Gilbert Agius

Gilbert Agius
Personal information
Full name Gilbert Agius
Date of birth (1974-02-21) 21 February 1974
Place of birth Valletta, Malta
Playing position Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–2012 Valletta 435 (177)
2001–2002 → Pisa Calcio (loan) 12 (1)
2013 → Xewkija Tigers (loan)
Total 447 (178)
National team‡
Malta U17
Malta U19
Malta U21 3 (1)
1993–2009 Malta 120 (8)
Teams managed
2012–2014 Valletta F.C (Assistant Manager)
2014 Valletta F.C
2014- Valletta F.C (Assistant Manager)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 November 2010.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 November 2010

Gilbert Agius (born 21 February 1974, in Valletta, Malta) is a former professional Maltese footballer,currently assistant manager of Valletta FC.

Playing career

Agius was the captain of his hometown club side Valletta and is one of the most well known and highly respected figures in Maltese football history. He is hailed as a hero by the Valletta fans, due to his loyalty to his hometown club, where he played since 1990, bar a short spell during the first half of the 2001–02 season which he spent on loan to then-Serie C1 club Pisa.

Gilbert Agius has received three Malta Football Association Player of the Year awards - no other player has more than two awards. The first was won in 1996–97, the second in Valletta's successful 2000–01 season, the third in 2006–07.

At the start of the 2007–08 season Agius was on trial with [Enkoping], but later he opted to stay with Valletta due to lack of playing time. At the end of 2007 Agius was out with a thigh injury for several months. He returned just as the team started fulfilling its potential, and led Valletta to the first title since 2000–01. He won a single Player of the Month award during the season (September 2007) and was chosen as Best Local Player in the Maltese Football Awards at the end of the 2007–08 season.

At the beginning of the 2012–13 season Agius was named to be Assistant Manager of Valletta, with new Manager Mark Miller. He later left this role and came out of retirement to play for Gozitan side Xewkija Tigers.

Achievements

1991/92, 1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99, 2000/01, 2007/2008, 2010/2011, 2011/2012
1990/91 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1998/99 2000/01 2009/2010
1994/95 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 2000/01 2007/08 2010/11
1993/94 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 2000/01
1992/93 1996/97 1999/00 2000/01 2007/08
2010
2000
2008
2010 2011

International career

Malta

Gilbert has recorded a remarkable 120 caps for his country, making him the second most capped player in Malta's history. Although Agius is currently not forming part of the national team, a recall could give him the opportunity of beating the record of 122 caps, which is held by David Carabott. For the national team, he has often been used a defensive midfielder in recent years. Not due to exceptional defensive skills, but due to his ability to distribute the ball. So far he has scored 8 goals for the national team. At club level he still plays primarily as a supporting forward. Gilbert was captain of Malta for many years until he stopped being called up for international duty, but is loved by fans and remembered to be a very passionate player who loved to play for his country.

Agius' goal in a 1–1 friendly game against Austria was voted Goal of the Season in the 2006–07 Malta Football Awards.

International goals

Malta Goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 14 August 1996 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland  Iceland 1-0 1-2 Friendly
2. 8 June 1997 Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands  Faroe Islands 1-0 1-2 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying
3. 6 February 2000 Ta' Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta  Azerbaijan 2-0 3-0 Rothmans Cup
4. 6 February 2000 Ta' Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta  Azerbaijan 3-0 3-0 Rothmans Cup
5. 5 September 2001 Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic  Czech Republic 2-2 2-3 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying
6. 11 February 2002 Ta' Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta  Lithuania 1-1 1-1 Rothmans Cup
7. 15 November 2006 Hibernians Ground, Paola, Malta  Lithuania 1-3 1-4 Friendly
8. 7 February 2007 Ta' Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta, Malta  Austria 1-0 1-1 Friendly
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