Spain are UEFA Under-19 EURO champions

The 2024 UEFA U19 European Championship came to an end yesterday with Spain beating France by two goals to nil in the final, played in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The final was a keenly contested affair between two teams boasting several up-and-coming talents. At this time last year, Italy had been crowned European U19 champions in Malta, the culmination of a successful tournament organised by UEFA with the collaboration of the Malta FA.

During this year’s championship, which kicked off on 15 July, Malta was represented by FIFA referee Ishmael Barbara who officiated three matches in total, including the semi-final between France and Ukraine, and was also appointed fourth official for yesterday’s final between Spain and France.

This was a unique and enriching experience for Barbara, aiding his personal development as a referee, while also underlining UEFA’s faith in the capabilities of Maltese match officials at an international level.

In addition, yesterday’s final was attended by Malta FA President Bjorn Vassallo in his capacity as Chairman of the UEFA Youth & Amateur Football Committee. At the end of the match, Vassallo presented the commemorative medals to the match officials and the two finalists as well as the trophy to Spain, the newly-crowned European U-19 champions. The Youth & Amateur Football Committee is responsible for the organisation of all youth and amateur tournaments organised by UEFA.

It is very satisfying that our administrators and match officials are continuing to make the country and Malta FA proud in international football.

Spanja Champions tal-Ewropa tal-Under 19

F’Blefast fl-Irlanda ta’ Fuq il-bieraħ filgħaxija ġie fi tmiemu l-UEFA U19 European Championship meta fil-finali Spanja għelbu lil Franza bl-iskor ta’ 2-0. Il-finali kienet waħda kumbattuta bejn żewġ timijiet li jipposjedu ħafna plejers ta’ talent. Bħal daż-żmien sena ilu l-Italja kienu rebħu t-titlu f’din il-kategorija ġewwa Malta wara li l-avveniment kien organizzat f’pajjiżna mill-UEFA bil-kollaborazzjoni tal-Malta FA.

Waqt it-turnew li beda fil-15 ta’ Lulju l-Malta FA kien irraprezentata minn Ishmael Barbara, referee tal-FIFA, li b’kollox ikkontrolla 3 partiti fosthom is-semi-finali bejn Franza u l-Ukrajna u li fil-finali tal-bieraħ kien ukoll qed iservi bħala r-raba’ uffiċjal tal-partita. Din kienet esperjenza unika għal Barbara li għandha tkompli tgħinu fl-iżvilupp personali fil-karriera ta’ uffiċjal tal-logħba, iżda mhux biss, dan l-appuntament min-naħa tal-UEFA huwa turija ta’ fiduċja fl-uffiċjali Maltin fuq livell internazzjoni.

Apparti minn hekk il-finali tal-bieraħ kienet ukoll segwita mill-President tal-MFA, Bjorn Vassallo, fl-irwol tiegħu ta’ Chairman tal-UEFA Youth & Amateur Football Committee li attenda għall-partita f’Belfast u wara t-tmiem ippreżenta l-midalji kommemorattivi lill-uffiċjali tal-logħba, lit-tim tellief u rebbieħ u kif ukoll it-trofew tar-rebbieħa lil Spanja bħala r-rebbieħa tat-turnew. Il-Youth & Amateur Football Committee huwa responsabbli mill-organizazzjoni tat-turnej fil-kategoriji taż-żgħażagħ u tad-dilettanti organizzati mill-UEFA.

Huwa ta’ sodisfazzjon kbir li amministraturi u uffiċjali Maltin jkomplu jagħmlu ġieh lill-pajjiżna u lill-Malta FA barra minn xtutna.