The Player: Michael Mifsud

What links Tony Barras, Darren Ambrose, and Michael Mifsud? No, it’s not that they all sound like people you’d hire to sort out a leak in your kitchen. They’ve all silenced Old Trafford with goals that helped knock Manchester United out of the League Cup. What makes Mifsud so special? Well he’s the only Maltese player to have ever scored at the Theatre of Dreams. Born in the coastal town of Pietà just outside the nation’s capital, Mifsud soon became one of Maltese football’s hottest properties, signing with Sliema Wanderers shortly after turning 16. One goal in six appearances in his debut season was followed by a regular spot in the first team, as Sliema challenged at the top of the Maltese Premier League.

His emergence led to the offer of a trial at Manchester United, just weeks after Alex Ferguson’s team had won their historic treble. Though he would return to Sliema after failing to earn a transfer to the English giants, his chance to shine in Manchester would come in good time. Instead, Mifsud continued to tear up his native top flight, banging in sixty goals across four years with Wanderers, though failing to win any silverware.

Manchester United’s loss was FC Kaiserslautern’s gain, with the former Bundesliga champions prising the striker away from Sliema in 2001. Sadly, despite proving a hit in the German’s reserve team, Mifsud would return to Malta with his former club for a season, before heading off to Norway with Lillestrom. In his second season at the Åråsen Stadion he finished top scorer with eleven goals and was voted the best foreign player in the Eliteserien, which was enough to convince Championship side Coventry City to snap him up on a free when his contract expired.

After an impressive first six months at the Ricoh Arena, in which he won Coventry’s Goal of the Season award, Mifsud began perhaps the best season of his career. Having hit a brace against Carlisle to seal the Sky Blues’ place in Round Three, the Maltese striker’s dream of playing at Old Trafford was finally realised. In the 27th Mifsud slid a teasing cross into the far post to give Coventry a shock lead, before his trademark determination saw a goal created from nothing, as the man nicknamed ‘Mosquito’ chased down a long ball forward, nutmegged Gerard Pique and played a one-two with Jay Tabb before blasting into the top corner. Forget that this was an ‘inexperienced’ United defence – there aren’t many that can say they’ve had Pique’s pants down at Old Trafford.

Those confidence boosting goals helped Mifsud reach a tally of fifteen by Christmas, with his giantkilling exploits continuing with a brace at Ewood Park to knock Blackburn Rovers out of the FA Cup. Unfortunately there would be a sting in the tail to Mifsud’s remarkable season, as a protracted move to Bristol City broke down, and the striker fell out of favour. After a loan move to Barnsley, Mifsud returned to Malta, and would finally get his hands on a trophy, winning three Maltese Premier League titles with Valletta in 2012, 2016 and 2018. Now 37, Mifsud is still very much playing, currently turning out for Birkirkara, as well as captaining the Maltese national team.

At international level, Mifsud’s achievements are unrivalled in Malta. Making his debut at 19 against Albania, his career with the Falcons is littered with memorable moments, including a match-winning performance against Hungary in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, and an incredible five goal salvo in a 7-1 victory over Liechtenstein – the nation’s biggest ever win. In 2010, with a goal against Finland, he became the country’s top goalscorer, and continues to add to that tally.

While Mifsud might never reach the heights his obvious goalscoring talents deserve, he’ll probably take the title of ‘The Maltese Messi’ bestowed on him by La Gazzetta dello Sport. And that unforgettable double at Old Trafford of course.

The Game: Malta 2-0 Greece, 1975

Winning games isn’t something that comes naturally to the Maltese national team. In 390 FIFA recognised games, the archipelago have won just 42. If friendlies are removed from that list of victories, the number drops dramatically, with Malta winning just five games in their World Cup and European Championship qualification history. Still, everyone has to start somewhere, and in 1975 they did.

Malta had joined FIFA and UEFA in 1959 and 1960 respectively, but decided against registering for World Cup qualification for their first decade of membership. Their maiden forays into international competition had been in the European Championships, losing 9-2 on aggregate to Denmark ahead of the 1964 tournament, and finishing bottom of a group including England, Switzerland and Greece in a bid to reach the 1972 edition. Their first World Cup campaign, following on immediately from the Euros qualifiers, was similarly disastrous, as Sweden, Hungary and Austria made light work of the Reds, securing another fourth placed finish.

In a desperate bid to drill some competitive spirit into the team, the Maltese FA turned to Italian Terrenzio Polverini to manage the side for their Euro ’76 campaign. Polverini had carved out a career as a half decent defender in Serie B, and had been part of the Bologna squad that won the Scudetto in 1964, before injury had forced him into early retirement. Moving into coaching, Polverini spent six years as part of the backroom staff at Ternana, before making his first steps into management at Sliema Wanderers, winning the Maltese Cup in his first season.

Polverini’s first match in charge of Malta saw a defeat to Libya, one of the few teams the Falcons had actually beaten in previous meetings. A goalless draw in Tripoli was hardly cause for celebration either, and it was with trepidation that fans headed to the Empire Stadium in Gżira to watch their team take on World Champions West Germany. Though hardly an even game, Malta did at least manage to keep Franz Beckenbauer and co. at arms length, losing by a solitary Bernhard Cullmann goal.

On form, their next opponents hardly represented an easier proposition. Greece were slowly emerging in the world of international football, and had already racked up a win and two draws from their first three games before heading to the Empire Stadium. Among the Greek side were Vasilis Kostantinou and Mimis Domazos, both members of Panathinaikos’ run to the European Cup final three years earlier. Malta, meanwhile, gave a debut to young goalkeeper Robert Gatt. In a match dominated by the visitors, two bolts from the blue swung the game Malta’s way. In the 33rd minute, Sliema’s Richard Aquilina was played through on goal by full-back Eddie Vella, before lifting the ball over Kostantinou to give the hosts a half-time lead, before Vince Magro repeated the trick in the second half, as Polverini’s advice to his players to catch the Greek ‘keeper off his line helped seal an historic first competitive win for the Falcons.

Unfortunately that wouldn’t be the beginning of a Maltese resurgence, as Greece wreaked their revenge in the very next game, putting four past Malta in Saloniki. Polverini and his team would have the last laugh, however, as the Greeks missed out on top spot by a point, having lost just once in the whole campaign, and saw their place at the Euros taken by West Germany.

It would be another seven years before Malta won their next competitive fixture, a 2-1 victory over fellow minnows Iceland in the Euro 84 qualifiers. While the nation may have experienced more impressive victories, like a 1-0 win over World Cup-bound Belgium in 1994 or the 2-1 victory over Hungary in 2006, that win over Greece will be forever held dear in Maltese hearts. You never forget your first time.

The Player: Vasilis Hatzipanagis

So far in this series we’ve profiled players that have made a lasting impression in the shirt of their national teams, whether blazing a trail for BAME footballers, having their careers cut tragically short, or just being wizards with a ball at their feet. This week, it’s a player whose career has been defined by his lack of international caps for his native country. Born to Greek refugees before fleeing for Soviet Uzbekistan amidst civil-war Vasilis Hatzipanagis built a career on missed opportunities.

Initally spotted by Dinamo Tashkent, the eighteen year old instead opted to join local rivals Pakhtakor on account of their impressive youth set-up. It was upon signing his first contract that Hatzipanagis fell into his first bind. Rules on foreign players in the Soviet league were strict, and in order for Pakhtakor to register their new acquisition, the young Greek would have to apply for Soviet citizenship. Once his alleigence had been pledged, Hatzipanagis set about tearing up the Supreme League, helping Pakhator to promotion in 1973, before becoming the second most valuable player in the league behind Ballon D’or winner Oleh Blokhin in ’74 and ’75.

Naturally his domestic perfomances caught the eye of national team selectors and, in 1975, he was drafted into the USSR side for their Olympic Games qualifiers. After four impressive perfomances, including a goal against Yugoslavia on his debut, Hatzipanagis was a shoe-in to represent the Soviet Union at the Montreal Olympics. But suddenly, everything changed. The reign of the Greek military junta had ended in 1974, and the opportunity arose for the 20 year old’s parents to return to Greece. An instinctive patriotism towards the country that provided refuge for his family stirred in Hatzipanagis, and he sought a move to Greece. The only problem was that transfers simply didn’t exist in Soviet football. Players were not considered property, and the buying and selling of employees was prohibited, a fact that put the kibosh on Olympiacos’ move for the midfielder. In order to force the move, Hatzipanagis had to denounce his citizenship and apply for repatriation. And so arrived his second dilemma.

Having been born outside the country, the talented youngster could only apply for repatriation to areas with familial ties. As his grandparents lived in Thessaloniki options were limited, and it was the mid-table side Iraklis that provided salvation. The move was brokered by an Armenian agent and, unbeknownst to Hatzipanagis, included a clause that entitled Iraklis to renewal rights for the next ten years. His entire future had been decided. In his first season, the new star player in the Greek Super League fired his team to their first major trophy, scoring twice (and missing a penalty in the shootout) against Olympiacos in the Greek Cup final. News of his exploits spread across Europe, and offers for his services arrived from AEK, Lazio, Porto and Stuttgart, but Iraklis refused to countenance their approaches. In 1977, Hatzipanagis took his club to court in a case that foreshadowed that of Jean-Marc Bosman. The employee won the battle, but Iraklis would have the last laugh, with the district court’s ruling that an athlete couldn’t be held to a contract for more than five years being overruled by the Court of Appeal. Hatzipanagis remained stuck.

Later that year, a niggling knee injury saw the Greek travel to London for treatment, meeting with Arsenal physio Fred Street, a close friend of his godfather’s. During his rehabilitation, he trained with the Arsenal first team, earning the nickname ‘Aristotle’ along with some admiring looks from the men upstairs. Immediately those in power at Highbury made an approach to sign him, but again Iraklis demurred. The club simply could not afford to let their star player go, with their third place finish in the 1982/83 season highlighting his importance to the team. Even a £1.85m bid from Panathinaikos, which would have blown the Greek transfer record out of the water, was rejected. The stout playmaker was resigned to seeing out his career in Thessaloniki.

The disappointment wouldn’t end there, however. While returning to Greece had been his dream as a youngster, representing the Greek national team would represent the pinnacle of his career. But FIFA stood in his way. Since he’d already represented the Soviet Union, his selection for competitive football was prohibited. Having already ceded his Soviet citizenship, his international career was all but over. One appearance, in a friendly against Poland in 1976, was the sum of his work for Greece. He would earn a second cap in 1999, nine years after retirement, in an exhibition match against Ghana to celebrate his contribution to Greek football.

Vasilis Hatzipanagis looks back on his career with regret, bitterness, and disappointment. There is a sense of loss that the major European leagues never got to see his unique talents up close, robbed by poor advise and mismanagement. The most sorrow is reserved for the national team, the country which he says ‘coarses through my veins’. That sorrow is shared by his fellow countrymen, who may only wonder what might have been had they been able to field ‘The Greek Maradona’.

The Game: Portugal 0-1 Greece, 2004

Uruguay in 1950, West Germany in 1954, Denmark in 1992. Shock winners of major international tournaments were few and far between, and with the chasm in resources between established footballing nations and those with less pedigree ever widening, that seemed unlikely to change at the beginning of a new millennium. The footballing landscape in 2004, though, provided a level playing field. France’s era of dominance had ended in humiliating circumstances in Asia, finishing bottom of a group containing Denmark, Senegal and Uruguay. Germany, unconvincing finalists in Japan and South Korea, were in the midst of a talent drought, and had exited the previous European Championships at the group stage. Spain were still the nearly-men of international football, constantly looking promising before flaking in the big games. Italy were suffering the same crisis as Germany, and Portugal and England’s Golden Generations had so far flattered to deceive. In short, the 2004 European Championships were up for grabs.

Greece had already upset the odds before they’d even arrived in Porto for the opening game against the hosts. It was only the third tournament the they’d reached, and their qualification was worth its own Greek myth. Drawn against Raul’s Spain and Andriy Shevchenko’s Ukraine, defeats to the two group favourites in their opening two matches made the chances of their first tournament appearance for eight years slim. Then, like the proverbial phoenix, they rose from the ashes. Victories over Armenia and Northern Ireland were followed by a staggering win in Zaragoza, as Bolton Wanderers’ Stelios Giannakopoulos scored the only goal of the game to give Spain their first loss of the campaign. Next, Ukraine were put to the sword with a late Angelos Charisteas winner, before another victorious double header against the group minnows earned them top spot in a tricky group. From 16th October 2002 to 11th October 2003, Greece’s competitive record read: Played 6, Won 6, Conceded 0. What followed shouldn’t really have come as a surprise.

Regardless, Portugal were strong favourites in the tournament curtain-raiser, with Fernando Couto, Rui Costa and Luis Figo named in their star-studded line-up. It was the 19 year old upstart Cristiano Ronaldo that finally broke the Greek resistance in the 93rd minute of the game, though it arrived too late, as Giorgos Karagounis and Angelos Basinas had already done the damage at the other end to provide a jaw dropping start to the competition. A hard-fought point against old foes Spain in the second game left Greece looking good for a place in the quarter-finals, and despite going two goals down to Russia in the final group game, Zisis Vryzas’ strike would prove to be decisive – the Pirate Ship lost 2-1, but edged out Spain on goals scored.

In the quarter-finals, the Greeks lined up against the heavyweights. Portugal and England, Sweden and the Netherlands, Denmark and the Czech Republic, and France – their next opponents. Germany, Italy, and of course Spain, had already departed. Surely it was Greece’s turn to follow suit. Otto Rehhagel, the German disciplinarian who had taken the role as head coach in 2001, had a history of upsetting the odds, having taken Kaiserslautern from the second division to the Bundesliga title in the late 90s. Though tactically astute, his pragmatic approach had begun to falter – his side’s success was built on the solidity of its defence, and in three games they had uncharacteristically shipped four goals. On the eve of the France game, Rehhagel’s squad suggested a change of system, and Giourkas Seitaridis was tasked with man-marking Thierry Henry, while his teammates switched to zonal marking. Remarkably, it worked. Jacques Santini’s team resorted to long range efforts; Greece played for set-pieces, though ironically Charisteas headed the winning goal from a Theo Zagorakis cross in open play, and the holders were out.

Next, the Czechs, who’d begun to treat the European Championships as their own personal playground. Runners up in ’96, there was a feeling they could go all the way in Portgual, with Pavel Nedved providing inspiration behind the little and large combo of Jan Koller and Milan Baros. Against Greece, they had all of the play and none of the luck. Defensive, dour, negative – call it what you like, it got the job done. Traianos Dellas’ goal on the stroke of half-time in extra-time would go down in history – the only ‘silver’ goal to ever be scored, with UEFA ditching the initiative after the tournament. Greece’s extraordinary story had one final chapter – the hosts, in the final.

Days before the meeting with Portugal, a team meeting was called to clear the air between conflicting squad members, and reflect on what had already been achieved, and the achievements that lay in wait. For the first time, nerves had begun to jangle in the Greek camp, despite their win over Portugal earlier in the tournament. Suddenly, everything seemed real.

Portugal charged at the Greece backline from the off. Ronaldo, Deco, Figo, all looking for inroads past Dellas and his discplined colleagues. Despite dominating possession, they found no way through. The pressure didn’t let up in the second half. The hosts, determined to keep the trophy in Lisbon, committing more and more men forwards, pinning the Greeks back into their half with wave after wave of attack. Then the underdogs broke forwards, winning a corner. Angelos Basinas floated a ball in, Charisteas, again, leaped highest, evading the reach of Ricardo, and buried the ball into an empty net. Greece were one-nil up, and half an hour away from lifting the European Championships. The next thirty minutes were a blur. Time managed to grind to a halt, and yet players struggle to recall anything between the goal and the final whistle. The enduring images, Ronaldo’s tears and white-shirted delight, will stay in the history books forever. In Benfica’s Stadium of Light, Greece cast off their shadows and became champions of Europe.

The Player: Ioannis Okkas

Born in the third biggest city in Cyprus, Ioannis Okkas is one of the country’s most decorated footballers, establishing himself as the spearhead of the national team’s attack during the most successful period of their history. Signed as a dewy-eyed 17 year old by  Nea Salamis Famagusta, Okkas’ impressive tally of sixteen goals from fifty-three appearances on the left-hand side of attack encouraged Nea’s more illustrious neighbours Anorthosis to splash £350,000 on the newly capped 21 year old. Okkas had already found the net for the national team in a 4-1 defeat to Bulgaria during World Cup qualifying, as Cyprus finished second bottom of their group. Better times were ahead for the Larnacan though, as he finished his first season at Anorthosis by scoring the crucial second goal in the side’s Cypriot Cup final win against Apollon Limassol, securing a league and cup double. The next two seasons would bring a further two league titles, as the prolific Okkas narrowly missed out on the Cypriot Golden Boot to the machine-like Rainer Rauffmann. That record of 51 in 72 prompted PAOK to part with a Greek record £2.4m to secure the services of the Cypriot forward, with Okkas hitting the ground running at the Toumba Stadium, winning the Greek Cup in his first season, and adding a second in 2003. A shortlived spell at cash-strapped AEK Athens failed to produce further trophies, but once Olympiacos had picked over the bones of their rivals carcass, Okkas embarked on the most successful spell of his career.

Between 2004 and 2008, three Greek Superleague medals were added to the Cypriot’s ever growing list of honours, while his international form blossomed, with a goal against eventual finalists Germany in Nicosia earning Cyprus a surprise point in Euro 2008 qualifying, while five goals in 2007 marked the most prolific year for his country. With his reputation sky high, clubs in north and western Europe began to sniff around the Olympiacos man and, after unsuccessful trials with West Ham and Derby, Celta Vigo agreed a deal to make Okkas the first Cypriot to play in Spain. One season and six goals later, the now 31 year old returned to his native country, taking in spells with Omonia and Anorthosis, before winding down his playing career at Ermis Aradippou. His final game for Cyprus, a Euro 2012 qualifier in Norway, saw Okkas score his 27th international goal, and the long-term captain retired as the second highest goalscorer and most capped player for his country. Among his highlights are scoring against Italy in Parma to give Cyprus the lead, and netting an equaliser in a bizarre 4-4 draw with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

It’s a telling statistic that in 1999, two years after Okkas had broken into the national team, Cyprus reached their highest ever position in the FIFA World Rankings at #62 while the year following his retirement saw them sink to the nadir of #132. Now coaching the national team under-17 side, Okkas remains an inspiration for all young Cypriot footballers.

The Game: Cyprus 3-2 Spain, 1998

Cyprus were riding the crest of a wave as they headed into the qualifying campaign for Euro 2000. The past twelve months had seen the installation of manager Panikos Georgiou breathe new life into the national team, as they embarked on an unprecedented five game unbeaten streak, seeing off Luxembourg home and away at the tail end of the World Cup campaign, before sandwiching a draw against Finland with victories over Albania and Slovenia. The addition of Yugoslav-born talent, granted political asylum in Cyprus following the Balkan conflict of the early nineties, undoubtedly helped the Cypriot cause, but with the draw pitting them against World Cup regulars Spain and Austria and an emerging Israeli side, the islanders weren’t getting carried away, particularly since the opening game would see the visit of Raul and co.

Spain began the campaign looking to banish the memory of France ’98 as quickly as possible. An embarrassing group stage exit thanks to a shock defeat to Nigeria saw Javier Clemente on the brink of ending his six year association with the national team, though a successful qualifying campaign would surely heal the wounds of Nantes. This was, of course, the original Spain, packed full of talent and promise, and yet so predictably disappointing you could set your watch by them. A full decade before their dominance of world football began, few were able to take La Roja seriously as an international force.

On the evening of September 5th 1998, it became clear why. With a line-up including three Champions League winners from the previous season, as well as a strong Barcelona present, Spain came into the game at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca as strong favourites, not least because they had won their previous six meetings with Cyprus at an aggregate of 25-2. Georgiou was able to call upon veteran captain Charalambos Pittas, who was looking to earn his bread by pocketing Spain’s strikers, as well as the Serbian-born attackers Siniša Gogić and Milenko Špoljarić. It was the Anorthosis Famagusta midfielder Panayiotis Engomitis that opened the scoring, though, picking the ball up in Spain’s half and driving towards Miguel Angel Nadal and Rafael Alkorta before sending an outrageous chip over the head of Santiago Canizares to put Cyprus ahead just before half-time. Four minutes into the second half, and with the Spanish defence having seemingly only been introduced to one another during the break, Špoljarić rolled the ball into the path of his countryman Gogić, and the Olympiacos forward thrased a shot into the top corner. Raul’s lob over Nicos Panagiotou in the 72nd minute looked as though it might set up a tense finale, but four minutes later Špoljarić rose to meet Vassos Melanarkitis’ free-kick and direct a header beyond Canizares’ reach. A late rally from Spain, including a shot from Fernando Morientes squirming beneath Panagiotou, wasn’t enough and, for a month at least, Cyprus went top of Group 6. Javier Clemente, meanwhile, was sacked.

That was as good as it got for Georgiou as, a month later, Austria arrived to send the Cypriot’s crashing back down to Earth as they left Larnaca with a 3-0 win, and, two expected wins against San Marino aside, Cyprus only won once more during qualifying. A year and three days after their historic victory over Spain, Cyprus traveled to Badajoz for the return leg and succumbed to an 8-0 thrashing. They finished fourth out of five in the group, though missed out on a playoff spot by just a point and, for one night at least, they showed they could compete with the best.