Malta women striker Haley Bugeja wins best player award in Italy

Malta women’s striker Haley Bugeja has been named as the best player in the Italian Serie A Femminile.

The Sassuolo striker was honoured by L Football, an Italy-based publication that specializes in women’s football.

In her first comments, Bugeja could not hide her satisfaction at winning this award.

“I am really happy to win this important award,” the young striker said just a few minutes after her presentation.

This is the latest accolade won by Bugeja after earlier this month she was selected to be part of the IFFHS Women’s U-20’s Best XI for the second consecutive year.

Bugeja, 17, joined a list of promising talents in the 3-3-4 formation published by the IFFHS, which is the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.

The Maltese player was named among the four forwards alongside Netherlands’ Nikita Tromp of Ajax, Alison Gonzalez who is currently involved in the Mexican women’s league playoffs with Atlas and Trinity Rodman, daughter of former Chicago Bulls star Denis Rodman, who won the American women’s title with the Washington Spirit and was named Rookie of the Year.

Bugeja returned in action for Sassuolo in October after a five-month absence due to an injury and she has already scored a goal in her four league games, in the 1-0 victory over Napoli.

She was also part of the Malta women’s national team in the recent Women’s World Cup commitments against Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina.