In recent years, nations with a minor football league and small population have sprung a few surprises on the international football stage, as they achieved results comparable to much bigger countries. Iceland is one of the best examples, stunning the world by qualifying for the final stages of the 2018 World Cup, becoming the smallest nation to reach the World Cup Group Stage, and in the process, breaking the record previously set by Trinidad and Tobago.
Malta has always nursed the dream of achieving better results, thus putting its national football team on the map.
A league of its own
It's important to compare and contrast Malta's football league and national team with similar countries and leagues, as it can never compete against more populated countries with more resources and a richer sporting history. Malta can be compared with, for instance, Cyprus, Iceland, Macedonia and Montenegro. All of these national teams have accomplished noticeable results in international football.
Putting things into perspective
Over the years, Malta's national team has played 105 international games at the qualification stage of the World Cup. In that time, it's won just three of them. It beat Estonia in 1993, Armenia in 2013, and it won against Cyprus just last year.
This has put the team in the 172nd spot in the FIFA rankings, which is an improvement of six spots when compared to the previous year. It’s nowhere near the 66th place, which is the best ever ranking the island ever had in these rankings, way back in 1995. However, it's a sign that things are improving, but not nearly fast enough, at least where the fans are concerned.
Qualifying for the World Cup
With the qualifications for the EURO behind us, it's time to focus on the upcoming World Cup qualifications. The final stages are taking place in Canada, the US, and Mexico in 2026, and the qualifications are still a year away, which gives Malta plenty of time to prepare well.
There is good news for Malta right at the start because 16 slots in the final tournament are available for UEFA teams, three more than were available for the 2022 World Cup.
The biggest obstacles
A few obstacles prevent Malta's national team from competing with the best out there. This was painfully obvious after a four-nil loss against England in 2023. Some of the obstacles are beyond the control of any country, but others can be overcome.
A small league
The Premier League has been around since 1909, and over the years, it expanded and contracted from just two teams at one point to as many as 14. This season, 14 teams are competing in the league.
It's a competitive league and one that garners a lot of fan interest. For instance, when you do a comparison of the crypto-friendly sports websites that allow betting on the Maltese Premier League, there are many different sides and odds to choose from. Crypto gambling is totally legal though, so you can find what best suits your needs and preferences.
However, the size of the league is the biggest obstacle for a Maltese national team. The pool of players and teams to choose from is too small and limiting.
Outdated training system
Most of the problems with professional football usually start at the grassroots levels, meaning with kids and lower leagues. That's where a good coach and a good system can spot the real talent and guide them through to a spot in national football.
Summing up 2023
The national team played 10 games in 2023, of which two were friendlies. Malta won both friendlies, against Luxembourg and Gibraltar. However, it lost all the competitive games, including the two against North Macedonia, which were probably the games where a positive result was doable.
That was probably one of the worst years for Malta on the international football stage, and it led to a lot of talks about the need for the shakeup in the broadest sense.
What's ahead for 2024?
There are currently two scheduled games for the Maltase national team in 2024 – the first against Slovenia on March 21 and the second game against Belarus on March 26. Both of these games are friendly, so there's pressure overall. However they can be a good opportunity to try out some new players and strategies.
The move to improve club football
The champion of the Premier League goes into the qualification round for the UEFA Championship. In most cases, they don't go beyond this stage, and there's an active push for a more competitive qualification round.
Visit Malta, the national tourism company will pay €10.000 for every stage the Maltese team advances to.
"Over the past years, VisitMalta supported the local football teams who took part in official UEFA competitions through a financial incentive of €10,000, the government said." For this year, the incentive will increase as every individual team has the potential to benefit from another €10,000 for every stage they advance in the respective competitions.
The teams will have the VisitMalta brand on the kits they will use in the UEFA competitions.
Attracting foreign players
There's also a push to attract foreign players to improve the game and the team's chances at qualifying. The teams are already doing so, but in order to play for a national team, they'll also need Maltese citizenship.
Many countries have an arrangement where it's easier for athletes to obtain citizenship, which Malta may pursue in the coming years, alongside other important changes we mentioned.
Conclusion
Iceland has shown that national football teams from small countries can qualify for the top championships and stand their ground against the big ones. Malta is one of the countries that never reach such success even though it has all that it takes, at least formally.
However, there's a lot that needs to change in national football for that to happen. It should start with dealing with the corruption in the national league. Experts also claim that the way younger generations of players are trained also needs to improve. A few friendly games are ahead, and it's a good time for the team to shake things up.
Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk/.