Mallia the Maltese Warrior
Blacktown City FC are set to have a fully-fledged Maltese international on their hands as live-wire attacker Mitchell Mallia has won selection into head coach Tom Saintfiet’s squad for two upcoming friendly matches later this month.
Mallia was called up by Malta for games against Luxembourg on the 22nd of March in Malta and Finland on the 26th of March in Turkey.
Currently ranked 185th on the FIFA World Rankings, Mallia isn’t the first Australian with Maltese heritage to win a spot in the national team.
John Hutchinson and Manny Muscat were two other notable figures that donned the Maltese cross a couple of years ago.
Mallia will link up with former Melbourne City striker and the most decorated Maltese football in the history of the sport in Michael Mifsud. At 36, the striker has won an incredible 128 caps and has scored 40 goals.
The 25-year-old has had a memorable year thus far as he won himself a short-term contract with Hyundai A-League outfit Perth Glory where he made six appearances and scored a goal before returning to Lily Homes Stadium to take part in the 2018 NPL NSW Men’s top tier competition.
A former Australian youth international who was also an Under 17’s Joey and Under 23’s Young Socceroo, Mallia will see this call up as an ideal opportunity to possibly pursue a career overseas in the not to0 distant future.
