Mario Muscat

Mario Muscat (born 18 August 1976) is a Maltese former professional footballer and manager.

Mario Muscat

Personal information
Date of birth	(1976-08-18) 18 August 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Paola, Malta
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1993–2014	Hibernians	488	(1)
2014	→ Vittoriosa Stars (loan)	12	(0)
2015–2017	Pembroke Athleta	28	(0)
International career
1996–2009	Malta	68	(0)
Managerial career
2018	Hibernians
2018–2019	Qormi
2019–2020	Senglea Athletic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Muscat spent almost the entirety of his football career with Hibernians in the Maltese Premier League, and was capped over 60 times for the Maltese national team.

Playing career

Hibernians

Muscat began his career in the 1993–94 season, when he was called into the first team squad of Hibernians.^[1] In his debut season, he helped Hibernians win the Maltese Premier League title,^[2] going on to make 18 appearances for the team during the season.

Continuing with Hibernians for the 1994–1995 season, Muscat again won the Maltese Premier League title,^[3] making 12 appearances during the season.

In the 1995–1996 season, Muscat went on to record 13 appearances, as Hibernians finished in fourth position in the Maltese Premier League. Despite Muscat failing to win the title with Hibernians for the third time, he was rewarded with a spot within Maltese national football team during the season.

Muscat went into the 1996–1997 season hoping to emulate the form that had seen him called up to the national team. However, Hibernians recorded a disappointing finish in the Maltese Premier League. Muscat went on to make 15 appearances during the season.

The 1997–1998 season saw Muscat maintain his form for Hibernians and the national team. Muscat went on to make 23 appearances, winning the Maltese Player of the Year award,^[4] and helped the club win the Maltese Cup.^[5]

After several years without a title, Hibernians were crowned champions of the Maltese Premier League for the 2001–02 season,^[6] with Muscat as a mainstay of the team.

Muscat would leave the club in 2014 after a period on loan to Vittoriosa Stars, having won in the interim six more titles, including the Maltese Premier League, the Maltese Cup and the Maltese Supercup.

Later career and retirement

After a two year spell with Pembroke Athleta, also in the Maltese Premier League, Muscat retired in 2017.

Management career

After his retirement, Muscat started his coaching career in his former club, Hibernians, later having spells with Qormi and Senglea Athletic.

Career statistics

Statistics accurate as of match played 9 August 2009.

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Maltese Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Hibernians	1993–94	Maltese Premier League	18	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	18	0
	1994–95		12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
	1995–96		13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
	1996–97		15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
	1997–98		23	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	23	0
	1998–99		26	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	26	0
	1999–2000		24	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	24	0
	2000–01		25	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	1
	2001–02		26	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	26	0
	2002–03		28	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	28	0
	2003–04		27	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	27	0
	2004–05		27	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	27	0
	2005–06		24	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	24	0
	2006–07		25	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	0
	2007–08		19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	19	0
	2008–09		28	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	28	0
	2009–10		25	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	0
	2010–11		22	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	22	0
	2011–12		22	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	22	0
Career total			429	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	429	1

Honors

Hibernians

• Maltese Premier League: 1993–94, 1994–95, 2001–02, 2008–09
• Maltese FA Trophy: 1997–98, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2011–12, 2012–13
• Maltese Super Cup: 2007

Individual

• Maltese Player of the Year: 1997–98

References

1. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Hibernians Paola (1993/94)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
2. "1993-94 Premier League championship provides a dramatic finale". Times of Malta. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
3. "Hibernians F.C. – Honours". Welcome to Hibernians F.C. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
4. UEFA.com (21 January 2014). "One-club Muscat sets Maltese mark | Inside UEFA". UEFA.com. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
5. "Hibs topple Valletta in 1997/98 Trophy final". Times of Malta. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
6. "League Champions". maltafootball.com. 16 January 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2022.

External links

• Mario Muscat at Soccerbase
• Mario Muscat at National-Football-Teams.com