Malta women’s national team head coach Tesse pens new four-year contract

Malta women’s head coach Manuela Tesse will remain in charge of the national team for the next four years following the renewal of her contract.

The decision was taken following the Malta FA Executive Board meeting that took place on Tuesday.

Tesse first joined the women’s national team in December 2022, having initially signed a contract until the end of 2024. Since then, she has taken charge of 21 matches, achieving nine wins, four draws, and eight losses.

During that time, coach Tesse has also led the women’s national team to an historic promotion to League B of the UEFA Women’s Nations League after going unbeaten in six games in Group 1 of League C.

Following that triumph, Malta faced a number of tough opponents in the qualifiers for UEFA women’s EURO 2025, namely Portugal, Northern Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, yet still put up a good fight in the group.

Under her guidance, the Malta women’s national team has also seen several young players become instrumental in the team, being integrated into the setup with the help of a selection of experienced players.

Apart from improving the team’s performances, Tesse has also helped in elevating the profile of women’s football in Malta.

Tesse expressed her satisfaction at this show of trust through a long-term contract renewal:

“I am very happy to continue this project here in Malta,” the Italian said.

“I appreciate that the association intends to approach women’s football in the longer term. I will put in all my energy to build something sustainable that would give us the best results possible.”

President Bjorn Vassallo congratulated Manuela Tesse on her renewal and thanked her for her strong approach towards the attainment of the association’s objectives in women’s football.

A former player herself with 87 caps for Italy, Tesse also has experience coaching several women’s clubs in Italy, achieving a series of promotions in the process.

The Malta women’s national team’s next matches will take place in February 2025, as the team commences its 2025 UEFA Women’s Nations League campaign with fixtures against Cyprus and Andorra, in the hope of securing a return to League B.