Shaking things up
The main boardroom at Malta’s National Stadium at Ta’ Qali is full of trophies. That would be expected in the home of many national associations, but there is some irony at this gleaming collection.
The Malta Football Association (MFA) was founded in 1900, joined FIFA in1959 and made their competitive debut five years later, when the island secured independence from Britain, but the national team has not collected any senior trophies.
Malta’s 3-0 win over Cyprus at Ta’ Qali in September 2021 was only their third-ever win in World Cup qualifying – and their first at home. Even the marvellous new football museum at Ta’ Qali celebrates close defeats amid a handful of memorable victories.
Malta’s lack of success is harder to gauge when compared to similar sized European nations. The island has a population of 460,000 and football is easily the most popular sport ahead of water polo and rugby.
Yet while Iceland – population 354,000 –
