Haley Bugeja Moves Over To US Football After Signing With Orlando Pride
Described by Orlando Pride’s General Manager, Ian Fleming, as one of the brightest young talents in world football, the team is reportedly absolutely thrilled to have Haley Bugeja signed up and on-board.
Over the years,she has shown an outstanding level of skill and talent playing in Italy, as well as in the international levels of Malta football. Furthermore, many feel that her glory and reputation as a star player has just begun.
A Rapid Rise
Bugeja’s rise to the top began with Mgarr United FC, before she eventually moved to Serie A. She quickly made a name for herself as one of the top players in Malta, scoring 23 goals over the 2019-2020 season. In her subsequent move to Italian football, she made her Serie A debut at the young age of 16, scoring a goal in her first game, and finishing the year with 12 goals. She went on to be named the Best Young Player in the season.
So far, Bugeja has represented Malta 14 times at the senior level, including the national team’s recent attempt to qualify for the UEFA European League. She debuted for her first major international game in 2019 against Turkey. Since then, she has been rated as one of the top European football players to watch in terms of talent and career development. Her on-field performance is as riveting as the online pokies NZ makes available. She has since been rated as number 15 in ESPN’s 21 Best Women Players list for 21 or under.
Plans For Orlando Pride
Over the past year, Orlando Pride has had notably more players leaving the team than they have been gaining. Therefore, the addition of Bugeja to their roster has come as both a delight and a relief.
As the club works to rebuild their strength in ranks, they have been looking more and more towards talented young players such as Bugeja. Now 18 years old, Bugeja has signed on for just a year and a half with the club though. This is due to her having suffered a recent serious injury, of which she is in the process of recovery. If all goes well, the club will extend her contract further.
Orlando Pride is need of a talented forward though and can’t wait to see how Bugeja will benefit them in the remainder of the season. She is expected to be fully recovered and available to start playing for the team in August. She will be competing with Orlando Pride’s other star forwards for placement in upcoming games. The team’s current forwards include Pruitt, Julie Doyle, and Abi Kim.
In the meantime, the team has proudly announced the arrival of Bugeja to their roster over social media, particularly on Twitter.
In Summary
Bugeja’s success once again highlights the wealth of talent that has come out of the Malta over the history of football. Time will tell how she will fair with her new in the US, though by all indications, the Malta footballer is set to only rise from here on out.