Gżira United F.C.

Gżira United
The Official logo for Gżira United
Full nameGżira United Football Club
NicknameMaroons
Founded1947 (1947)
GroundCentenary Stadium
Capacity3,000
ChairmanSharlon Pace
ManagerDarren Abdilla
LeagueMaltese Premier League
2023–24Maltese Premier League, 9th of 14

Gżira United Football Club is a Maltese professional football club from the small harbor town of Gżira in central Malta, which currently plays in the Maltese Premier League.

History

The club was founded in 1947, won the FA Trophy in 1973 and became the First Division league champions. They often play in Maroon with light blue sleeves on the shirt, with white shorts and white socks. Following the club's promotion to the Maltese Premier League, they signed a sponsorship agreement with JEEP, the global SUV brand, with the agreement of organizing events for the local community. For the 2016–17 season the Club played in BOV Premier League for the first time ever and finished 7th place. In the following year 2017–18 the maroons placed 3rd place and participated for the first time in the UEFA Europa League. The 2018–19 season was another successful one where again Gżira placed 3rd place and assured themselves to play again in the Europa League for another time.

The Hajduk miracle

On 18 July 2019, Gżira were facing the big Croatian club Hajduk Split at Split for the second leg of the first qualifying round of the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League. Gżira had lost the first leg match at home 0–2, a result which was considered normal, due to the big budget differences between the two clubs. The match in Split had the Croatians as strong favorites, offering odds of 1/15 (1.07 in decimal odds) for Hajduk to win the match. Hajduk went at half time winning 1–0. However, Brazilian forward Jefferson equalized for Gżira at the 57th minute, and Hamed Koné scored at the 69th minute making the score 1–2 for Gżira. This result was still not enough for the Maltese side, but found a final goal in the sixth and last minute of injury time, again with Hamed Koné, making the score 1–3 for Gżira, with the Maltese side advancing on away goals rule. This result was considered a major shock for the Croatians, with their manager Siniša Oreščanin being sacked shortly after.

Qualifying for the UEFA Conference League 3rd Round

In season 2021/22 UEFA started a new competition, the UEFA Conference League. Gzira qualified after placing 3rd in the Maltese Premier League and in the first round they eliminated again Santa Julia of Andorra. In the second round they faced Rijeka of Croatia and were eliminated with an aggregate of 3–0. In season 2022/23 Gzira played again in the same competition and in the first round they eliminated Atletic Club Escaldes of Andorra. In the second round Gzira FC were drawn against Radnicki Nis of Serbia and Gzira shocked again the European football when eliminating this strong side from Serbia. For the first time Gzira United FC played in the 3rd round of a European Competition and played against Austrian giants of Wolfsberger. Gzira obtained a goalless draw in Austria but then they were eliminated in the home match.

Futsal

Gżira United also had a futsal team, which participated in Malta's top futsal league until 2024. The 2023–24 season was the last edition of the Enemed Futsal League in which Gżira United Santa Margerita Futsal participated, finishing at 11th place and thus qualified for the Enemed Challenger League.[1]

Previously, under the name Gżira FC, they finished 8th out of 9 clubs in the 2014–15 season. That season, after winning 7–4 again Naxxar in the first round, they reached the quarter-final of the domestic cup, where Balzan Futsal defeated them 12–1.[2]

Players

Current squad

As of 7 February, 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  MLT Karl Sargent
2 FW  BRA Pedro Ramos
3 DF  MLT Gabriel Mentz
4 DF  MLT Thomas Gove'
5 DF  MLT Deacon Abela
6 MF  MLT Andy Borg
7 FW  COL Santiago Martinez
8 MF  MLT Brooklyn Borg
9 FW  BRA Andre Costa
10 FW  BRA Maxuell Samurai
11 MF  MLT Dejan Farrugia
13 DF  MLT Clayton Failla
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF  COL Luis Riascos
19 MF  BIH Stasa Bastic
22 DF  ESP Marc Van De Bovenkamp
23 DF  CAN Chrisnovic N'sa
24 DF  KOR Roh Sang-hyun
28 MF  MLT Neil Cassar
29 DF  MLT Aidan Previ
30 MF  MLT David Xuereb
33 GK  SMR Edoardo Colombo
57 MF  CRC Johan Bonilla
96 DF  SRB Mihajlo Stojanovic
98 FW  BRA Kanté
— FW  LVA Aivars Emsis

Notable players

  • Brazil Caio Garcia
  • Mali Souleymane Diamouténé
  • Nigeria Haruna Garba
  • Malta Andrew Cohen
  • Malta Roderick Briffa
  • Malta Justin Haber
  • Ivory Coast Hamed Kone
  • Senegal Amadou Samb
  • Brazil Rodolfo Soares
  • Brazil Robert de Pinho de Souza
  • Brazil Jefferson De Assis

Executive Board

Chairman Sharlon Pace

Vice Chairman Roberto Cristiano

Chief Executive Officer Edward Zammit Tabona

General Secretary Dr Ian Micallef

Chief Financial Officer Alexander Cassar

Personnel

Technical staff

Position Staff
Manager Malta Darren Abdilla
Assistant Manager Malta Matthew Mizzi
Team Manager Malta Marlon Galea
Goalkeeper Trainer Malta Malcolm Vella
Physical trainer Malta Mark Abela
Doctor Malta Dr. Pierre Sammut
Physiotherapist Malta Jermoe Delia
Physiotherapist Malta Francesco Gambin
Kit manager Malta Jason Micallef
Kit manager Malta Karl Spiteri

Honours

League

  • Maltese First Division (2nd Level)
    • Winners (2): 1963–64, 2015–16
  • Maltese Second Division (3rd Level)
    • Winners (4): 1985–86, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2011–12
  • Maltese Third Division (4th Level)
    • Winners (1): 2008–09

Cup

  • Maltese FA Trophy
    • Winners (1): 1972–73
  • First Division Knock Out Cup (2nd Level)
    • Winners (4): 1956–57, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1976–77
  • Second/Third Division Knock Out Cup (3rd Level)
    • Winners (1): 1998–99
  • Second Division Sons of Malta Cup (3rd Level)
    • Winners (2): 1968–69, 1977–78
  • Third Division Sons of Malta Cup (4th Level)
    • Winners (1): 1979–80

European record

Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
1973–74 European Cup Winners' Cup 1R Norway Brann 0–2 0–7 0–9[3]
2018–19 UEFA Europa League PR Andorra Sant Julià 2–1 2–0 4–1
1Q Serbia Radnički Niš 0–1 0–4 0–5
2019–20 UEFA Europa League 1Q Croatia Hajduk Split 0–2 3–1 3–3 (a)
2Q Latvia Ventspils 2–2 0–4 2–6
2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Andorra Sant Julià 1–1 (a.e.t.) 0–0 1–1 (5–3 p)
2Q Croatia Rijeka 0–2 0–1 0–3
2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Andorra Atlètic Club d'Escaldes 1–1 1–0 (a.e.t.) 2–1
2Q Serbia Radnički Niš 2–2 3–3 (a.e.t.) 5–5 (3–1 p)
3Q Austria Wolfsberger AC 0–4 0–0 0–4
2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League 1Q Northern Ireland Glentoran 2–2 1–1 (a.e.t.) 3–3 (14–13 p)
2Q Luxembourg F91 Dudelange 2–0 1–2 3–2
3Q Czech Republic Viktoria Plzeň 0–2 0–4 0–6

References

  1. ^ Futsal Malta Association (25 March 2024). "Futsal: Malta U19 selection ends second phase on a high". MaltaFootball.com. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  2. ^ "Maltese Futsal Cup 2014-15". FutsalPlanet. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Season 1973 – 1974".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
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