As I started to write this piece, it had been confirmed that Dylan Scicluna had applied to FIFA to switch his allegiance back to Australia from Malta. Yes, you read that correctly. Back. By the time I published it and calmed down a bit, the switch had been confirmed by the governing body.

Now, that’s not to say I particularly have an issue with players who switch from one association to another. The world we live in dictates that some players have more than one nationality and, as such, they are perfectly entitled to represent either / any one of them. But when a player can flit between the two almost at will, it does beg the question if the rules are fit for purpose.

Dylan Scicluna

Dylan Scicluna was born in Melbourne, Australia. He then moved to England at the age of nine where he played for the Aston Villa Academy before moving to West Midlands rivals, Wolverhampton Wanderers. He made two Under-20’s appearances for Australia in 2022 but received no further caps after that time.

Fast forward to July 2023. Malta hosted the UEFA Under-19’s European Championships. It was a big deal for the nation to be chosen to host what was essentially a collection of Europe’s finest youth footballers. As hosts, Malta qualified automatically.

There had been talk in the run up to the tournament that Dylan Scicluna would join his brother Lucas, who had already declared for Malta in advance and made his debut for Malta Under-19’s way back in September 2022 against Croatia. Lucas had done the hard yards and appeared in no fewer than eleven matches before the tournament began. Dylan, on the other hand, did not appear for Malta until the tournament proper. To be fair, this may have had something to do with the fact he’d played for Australia. So I’ll give the benefit of the doubt.

Two games – against Italy and Poland (during which he was sent off and suspended for the final game against Portugal) – was the sum of Dylan’s U19’s stint but he was soon being called up for the Under-21’s. He made his debut for Ivan Woods’ side against Belgium in March 2024, commuting from Australia where he was now signed to Western Sydney Wanderers of the A-League.

Emilio De Leo called Scicluna up to the senior squad in November 2025, in what ultimately tuned out to be victory over Finland in Helsinki, and a narrow defeat to Poland in Ta’ Qali. However a serious ankle injury ruled the midfielder out of the games and also the rest of the season with his club. Ironically, an appearance for Malta at that point would’ve locked him in permanently, according to FIFA rules.

Following his return to action at the start of the current season, it’s fair to say Scicluna’s form has been impressive. This prompted multiple calls for him to be included for the Socceroos under new boss Tony Popovic. And now we find ourselves in the current situation where it’s been confirmed he has made the request to FIFA to have his allegiance switched back to Australia.

Will This Have Repercussions?

Whether the MFA decides to change its policy on dual nationals, or at least try to make it slightly more watertight, remains to be seen. It must be remembered that Dylan Scicluna’s brief sojourn into the Malta national programme will have come at a cost, and not just financially.

Whilst there will have been expensive flights and accommodation for the MFA to pay for, to bring him over from firstly England and then Australia, there will also be the ethical situation of a Maltese player having missed out in the 2023 Euro Under-19’s Championships. There will be time spent by coaches at the MFA working with Scicluna as well. It all adds up in one form or another.

With this in mind, one would find it hard to blame the MFA if they began to look at eligible dual nationals with more caution.

There are some who have declared young for Malta, regardless of not being born and raised on the islands. Joshua Pitts is currently having a good career at Championship side Ipswich Town in England. In Australia there are the likes of Justin Spiteri, Drew Sammut and Ethan Debono, all of whom have represented Malta at Under-19’s level. This is something the MFA needs more of.

Whether or not it’s related, Lucas Scicluna was noticeable by his absence from Davide Mazzotta’s Under-21’s squad named last weekend. Now, I should point out there is nothing to suggest he is looking to switch nationalities. But whether the MFA is already questioning the reliability of Australia-based players is anyone’s guess.

A Backup Option?

Malta simply cannot become a backup option for when players don’t receive their desired call-ups. We can look at recent examples such as Trent Buhagiar and Jake Brimmer who both desired call-ups by the Socceroos before committing to Malta.

Both undoubtedly add quality to the pool. But it’s well-documented that both players were approached on more than one occasion by the MFA to play for Malta. Both wanted to wait for Australia. This is fair enough in one form. They are born and raised in Australia, so if they feel Australian then good luck to them. But now they have committed to Malta (although I believe Jake Brimmer could still return to Australian eligibility if he wishes), they’ll be backed by all Maltese fans.

You could also add Irvin Cardona to the conversation. French-born and raised, the striker only committed to Malta at the age of 28. Previously, he’d played for France at Under-18 and Under-20 level and was undoubtedly hoping Les Bleus would come calling. So it’s by no means an issue restricted to Maltese-Australians, just to be clear.

Setting an age limit might be one way of helping this situation. If a player has not declared for Malta by, for example, the age of 23, then they are no longer considered. But is it practical? We’d certainly have missed out on some fantastic talent going that route.

We must never been seen as “little old Malta” or be grateful to a player for choosing to represent the nation a few years down the line. It should never be a question of “Malta will never qualify”. If you’re proud of your Maltese heritage and “feel” for the country like no other, then that should be the minimum requirement. International football should never be a pick ‘n’ mix for any player and, to paraphrase former US President John F Kennedy, it should never be a case of “What your country can do for you.”

Not All Negative

Before anyone screams at me, there have been some very positive dual nationals making the switch to Malta. One that instantly stands out is Teddy Teuma.

Born and raised in France of Maltese descent (as the surname suggests), the much-loved midfield general made his debut for Malta at the age of 26. Despite this, he had previously been courted by Ray “Żażu” Farrugia during his time as Malta’s Coach. But it took time to get his passport and grant his eligibility, meaning that subsequent Coach, Devis Mangia, was the first to benefit from the then-Union Saint-Gilloise player’s services.

Go to national team matches at Ta’ Qali and you will see adults and kids alike, with Teuma on the backs of their shirts. He is a Maltese footballing hero to the current generation on the islands. And rightly so. He’s never shirked a call-up and always made himself available. An added bonus is that he’s a brilliant player and has added a great deal of quality to the setup.

Conclusion

Time will tell what the fallout will be from the latest saga (if any). There is no doubt that some dual nationals have proven very valuable assets to Maltese football. But you have to think that, at some point, there has to be some kind of criteria beyond simply being of Maltese descent for players to come into the national side.

There are many fantastically talented players on the islands already (Dunstan Vella one that immediately springs to mind!). Many of who would have great pride in playing for Malta. To deny them that simply because they play in Malta should never be the case. Yes, Maltese players have a pretty average record of going abroad (and staying there) to better leagues. But each player will have his / her own reason(s) for that. It doesn’t necessarily make them any less of a player.

I have long-advocated for the MFA to dig deeper into the diaspora. Be it England, Australia, Canada, USA or anywhere else. If they have Maltese blood and feel that pride in playing for the country, why not include them? But it must never be a fallback position and it must never block the pathways for the young boy from Il-Marsa or the young girl from Ix-Xagħra whose ultimate dream it is to pull on that famous red shirt.

by Paul Gellard