Former Sliema Wanderers football player Simon Tortell, who also played for Malta in the late 1970s and early 1980s, died yesterday after a long illness. He was 52.

Dr Tortell debutised for Malta on October 25, 1978 when the country played away against Wales. He made five appearance for his country at national ‘A’ level. Until recently, he was a Board member of the Malta Football Association.

He decided to give up his sports career to pursue the legal profession and was a successful lawyer and a senior partner in his own law firm.

But friends and family said he was above all a husband to Silvana and father to Elena, Alexandra and Ana Sofia.

Funeral Mass ‘praesente cadavere’ will be said on Saturday morning at 9.30am at il-Knisja tan-Nazzarenu, Sliema.

May the Lord grant him eternal rest.