Enrico Pepe, Teddy Teuma eligible to play for Malta national team

The Malta Football Association announced that Enrico Pepe and Teddy Teuma are now eligible to play for the Malta national team.

Birkirkara FC defender Enrico Pepe has been awarded Maltese citizenship on sporting merit and is now eligible to play for the national team. Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Communities Alex Muscat presented the citizenship certificate to Pepe in the presence of the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport Dr Clifton Grima, MFA President Bjorn Vassallo and Malta FA Chief Officer (Administration). Ivan Vella.

Pepe was one of three players who were asked to join the national squad for a training camp led by new Malta national coach Devis Mangia in July. Mario Fontanella and Amadou Samb were the other two players.

Fontanella is expected to be awarded Maltese citizenship in the coming weeks but not in time for the UEFA Nations League matches against the Faroe Islands and Latvia in programme in September.

Meanwhile midfielder Teddy Teuma, who plays for Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, has also been awarded Maltese citizenship based on his Maltese descent.

Teuma was born in Toulon, France and is twenty six years old. He started his career with Hyères FC and later played for Boulogne and Red Star in France before moving to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in January 2019.

Pepe and Teuma are now expected to feature in the Malta squad which Mangia should name this week ahead of the September 3 clash with the Faroe Islands in Torshavn and the match against Latvia on September 6 at Ta’ Qali.