Malta Under 19 national team coach Toze Mendes has included ten foreign-based players in his final squad for the European Championship finals that will get underway on Monday.
The Malta U-19 team are set for a formidable challenge in the next three weeks as they will be up against Europe’s top teams in their age group and Portuguese coach Mendes has been working hard along with his coaching staff to give his side’s best possible preparation, playing several warm-up matches to arrive for the tournament in the best possible shape.
Malta were handed a tough draw as they were pitted in Group A alongside Italy, Portugal and Poland.
The Maltese open their campaign on Monday when they face Italy at the National Stadium, with kick-off set at 9pm.
The Malta U-19 coach has named a number of players who had Maltese descent and who were plying their trade away from our shores.
Hugo Sacco, who is on the books of Olympique Marseille, was one of two goalkeepers named in the squad alongside Luca Camilleri, of Mosta.
In defence, Jake Micallef, who is on the books of Portuguese side Boavista, is included alongside Tristan Vivian who plays for American University side San Diego State Aztecs, and Jake Vassallo a mainstay for Premier League side Mosta.
In midfield, Malta will be banking on the Scicluna siblings, Lucas and Dylan, who are on the books of English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as Lucas Caruana, who plays for the youth team of Italian side Sampdoria, and Daniel Letherby, of Corpus Christi FC, an American team based in Texas.
Upfront, Birkirkara’s Nathan Cross is the only locally-based player as he is joined by Alfie Bridgman, who plies his trade at Portsmouth FC, Sean Gatt, of Boavista, and the highly-rated Basil Tuma, who is engaged at Reading FC.
THE SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Luca Camilleri (Mosta FC), Hugo Sacco (Olympique Marseille).
DEFENDERS: Jake Micallef (Boavista FC), Jake Vassallo (Mosta FC), Ivin Farrugia (Pieta Hotspurs FC), Tristan Viviani (San Diego State Aztecs), Mattias Ellul (St Andrews FC), Sven Xerri (Ħamrun Spartans FC).
MIDFIELDERS: Bjorn Buhagiar (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Andy Borg (Gżira United FC), Benjamin Hili (Balzan FC), Lucas Scicluna (Wolverhamptom Wanderers FC), Dylan Scicluna (Wolverhamptom Wanderers FC), Lucas Caruana (Sampdoria FC), Daniel Letherby (Corpus Christi FC), Brooklyn Borg (Gżira United FC)
FORWARDS: Alfie Bridgman (Portsmouth FC), Basil Tuma (Reading FC), Nathan Cross (Birkirkara FC), Sean Gatt (Boavista FC).
