The Malta FA is pleased to announce a significant boost to the Malta Women’s National Team technical structure with the appointments of Patrizia Panico and Herman Bugeja.

Patrizia Panico, one of Italy’s most celebrated footballers, joins as Technical Advisor of the Women’s National Teams, while Herman Bugeja, currently Head of Coach Education at the Malta FA, has been appointed Assistant Coach of the Women’s National ‘A’ Team.

Panico brings a wealth of international experience. A legendary figure in women’s football, she earned 204 caps for the Italian national team, scoring 110 goals to become Italy’s all-time top scorer. Over a remarkable 23-year playing career, she represented top clubs such as Lazio Women, Torres Calcio, and Bardolino Verona, winning numerous domestic titles and finishing Serie A’s top scorer five times. Her achievements were recognised with induction into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

After retiring from playing, Panico turned to coaching, joining the Italian Football Federation, where she coached several men’s youth national teams. In 2021, she became Head Coach of ACF Fiorentina Women and most recently served as Assistant Coach at Olympique Lyonnais Féminin. She holds a UEFA Pro Licence.

Bugeja, also a UEFA Pro Coach, has played a key role in the development of Maltese football coaches since 2021 as Head of Coach Education. He oversees courses ranging from the Grassroots Leaders Course up to UEFA Pro level.

Throughout his coaching career, he has worked with several youth setups at clubs including Pietà Hotspurs FC, Birkirkara FC, and Hibernians FC, bringing valuable domestic expertise to the national team’s technical staff.

These appointments will strengthen Coach Manuela Tesse’s technical team, further enhancing the Malta FA’s commitment to the continued development of women’s football at national level.

The Malta Women’s National ‘A’ Team will be back in action with two friendly matches against Belarus at the Centenary Stadium:

• 🗓 Saturday, 25 October at 19:30
• 🗓 Tuesday, 28 October at 19:00

Tickets are available through the Malta FA ticket portal, and both matches will be streamed live on the Malta FA YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, the Malta Women’s Under-19 National Team will face Lebanon in a double-header at the Centenary Stadium:

• 🗓 Wednesday, 22 October at 15:00
• 🗓 Friday, 24 October at 15:00

These fixtures will also be streamed live on the Malta FA YouTube channel.