Michael Mifsud is a name that is synonymous with Maltese football fans and one that will go down in history as one of the nation’s greatest. However, his name may go down in other corners of world football, too.
During his days at Coventry City, he made the world take notice during the third round of the 2007–08 League Cup against Manchester United. In that match, Mifsud scored two goals in a 2-0 win, and he was quickly dubbed “The Maltese Messi” by La Gazzetta dello Sport after his performance.
Indeed, it was a shock result and one that not many would have been predicting at the time. The Red Devils were still giants of world football at the time, with many likely to have used the reliable betting sites in order to place wagers on a favorable outcome for the behemoths of the sport. Nonetheless, the Sky Blues rocked everyone and Mifsud became somewhat a hero for many.
Let’s take a look back at how this nickname came to be and what it meant for the Maltese football community.
Huge for Maltese football
Malta is a small island country with a population of about 500,000 people, so for any Maltese athlete to make such an impression on the international stage was quite remarkable. After scoring two goals against Manchester United, Mifsud became an overnight sensation in Malta and was celebrated across Europe as well. His performance earned him praise from Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport which nicknamed him ‘Il Messi Di Malta’, or “The Maltese Messi”.
The nickname was a reference to Lionel Messi, one of the most famous footballers in history, and comparing Misfud to the Argentinian star elevated his profile significantly. The fact that someone from such a tiny nation could be compared to one of the world’s greatest players sent shockwaves through both Malta and Europe. It showed that even though Malta is small, its athletes could compete on the same level as some of the world’s best sports stars.
At Coventry City, Mifsud was respected for his technical prowess and goal-scoring ability. He went on to score 23 goals in 95 appearances for Coventry City over three years before going on a nomadic journey and eventually returning home to Malta where he continued his successful career with a host of different teams. He is currently plying his trade for Mosta, despite the fact that he is 41 years old.
Throughout the course of his career, he also played internationally for Malta’s national team, earning over 140 caps for his country throughout his career and becoming an icon in the process as he managed to score a total of 42 goals, including five against Liechtenstein in March 2008; perhaps taking confidence from his brace against Manchester United.
Mifsud will go down in history
Michael Mifsud will always go down in history as “The Maltese Messi”. His impressive performance against Manchester United earned him worldwide recognition, making him not just an inspiration here at home but all around Europe as well. His success showed that no matter where you come from, you can achieve greatness if you work hard enough, something we should all aspire towards! Indeed, when someone remembers Michael Mifsud they will remember not only one of Malta’s greatest footballers but also what it means to strive for excellence no matter what odds may stand before you.
