UEFA announced plans to present all European national team players who have reached the 100-cap mark with a special award comprising a commemorative cap and medal. The proposal was approved by the UEFA Executive Committee at its last meeting in Nyon in June.
The award will consist of a commemorative cap and medal to be given to the players who have reached this milestone. The four local players to play hundred matches or more for the national team are: Gilbert Agius, David Carabott, Carmel Busuttil and Joe Brincat.
UEFA President Michel Platini welcomed the introduction of the new award.
“I think it is a fantastic idea,” said Platini. “Any player who has played 100 or more times for his or her country definitely deserves recognition by the football fraternity. Presenting the player with a cap and medal at forthcoming national team matches will highlight their achievement, while helping to refocus public attention on the importance of national team football.”
The 109 players set to be honoured are listed below, and will increase as more players bring up a century of caps.
Armenia: Sargis Hovsepyan
Austria: Andreas Herzog
Bulgaria Borislav Mihaylov, Stiliyan Petrov
Croatia: Dario Šimi?
Cyprus: Yiannis Okkas
Czech Republic: Karel Poborský
Denmark: Peter Schmeichel, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Dennis Rommedahl, Thomas Helveg, Michael Laudrup, Morten Olsen, Martin Jørgensen
England: Peter Shilton, David Beckham, Bobby Moore, Sir Bobby Charlton, Billy Wright
Estonia: Martin Reim, Marko Kristal, Mart Poom, Andres Oper, Kristen Viikmäe, Raio Piiroja, Indrek Zelinski
Finland: Jari Litmanen, Sami Hyypiä, Jonatan Johansson, Ari Hjelm
France: Lilian Thuram, Thierry Henry, Marcel Desailly, Zinédine Zidane, Patrick Vieira, Didier Deschamps
FYROM: Goce Sedloski
Germany: Lothar Matthäus, Miroslav Klose, Jürgen Klinsmann, Jürgen Kohler, Franz Beckenbauer, Joachim Streich, Thomas Hässler, Ulf Kirsten, Hans-Jürgen Dörner
Greece: Theodoros Zagorakis, Giorgos Karagounis, Angelos Basinas
Hungary: József Bozsik
Iceland: Rúnar Kristinsson
Italy: Fabio Cannavaro, Paolo Maldini, Dino Zoff, Gianluigi Buffon
Latvia: Vit?lijs Astafjevs, Andrejs Rubins, Juris Laiz?ns, Imants Bleidelis, Mihails Zemlinskis, Igors Stepanovs
Liechtenstein: Mario Frick
Malta: Gilbert Agius, David Carabott, Carmel Busuttil, Joe Brincat
Netherlands: Edwin van der Sar, Frank de Boer, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Phillip Cocu
Northern Ireland: Pat Jennings
Norway: Thorbjørn Svenssen, Henning Berg
Poland: Micha? ?ew?akow, Grzegorz Lato
Portugal: Luís Figo, Fernando Couto
Republic of Ireland: Shay Given, Kevin Kilbane, Robbie Keane, Steve Staunton
Romania: Dorinel Munteanu, Gheorghe Hagi, Gheorghe Popescu, László Bölöni
Russia: Viktor Onopko
Scotland: Kenny Dalglish
Serbia: Savo Miloševi?
Slovakia: Miroslav Karhan
Spain: Andoni Zubizarreta, Iker Casillas, Raúl González, Xavi Hernández
Sweden: Thomas Ravelli, Roland Nilsson, Björn Nordqvist, Anders Svensson, Niclas Alexandersson, Henrik Larsson, Olof Mellberg
Switzerland: Heinz Hermann, Alain Geiger, Stéphane Chapuisat
Turkey: Rü?tü Reçber, Hakan ?ükür, Bülent Korkmaz
Ukraine: Oleh Blokhin, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, Andriy Shevchenko