (Birkirkara)
Right‐Back: Chloe Ann Ellul (Hibernians)
Left‐Back: Emma Xuereb (Swieqi United)
Midfielders: Ann‐Marie Said (Birkirkara); Brenda Borg (Mġarr United); Shona Zammit (Swieqi
United).
Forwards: Lexine Farrugia (Raiders‐Lija); Sara Saliba (Birkirkara); Jade Flask (Swieqi United)
MFPA Best Challenge League Player: Lydon Micallef (Sliema Wanderers)
MFPA Best Challenge League Goalkeeper: Rashed Al‐Tumi (Sliema Wanderers)
MFPA Best Challenge League Defender: Murilo Henrique Bernardo (Sliema Wanderers)
MFPA Best Challenge League Midfielder: Edmond Agius (Sliema Wanderers)
MFPA Best Challenge League Forward: Lydon Micallef (Sliema Wanderers)
MFPA Best Amateur League Player: Timothy Thomas (Sen‐ glea Athletic)
MFPA Best Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann
MFPA Assikura Merit Award: Michael Spiteri