The resurrection of Mitch Mallia continues

Mitch Mallia has enjoyed a sensational return to football after coming out of retirement for the 2024 NPL Men’s NSW campaign. 

The attacking midfielder, lining up once more with his beloved Blacktown City, has netted five goals in his last five matches, and is – with each week – looking closer and closer to being back at his pristine best.

Mallia, in his trademark style, plays with a strong sense of grace and effortlessness, making the trickiest of actions look easy.

Judging from the way he’s been performing, it would be forgivable to assume Mallia’s road from retirement back to football was one as smooth as his playing style, but it was anything but.

“I fractured my foot and kept playing on it, and it was in a really bad spot that didn’t have enough blood supply,” he said on his forced retirement in early 2023.

“Three surgeons here in Sydney said that I would need a bone fusion, and I didn’t want that.

“I called it quits, and probably about six months later I was just on Facebook and a video came up of a morning talk show in America with a stem cell doctor, and he was treating a 14-year-old footballer who had the exact same issue as me and he was able to get him back.

“I thought I had to at least give it a try, so a week later I’m in Florida getting this stem cell treatment to have a chance at coming back.

“Six months after that we scanned the foot again and the bone and cartilage was healed, and I was lucky enough to be able to play again.”

Mallia was given the charming chance to return to the beautiful game, made even more appealing by the potential he had to share his footballing experience with his three young children.

“It was a bit surreal at first,” he said after finding out he would be able to play football once more.

“I wasn’t a hundred percent confident but then after looking at the scans and how it was all feeling I thought I had to give it another go.

“I didn’t really play too many games in front of my kids and that was my goal to return – to be able to experience playing football and to have my kids watching me and to be able to play on the field with them after the game.

“That was a big motivator for me to come back.”

When asked about having his kids as his main incentive, as well as his celebration, Mallia gave similarly heart warming answers.

“I want to try and give them moments to remember,” he said.

“They recreate my celebration – that’s why I celebrate the way I celebrate – it’s for them.”

“Now they’re sort of able to watch me play it’s made it all worth it.”

The midfielder has certainly lived up to his goal, with Mallia already providing some unbelievable memories just 10 matches into the campaign.

His stunning strike against rivals Rockdale Illinden, which played a vital role in securing a critical three points for Blacktown City, will go down as one of the goals of the season, with Mallia picking up the ball from well outside the box before looping it magnificently into the top corner.

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Speaking on the outrageous goal, Mallia remained humble, while citing his enjoyment of the celebration beyond his strike.

“I got the ball on the turn and had a quick look over my shoulder to see where I was,” he reflected.

“I actually like that distance for my shooting because I’m able to get the ball up and over, but they don’t always go in like that!

“You have to have a bit of luck on your side but you don’t know if you don’t try.

“And then I ran towards the kids and they were there, I could see them cheering, so it’s been incredible.”

Last weekend, against the Central Coast Mariners, Mallia produced a similarly spectacular goal, this time off a freekick, with his shot sensationally swerving into the top right-corner.

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“It’s something that I practise every week, that knuckleball,” he said.

“It’s something that’s really hard to master, but every now and then it flies into the top corner.

“It’s definitely one of the best freekicks I’ve scored in my career and I think the timing was good as well because the Mariners were starting to get back into the game and get some momentum, so I was glad to be able to help the team.”

However, while Mallia is approaching his highest level, he isn’t yet at his best – a scarily exciting statement considering the quality he’s displayed this campaign.

“For me personally, I’m still just trying to get back to full fitness,” he said.

“Critto (Mark Crittenden) hasn’t just thrown me in the deep end straight away – he’s allowed me to build my fitness back up and get my body right, so I’m very lucky in that aspect.

“In the next period, I’m definitely looking to get some more game time and work my way back into the team, because I think I’m in that territory of getting back to my best.”

-By Jack George