Gozo representative football team explained

Gozo
Nickname:Maltese: Tat-Tlett Għoljiet
Badge:Gozo_Football_Association.png
Badge Size:155px
Association:Gozo Football Association (Maltese: Assoċjazzjoni tal-Futbol Għawdxija)
Confederation:None
Fifa Trigramme:GOZ
Home Stadium:Gozo Stadium
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The Gozo representative football team (Maltese: It-tim rappreżentattiv Għawdxi tal-futbol) represents the island of Gozo, Malta, in football. It is organised by the Gozo Football Association and its home stadium is the Gozo Stadium.

It is not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA and therefore is not eligible to enter either the World Cup or European Championship. The Gozo representative football team has however played a number of Non-FIFA international football matches featuring players who are considered as 'Gozitans' for matches of the Gozo Football League, including appearances at Island Games and the now-defunct Viva World Cup.

Over the years, a Gozo XI has also played friendlies against football clubs - particularly those from the mainland, fielding players playing in the Gozo Football League and, occasionally, Gozitans playing in Malta.

Moreover, as of 2023, Gozo[1] has also participated in 5 editions of UEFA Regions' Cup, with their debut appearance coming in the inaugural edition in 1999.

History

Historical records suggest that a team representing the island of Gozo had already played a couple of matches way before the turn of the millennium.[2] Indeed, during the 1970s a side representing Gozo was invited to join in the Independence celebrations and play 2 friendly matches against local sides. Other historical records indicate that a Gozitan team might have been involved in more matches before this period.[3] Indeed, the first ever match for a Gozitan representative team came in January 1937, where a Gozo XI faced Tarxien Rainbows in a friendly match played at the then Silver Jubilee Stadium.[4]

For a period, a Gozitan representative team also played in the Maltese FA Trophy but the Gozo Football Association's decision to organise Gozo F.C. and have it play in the Maltese football league system eventually led to lengthy hiatus of the Gozo representative team. Indeed, the next known Gozitan appearance came in 1999, when a selection representing Gozo played in first edition of the UEFA Regions Cup. Ten years after, specifically in 2009, the Gozo representative football team debuted in the Viva World Cup by playing in the 2009 Viva World Cup. In the following year, Gozo hosted the 2010 edition of the Viva World Cup[5] and therefore, once again, Gozo had the opportunity to participate in the said Cup. Overall, Gozo's performance was disappointing as they finished at the bottom of their group but the team could find solace in the fact that the win against Provence was their first ever win on the field against international opponents.[6] Gozo's appearance in the 2010 Viva World Cup was, however, their last appearance in the now-defunct competition.

That said, the launching of the Gozo Cup[7] during the same year presented an opportunity for the representative side to play friendly matches against Maltese football clubs. The Gozo Cup ran for four consecutive years and during the intervening period the Gozo representative also played a number of friendlies, including the famous 17–1 victory in an international football match against the Raetia national football team in Xewkija.[8]

Since then, Gozo's appearances primarily came at the UEFA Regions' Cup. Indeed, the Gozitan representative football team appearance in the 2017 edition of the bi-annual UEFA Regions Cup marked Gozo's participation in, and hosting of, the tournament for the third edition running.[9] They also participated in the subsequent edition, namely the 2019 edition.

In 2022 Gozo joined the Island Games Association and this made the Gozo representative football team eligible to participate in the biannual multi-sport event's football tournament.[10] This marked Gozo's return to the international fuora following a hiatus of over a decade.

Non-FIFA international football

International Football
Coach:Mark Buttigieg
Most Caps:Milos Stojanovic (9)
Top Scorer:John Camilleri (5)
First Game: 3–1
(Novara, Italy; 22 June 2009)
Largest Win: 17–1
(Xewkija, Malta; 14 January 2012)
Largest Loss: Sapmi 7–2
(Brescia, Italy; 24 June 2009)
0–5 Occitania
(Xewkija, Gozo; 2 June 2010
Regional Name:VIVA World Cup
Regional Cup Apps:2
Regional Cup First:2009
Regional Cup Best:5th place (2009 & 2010)
2Ndregional Name:Island Games
2Ndregional Cup Apps:1
2Ndregional Cup First:2023
2Ndregional Cup Best:6th place (2023)

Tournament records

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At VIVA World Cup

YearPositionwidth=30GPwidth=30Wwidth=30Dwidth=30Lwidth=30GFwidth=30GA
2006did not enter
2008
20095th place3102510
20105th place310238
2012did not enter
Total6 2 0 4 8 18

At Island Games

YearPositionwidth=30GPwidth=30Wwidth=30Dwidth=30Lwidth=30GFwidth=30GA
20236th420242

Match history

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Players

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Current squad

The following players were called-up for the 2023 Island Games by coach Mark Buttigieg.[11]

Caps and goals correct as of 20 June 2023

Individual statistics

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UEFA Regions Cup

Regions' Cup Team
Confederation:UEFA
Most Caps:Michael Bezzina (10)
Top Scorer:Michael Bezzina
Andrew Mizzi
Claudio Antunes Pavlidis (2)
First Game: 3–1
(Novara, Italy; 22 June 2009)
Largest Loss: Macedonia 8–2
(Thessaloniki, Greece; 24 June 1999)
Ironi Tiberias 6–0
(Thessaloniki, Greece; 22 June 1999)
0–6 Moscow Oblast
(Xewkija, Gozo; 16 October 2012)
Bavaria 6–0
(Leiblfing, Bavaria; 30 September 2018)
Regional Name:UEFA Regions' Cup
Regional Cup Apps:5
Regional Cup First:1999
Regional Cup Best:Intermediary Round (2013, 2015, 2017 & 2019)

Tournament History

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YearPositionwidth=30GPwidth=30Wwidth=30Dwidth=30Lwidth=30GFwidth=30GA
1999Preliminary3003218
2001did not enter
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013Intermediary3111510
2015Intermediary310245
2017Intermediary301218
2019Intermediary3003113
NA 2021was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2023did not enter
2025did not enter
Total15 2 2 11 13 54

Results

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Gozo XI - Selected non-international matches

Friendlies and tournaments

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External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Regions' Cup - Gozo Region – UEFA.com. uefa.com. UEFA.com. 19 November 2018.
  2. Web site: Club Elites – Horace Mercieca Nadur Youngsters F.C. . naduryoungsters.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20171014035136/http://naduryoungsters.com/history/club-elites/club-elites-horace-mercieca/ . 2017-10-14.
  3. Web site: - g h a j n s i e l e m o n l i n e -. www.ghajnsielem.com. 19 November 2018.
  4. Web site: The early years of the game in Gozo. www.timesofmalta.com. 5 May 2023.
  5. Web site: The Fourth Edition of the VIVA World Cup kicks off in Gozo. 1 June 2010. gozonews.com. 19 November 2018.
  6. Web site: VIVA World Cup: Gozo place fifth — Padania, Kurdistan reach final. 4 June 2010. maltafootball.com. 19 November 2018.
  7. Web site: Gozo FA launches the Gozo Cup football tournament. 11 February 2010. gozonews.com. 19 November 2018.
  8. Web site: Gozo golea a Raetia en el primer amistoso NF Board del año 2012. gamacero.blogspot.com. 19 November 2018.
  9. Web site: UEFA Regions Cup tournament underway at Gozo stadium. 16 October 2012. gozonews.com. 19 November 2018.
  10. Web site: IIGA AGM 2022 - Gozo elected as New Member. 22 July 2023. iiga.org. 7 January 2023.
  11. Web site: Team Gozo . Facebook . Gozo Island Games Association.