A season that saw Alexander Satariano do justice to his potential has ended on a positive personal note for the Birkirkara midfielder who on Friday night was named as MFA footballer of the year for the first time in his career.
The announcement of Satariano’s success could hardly have come at a better time for the Birkirkara midfielder offering a late but meaningful lift after a bruising fortnight that saw him fall short in both the Premier League title race and the FA Trophy final ending a remarkable campaign with nothing to show for it.
Satariano admitted that the Footballer of the Year accolade has helped to dissipate the disappointment he felt when Birkirkara ended the season empty-handed.
“It was disappointing to see the season end the way it did, but looking back, we’ve really enjoyed the journey,” he told Times of Malta shortly after being named MFA Player of the Year.
“We’ve got a great group, a fantastic coach, and there’s a real sense of unity. So yes, I’m genuinely happy to end the season on this high personal note.”
Long acclaimed as one of the most gifted players, Satariano who rose to prominence with his childhood club Luxol St Andrews, has enjoyed a career re-birth this season after a shrewd tactical move by Birkirkara coach Stefano de Angelis.
Long seen as a chameleon-like player, constantly shifting roles to suit the team’s needs, he has finally settled into a position that allows him to showcase his true mettle.
Satariano, who began his career at left-back before making his name as a striker, has undergone yet another transformation – this time into a dynamic box-to-box midfielder.
His ability to seamlessly link defence and attack has become a lethal weapon for Birkirkara, adding a new dimension to the team’s transitional play.
“The key to success was definitely the pre-season – it was my first full pre-season in three years,” he said.
“That’s when the coach changed my position, and I’ve really been enjoying it. The way we play suits my style perfectly – it’s physical, defensive, and built around quick transitions and counterattacks,” he explained.
Having already been voted best player in the Premier League at the MFPA Awards 2025, Satariano, 23, had good reason to be upbeat about his prospects of adding the MFA Player of Year gong at the Awards – an occasion that also marked the 125th anniversary of the Malta FA.
“This is a special moment for me but this award also belongs to all those who have supported me, the coach, players, fans and my family,” he said.
The lanky midfielder, capped 31 times by Malta and scored three times, follows in the footsteps of two past Birkirkara stalwarts, both midfielders who have etched their name on the trophy – Shaun Bajada and Paul Fenech.
Satariano’s outstanding performances were a determining factor in Birkirkara’s season as he tormented their opponents with their fine individual play but also came up with some crucial goals in decisive matches.
He featured in 30 matches this season, scoring four goals – including Birkirkara’s second in the opening-phase clash against Floriana and their decisive third in a fiery 3-2 victory over Ħamrun during the closing stages of the campaign.
In December 2021, Satariano made history by becoming the first Maltese male footballer to play in Serie B, making a cameo appearance for Frosinone in their 3-2 defeat to Monza.
After another brief stint with Italian side Pergolettese, Satariano returned to Malta to join Balzan. However, his journey abroad feels like unfinished business, as the newly crowned Footballer of the Year remains determined to pursue his ambitions on the international stage.
“I want to take that next step and play abroad. It’s not just a dream – it’s a goal I’m fully committed to, and it would mark the beginning of a new chapter in my career,” he added.
Although it may come as disappointing news for Birkirkara – whose fans have embraced him as a hero and whose team management recently named him club captain – Satariano’s ambition to move abroad could significantly boost his prospects with the national team.
The then 20-year-old made an immediate impact on the international stage on March 27, 2021, when he rose above Milan Škriniar, a defender renowned for his aerial ability – and crashed a header past Dušan Kuciak and earn Malta a valuable point away to Slovakia.
While his progression with the national team has since plateaued, this recent resurgence in form – and his reinvention as a box-to-box midfielder – suggests he could once again become a vital asset under new national coach Emiliano di Leo.
“We’ve got a few important games coming up with the national team, and I’m really looking forward to them,” he said.
“I take it one game at a time, but I’m enjoying every moment. We started training last Tuesday, and from here, we’ll build step by step,” he explained.
