MIHAJA
The Nomination Process
When the awards were unveiled in December last year, the Maltese Esports Association made a public call for nominees. The general public was then allowed to submit their nominations for each category until the end of the month. Public nominations were officially closed on 31st December 2024 and a shortlist of nominees was drafted for each category. The winners for each category will now be unveiled live during the awards ceremony on the 7th of February.
MOBA Player of The Year
This category recognizes the top-performing player in Multipayer Oline Battle Arena (MOBA) titles such as League of Legends or Dota 2. All the nominees for this category are LOL players who showcase exceptional game sense, mechanical skill, and strategic decision-making, contributing significantly to their team’s success.
Luca “Aiglos” Vella
As the Top Laner and Captain of Project Eversio’s League of Legends team, Aiglos has been instrumental to his team. In 2024 he led his team to four tournament finals in Malta. From these four finals, Aiglos and his team would go on to win three of them. Internationally he guided Eversio to a 4th place finish in the UK Esports League Division 2 Playoffs.
Samuel “Brikkun” Scicluna
Currently serving as Project Eversio’s Jungler, Brikkun has been a key figure in his team. He played in three out of the four tournaments Eversio reached the finals of in 2024. Brikkun won every single one of the tournaments he played in.
Enrico “Awaken” Degiorgio
After stints with Valid Unit and Agony, Awaken finds himself plying his trade for Project Eversio’s League of Legends team. He won 3 events in 2024 while also changing his roles within the team to accommodate the roster’s needs.
Miguel “Hid0” Caruana
Hid0 is one of just two people in Malta who play esports on a professional contract. He represented NORD Esports in the Nordic League and more recently, AEGIS in the French League. While playing with NORD, Hid0 also became the first Maltese player to qualify for the EMEA Masters. This is a highly competitive championship featuring the best Tier 2 League of Legends teams in Europe.
Andrea “Drakur” Vella
Drakur is the youngest player on Project Eversio’s League of Legends roster. At just eighteen years old he has had a fantastic debut year for the team. The young mid-laner played his part in Eversio’s success throughout 2024, reaching 4 finals and winning three of them.
Juan “Starforger” Bonnici
Starforger is the fifth and final player of Project Eversio’s core League of Legends team. In 2024 he also be successful with Eversio, winning three out of the four finals they reached. He also took home the MVP award at the ICTSA Clash LoL Tournament in 2024, which Project Eversio also won.
Note: LCM ended in early 2025 but was mainly a 2024 event, and therefore counted among last year’s tournaments.
Sports Simulation Player of The Year
Honouring the best competitor in sports simulation games like FIFA and Rocket League. The nominees for this award demonstrate outstanding control, knowledge, and consistency in competitive play.
Shaun “Brandsha” Galea
Malta’s current FIFA (EA Sports FC) champion Brandsha has made big waves in his scene. After winning the Malta ePremier League back-to-back in 2023 and 2024, Brandsha would go on to compete at both the FC Pro 24 World Championship play-in stage and the eChampions League where he would beat the former world champion and current Spanish champion nicolas99fc.
Lian “Bungy” Bugeja
Bungy is a jack of all trades when it comes to competitive video games. He currently competes for Project Eversio and is part of the organisation’s Counter-Strike and Rocket League rosters. Bungy is Malta’s most decorated Rocket League player and has never lost a domestic tournament since he started competing in the game in 2019. Most recently he took first place at Playcon’s 2024 Rocket League tournament (where he also won the Counter-Strike tournament)!
Gianluca “Turbuleense” Sant
Turbuleense has been competing consistently at the top level in FIFA (EA Sports FC) locally and internationally for many years. While never able to lift the Malta ePremier League trophy, he has come close on several occasions, placing 2nd in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. More recently, Turbuleense has seen success in the new football game GOALS. He has placed 5-8th and 3rd in the second and third community cups for the game respectively.
Malcolm “FantiFlames” Said
Back-to-back winner of the 2023 and 2024 national qualifiers, FantiFlames is the undisputed champion of Konami’s eFootball in Malta. In 2023, FantiFlames represented Malta at the European Games Esports Championship in Katowice and the IESF World Championship in Romania. At the IESF he placed 33rd out of 97 countries. FantiFlames has also competed in FIFA (EA Sports FC). In 2024 he managed a 3rd/4th place finish at the Malta ePremier League Training Grounds at Playcon.
Matteo “Vella999” Vella
Playing for Project Eversio’s Rocket League roster, Vella999 has gone undefeated locally since 2020. Vella999 has also impressed outside of Malta, recently placing 2nd place in 3v3 Rumbel Open: Sub-Sahara Africa. This was an official Psyonix event, where Vella999 competed with an international team. Vella999 is not just limited to Rocket League however and also competes in FIFA (EA Sports FC). In 2022 he finished with a respectable 5th/6th finish in the Malta ePremier League!
Sim-Racing Driver of The Year
This category highlights the most skilled sim-racer. Nominees for this category are drivers who display precise driving ability and strong performances in local and international competitions.
Dean Vella
Dean Vella won the Malta National Sim Racing Championship in 2022 and 2024. Internationally he has also represented Malta at the FIA Motorsports Games, both in 2022 and more recently in October 2024. In his recent appearance, Vella was also able to reach the semi-finals.
Keith Camilleri
Keith Camilleri won the Formula 4 category of the 2024 Malta National Sim Racing Championship. This victory would allow him to represent Malta at the 2024 FIA Motorsports Games last October. Looking further back, Keith also placed an impressive 2nd place at the Italian F3 Esport Championship in 2020.
Daniel Cini
Daniel Cini is a prominent figure in the sim racing scene. In the V1 Malta Series in 2024, Cini would win the opening two races. In the first race, Cini was declared the winner after a post-race penalty was applied to another competitor. He continued his impressive form by winning the subsequent race where he achieved a hat-trick by securing pole position, recording the fastest lap, and clinching the race victory.
Jake Sammut
Jake “Jxkksu” Sammut is one of the most decorated players in the local scene, excelling across multiple sim racing titles. Locally he has managed 8 podium finishes across different events. He won the V1 Malta series in 2021 and 2021. More recently Jxkku secured first place at the Playcon 2024 Intercomp Race.
While a prominent force locally, it is internationally where Jxkku distinguishes himself from his Maltese compatriots. In 2022 Jxkku joined X Esports as an Academy driver. From there he and his team would win the Evolution Online Racing Division 2 Team League, place 2nd at the Ultimate Team League Racing Season 1 and become the first Maltese F1 drive to qualify for the PSGL. While continuing to compete Jxkku has also taken a bigger management role within X Esports. Jxkksu is now head for the F1 wing of the organisation that has merged with Project Eversio.
Sheldon Scott Muscat
With podium finishes across the year and two event victories, Sheldon Scott Muscat is a top sim-racer in Malta. Muscat’s victories in 2024 came at the Velocity Esports Racing Malta GT Cup and the inaugural Acer Malta GT3 Championship. Internationally Sheldon also competed in the 2024 Mercedes-AMG Virtual Championship.
Justin Mifsud
While not taking part in competitions, Justin Mifsud is a respected figure within the Maltese sim racing scene. He is the founder and CEO of World Pro Racing, organizing various professional virtual racing events and championships. In 2024 Justin also completed a 24 solo endurance race, where he raised over €3,000 in aid of Puttinu Cares. He has plans for another charity endurance race in February 2025!
Conclusion
As the Maltese Esports Awards draw closer, the excitement within the community continues to build. These nominees represent the very best of local esports talent, each making significant strides in their respective fields. Whether dominating MOBA titles, excelling in sports simulation, or showcasing precision in sim-racing, they have all contributed to competitive gaming in Malta. With the awards night just days away, all eyes will be on the ceremony to see who takes home the honours. Stay tuned for daily insights into each category as we celebrate Malta’s esports excellence!
