The Malta national football team have been around longer than most would think. They played their first international in 1957 against Austria. Since 1974 the side have entered qualifying for every world cup but as yet have been unsuccessful.

The team joined FIFA in 1959 and UEFA in 1960. Their first competitive win came in 1970 against Greece. This game, and the Malta national football team’s biggest win in 2008 (7-1 vs Liechtenstein) sandwiched a 12-1 defeat to Spain – their biggest defeat.

The country is one of the smallest and most densely populated in the world. It has been ruled by a succession of foreign powers due to it’s strategic military position. It finally gained independence from Britain in 1964, and became a republic in 1974.