Valletta F.C.

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Valletta F.C. is a professional football club based in Valletta, the capital city of Malta. The club currently competes in the Maltese Challenge League, the second tier of Maltese football, but will compete in the 2025-2026 Maltese Premier League following promotion. The club was founded in 1943 after a merge of Valletta Prestons, Valletta St. Paul's and Valletta United, the latter being a two-time league winner before the Second World War.

Considered one of the most supported and successful clubs in Maltese football,[1] the club has won 25 league titles, 14 FA Trophies and a record 13 Super Cups. During the 2021–22 season the club was sponsored by Meridianbet.[2]

History

Script error: No such module "Unsubst". There is no clear evidence on when Valletta F.C. started, hence the fact that Valletta possessed two clubs at that era. The foundation of Valletta F.C. was laid with the creation of the Valletta United team. Valletta United was known as the "team of the square" since the club was located in St. George's Square. Valletta United represented the city from 1904 to 1932.

The city of Valletta in Malta has a long footballing history, between 1886 and 1919 at some point or another, around fourteen teams had competed representing the city. Amongst these early teams included the popular Boys Empire League, Valletta College, St. George's Square, Dockyard Albion and Malta Athletic Club.

An early step in the history of the current club was the founding of Valletta United Football Club in 1903 by local youngsters. Despite their enthusiasm for the game which had been brought to the island by the British, the youngsters had a rough start with limited supplies. They cut their white trousers into long shorts and dyed their shirts into that of the club colours (brown, with yellow sleeves) for their uniforms.

The Ditch at Porte des Bombes, which itself had been the scene of the first ever recorded Maltese football match in 1886, was chosen to host Valletta United's first match on 9 January 1904.[3] United faced off against a team from the Collegiate School and won 1–0 with a strike from a forward named L. Agius. The full Valletta United team that day included;[3]

 
  • M.H. Laferla (Captain)
  • P. Ferrante
  • E. Galea
  
  • E. Vella
  • L. Agius
  • L. Preziosi
  
  • C. Vella
  • V. Casolani
  • R. Vadala
  
  • V. Camilleri
  • L. Castaldi

The club soon found a more permanent home at St. George's Square, just opposite the Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta; they gained the nickname "the team of the square" because of this. Valletta first gained silverware during the 1914–15 season, when they won both the Cousis Shield and the Maltese League championship, it was only the fifth season the league had been competed in Malta.

Much of Maltese football was dominated by Floriana and Sliema Wanderers up until the Second World War, Valletta attempted to upset the status quo several times; they won the Cousis Shield for the second time in 1920–21 and finished as runners-up in the Maltese League during both 1925–26 and 1926–27. During their last season, Valletta United upset the two main clubs in Malta of the time, by winning the Maltese League in 1931–32, however they did not enter the following season.

Although Sliema and Floriana dominated the local scene in those times, by winning these trophies it was Valletta United that started to break into this duopoly and induce greater competition. Valletta United were very active in the Championship of the first division and in fact played 97 games.

During the period that Valletta United played within the Malta Football Association (i.e., from 1909 to 1932), Valletta United won the championship in 1931–32. However, for some reason in the following season, Valletta United disappeared from the football scene and thus the monopoly of Sliema and Floriana football clubs recommenced.

Valletta United was not the only team from the city that played in the highest Division of the M.F.A. In the 1925–26 and the 1926–27 seasons there were Valletta Rovers who played in the highest Division of the M.F.A., then in the season 1937–38 and 1938–39 there was Valletta City.

The winning of five cups in one season

In 1996–97 Valletta F.C. won all five competitions that the Maltese football offers. This was done by succeeding to win the Premier League, Rothmans Trophy, Super Five Cup, Lowenbrau Cup and Super Cup.

The historic season – 2000–01 – Six cups in one season

In the season 2000–01, Valletta F.C. succeeded in breaking their own record from 1996 to 1997. This time they won the six competitions offered by the M.F.A. This particular season there was an additional one, namely the Centenary Cup. It had been added to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the M.F.A.

2007–08: Champions again

Hope for their first trophy in seven years was a huge thought running through Valletta fans in the summer of 2007. Valletta spent a lot of money in the transfer market and expectations were high. Valletta began the season in the worst possible fashion, with a 3–2 defeat to Eternal rivals, Floriana. Valletta's poor start continued with a 1–1 draw against Hibernians, defeat to Sliema, a 0–0 draw with Hamrun Spartans and Msida respectively. However, eventually Valletta hit good form with a 1–0 win over Birkirkara, a 7–0 trashing over champions Marsaxlokk and they gained revenge over Floriana with a 4–0 win on 8 December. After wins over Msida, Mqabba, Hamrun, Sliema and Marsaxlokk the club showed its winning pedigree. Valletta headed to the final round of the season on a high note.

Valletta won their 19th Premier League title after Marsaxlokk failed to beat Birkirkara on Saturday 3 May after a very successful Championship Pool campaign. However, with the title in the bag the long unbeaten streak soon came to an end, and the season ended with a number of defeats. The team also failed to reach the U*Bet F.A. Trophy 2008 final, after losing 4–2 to rivals Birkirkara in the semi-final. But except for the early stages and the post-championship games, Valletta had been the most consistent side.

Consecutive titles

Valletta won the 2010–11 BOV Premier League as an unbeaten team which brought the 20th title to Valletta FC's history. Valletta won the 2011–12 BOV Premier League with two matches still to go after beating Sliema Wanderers 3–0, this was the 21st title in the history of Valletta. They were champions of Malta again in 2013–14, 2015–16 and 2 year in a row 2017–18 and 2018–19 for a total of 25 titles.

Relegation and subsequent promotion

Valletta were relegated for the first time in the club's history in the 2023–24 Maltese Premier League. Valletta spent most of the season in the bottom half of the league. Towards the end of the season, a 1–1 draw against Ħamrun Spartans and a 1–0 win against Balzan showed a glimmer of hope for salvation. This did not happen however and a 4–0 defeat against Naxxar Lions condemned Valletta to relegation.[4]

In the 2024–25 Maltese Challenge League, the club secured promotion back to the top division, finishing at the top of the table with only one defeat during the season.[5]

Players

Current squad

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<templatestyles src="Template:Football squad player/styles.css" /> Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Template:Fba/core Timothy Aquilina
2 FW Template:Fba/core Enoch Mushagalusa
4 DF Template:Fba/core Neil Micallef
5 DF Template:Fba/core Zachary Cassar
6 DF Template:Fba/core Enzo Ruiz
8 FW Template:Fba/core Andrea Zammit
9 FW Template:Fba/core Andrei Ciolacu
10 MF Template:Fba/core Brandon Paiber
13 GK Template:Fba/core Liam Frendo
14 DF Template:Fba/core Christian Gauci
15 MF Template:Fba/core Keyon Ewurum
16 MF Template:Fba/core Jefferson Carioca
17 FW Template:Fba/core Zak Barbara
18 DF Template:Fba/core Peter Ohaka
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 DF Template:Fba/core Kelvin Baldacchino
20 DF Template:Fba/core Neil Tabone
21 MF Template:Fba/core Klose Conti
22 MF Template:Fba/core Aidan Friggieri
23 MF Template:Fba/core Ayrton Attard (on loan from HiberniansScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".)
24 MF Template:Fba/core Rowen Muscat
25 DF Template:Fba/core Jacob Walker
27 GK Template:Fba/core Jake Scicluna
28 MF Template:Fba/core Sheldon McKay
30 FW Template:Fba/core Paul Lapira
33 MF Template:Fba/core James Scicluna
— GK Template:Fba/core Jake Galea
— MF Template:Fba/core Peter Xuereb

Youth Players in use

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No. Pos. Nation Player
No. Pos. Nation Player

Out on loan

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No. Pos. Nation Player

Retired numbers

Personnel

Coaching staff

Position[6] Staff
Manager Template:Flagicon Thane Micallef
Assistant Manager Template:Flagicon Jesmond Zerafa
Goalkeeping coach Template:Flagicon Romeo Schembri
Team manager Template:Flagicon Gerard Ellul
Training assistant Template:Flagicon Jason Galea Lucas
Physical trainer Template:Flagicon Karl Sciortino
Physio Template:Flagicon Oscar Alonso
Kit manager Template:Flagicon Clint Mizzi

Managerial history

Dates[8] Name
1949–1950 Template:Flagicon Harry Tedder
1958–1959 Template:Flagicon Bob Gilmour
1959–1960 Template:Flagicon William Dingwall
1962–1964 Template:Flagicon Carm Borg
1968–1970 Template:Flagicon Tony Formosa
1970–1972 Template:Flagicon Josie Urpani
1973–1975 Template:Flagicon Tony Formosa
1976–1977 Template:Flagicon Terenzio Polverini
1977–1978 Template:Flagicon Lolly Debattista
1978–1982 Template:Flagicon John Calleja
1982–1984 Template:Flagicon Joe Cilia
1986–1988 Template:Flagicon Tony Formosa
Template:Flagicon Joe Micallef
1989–1990 Template:Flagicon George Busuttil
1989–1990 Template:Flagicon Eddie Vella
1991–1993 Template:Flagicon Tony Euchar Grech
1993–1994 Template:Flagicon Lawrence Borg
1994–1995 Template:Flagicon Joe Cilia
Template:Flagicon Edward Aquilina
1995–1998 Template:Flagicon Edward Aquilina
1998–2001 Template:Flagicon Krasimir Manolov
2001–2002 Template:Flagicon Georgi Deanov
2003–2004 Template:Flagicon Atanas Marinov
2004–2005 Template:Flagicon Joseph John Aquilina
2004–2009 Template:Flagicon Paul Zammit
2009–2010 Template:Flagicon Ton Caanen
2010–2012 Template:Flagicon Jesmond Zerafa
2012–2013 Template:Flagicon Mark Miller
2014 Template:Flagicon André Paus
2014–2015 Template:Flagicon Gilbert Agius
Template:Flagicon Ivan Zammit
2015–2017 Template:Flagicon Paul Zammit
2015–2017 Template:Flagicon Zoran Popović
2017– 2019 Template:Flagicon Danilo Dončić
2019 Template:Flagicon Gilbert Agius (Caretaker)
2019–2020 Template:Flagicon Darren Abdilla[9]
2020 Template:Flagicon Giovanni Tedesco[10]
2020 Template:Flagicon Jesmond Zerafa[11]
2020 Template:Flagicon Gilbert Agius (Caretaker)[12]
2020-2022 Template:Flagicon Tozé Mendes[13]
2022 Template:Flagicon Danilo Dončić[14]
2022-2023 Template:Flagicon Thane Micallef
2023-2024 Template:Flagicon Enzo Potenza
2024 Template:Flagicon Juan Cruz Gill (Caretaker)
2024- Template:Flagicon Thane Micallef

European record

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Competition Played Won Drew Lost GF GA GD Win%
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Legend: GF = Goals For. GA = Goals Against. GD = Goal Difference.

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1963–64 European Cup PR Template:Flagicon Dukla Prague 0–2 0–6 0–8
1964–65 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Real Zaragoza 0–3 1–5 1–8
1972–73 UEFA Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Inter Milan 0–1 1–6 1–7
1974–75 European Cup 1R Template:Flagicon HJK Helsinki 1–0 1–4 2–4
1975–76 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Haladás VSE Template:Maybe 0–7 1–8
1977–78 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Dynamo Moscow 0–2 0–5 0–7
1978–79 European Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Grasshopper 3–5 0–8 3–13
1979–80 UEFA Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Leeds United 0–4 0–3 0–7
1980–81 European Cup PR Template:Flagicon Budapest Honvéd 0–3 0–8 0–11
1983–84 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Rangers 0–8 0–10 0–18
1984–85 European Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Austria Wien 0–4 0–4 0–8
1987–88 UEFA Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Juventus 0–4 0–3 0–7
1989–90 UEFA Cup 1R Template:Flagicon First Vienna 1–4 0–3 1–7
1990–91 European Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Rangers 0–4 0–6 0–10
1991–92 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Porto 0–3 0–1 0–4
1992–93 UEFA Champions League PR Template:Flagicon Maccabi Tel Aviv 1–2 0–1 1–3
1993–94 UEFA Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Trabzonspor 1–3 1–3 2–6
1994–95 UEFA Cup PR Template:Flagicon Rapid București 2–6 Template:Maybe 3–7
1995–96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup QR Template:Flagicon Inter Bratislava Template:Maybe 2–5 2–5
1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup QR Template:Flagicon Gloria Bistrița 1–2 1–2 2–4
1997–98 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon Skonto Riga 1–0 0–2 1–2
1998–99 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon Anorthosis Famagusta 0–2 0–6 0–8
1999–00 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon Barry Town 3–2 Template:Maybe 3–2
2QR Template:Flagicon Rapid Wien 0–2 0–3 0–5
2000–01 UEFA Cup 1QR Template:Flagicon Rijeka 4–5 2–3 6–8 (a.e.t.)
2001–02 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon Haka Template:Maybe 0–5 0–5
2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Teuta 1–2 Template:Maybe 1–2
2003–04 UEFA Cup 1QR Template:Flagicon Neuchâtel Xamax 0–2 0–2 0–4
2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1R Template:Flagicon Budućnost Podgorica 0–5 Template:Maybe 2–7
2008–09 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon Artmedia 0–2 0–1 0–3
2009–10 UEFA Europa League 1QR Template:Flagicon Keflavík 3–0 Template:Maybe 5–2
2QR Template:Flagicon St Patrick's Athletic 0–1 Template:Maybe 1–2
2010–11 UEFA Europa League 2QR Template:Flagicon Ruch Chorzów Template:Maybe Template:Maybe 1–1 (a)
2011–12 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon Tre Fiori 2–1 3–0 5–1
2QR Template:Flagicon Ekranas 2–3 0–1 2–4
2012–13 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon Lusitanos 8–0 1–0 9–0
2QR Template:Flagicon Partizan 1–4 1–3 2–7
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1QR Template:Flagicon Fiorita 1–0 3–0 4–0
2QR Template:Flagicon Minsk Template:Maybe 0–2 1–3
2014–15 UEFA Champions League 2QR Template:Flagicon Qarabağ 0–1 0–4 0–5
2015–16 UEFA Europa League 1QR Template:Flagicon Newtown 1–2 1–2 2–4
2016–17 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon B36 Tórshavn 1–0 1–2 2–2 (a)
2QR Template:Flagicon Red Star Belgrade 1–2 1–2 2–4
2017–18 UEFA Europa League 1QR Template:Flagicon Folgore 2–0 1–0 3–0
2QR Template:Flagicon FC Utrecht Template:Maybe 1–3 1–3
2018–19 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon Kukësi Template:Maybe Template:Maybe 1–1 (a)
UEFA Europa League 2QR Template:Flagicon Zrinjski Mostar 1–2 Template:Maybe 2–3
2019–20 UEFA Champions League 1QR Template:Flagicon F91 Dudelange Template:Maybe Template:Maybe 3–3 (a)
2QR Template:Flagicon Ferencváros Template:Maybe 1–3 2–4
UEFA Europa League 3QR Template:Flagicon Astana 1–5 0–4 1–9
2020–21 UEFA Europa League 1QR Template:Flagicon Bala Town 0–1 — —

Honours

Competition Titles Seasons
Maltese Premier League File:Star full.svgFile:Star full.svg 25 1914–15,Template:Efn 1931–32,Template:Efn 1944–45, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
Maltese FA Trophy 14 1959–60, 1963–64, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2017–18
Maltese Super Cup 13 1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2019
Cassar Cup 4 1943–44, 1958–59, 1965–66, 1967–68
Super 5 Lottery Tournament 4 1992–93, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2000–01
Cousis Shield 2 1914–15, 1920–21
Scicluna Cup 2 1960–61, 1963–64
Independence Cup 3 1974–75, 1979–80, 1980–81
Malta Cup 1 1943–44
Testaferrata Cup 1 1979–80
Centenary Cup 1 2000–01
Maltese National League 100 Anniversary Cup 1 2009–10
Euro Challenge Cup 6 1983–84, 1987–88, 1989–90, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15
Löwenbräu Cup 6 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01
Coronation Cup 1 1953–54
Sons of Malta Cup 2 1974–75, 1978–79
Olympic Cup 1 1962–63
Melita Cup 1 1911
Ranger's Cup 1 1914
Poppy Day Fund Cup 1 1960–61
BetFair Cup 1 2008
Mare Blue Cup 2 2010–11, 2011–12
Doubles: League & Trophy in the same season 8 1914–15, 1959–60, 1977–78, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2013–14, 2017–18
All Cups in the same season 3 1996–97 (5/5 Cups), 2000–01 (6/6 Cups), 2017–2018 (3/3 Cups)

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

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External links

Template:Sister project

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  • Valletta F.C. at UEFA

Template:Maltese football clubs Template:Valletta Template:Authority control Template:Use dmy dates

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