Kristian Laferla

Kris Laferla is a retired Maltese footballer who played as a defensive midfielder during his career. He most notably played for Valletta and Sliema Wanderers.^[1]

Playing career

Laferla got his senior team debut for St. Andrew's on December 12th 1983 in a 0-0 draw vs. Birzebbuga. He joined Valletta in 1985/1986, getting his debut in the Premier Division game vs. Zurrieq September 1st 1985. His first goal was scored from the penalty spot in a game vs. Tarxien on September 6th 1986. He moved to Sliema Wanderers near the end of his career and got his debut on January 1st 2003 in a 5-0 win over Marsa. Laferla also played international football with the Malta national football team scoring 6 goals in 65 appearances and captaining the team on 18 occasions (3 after the original captain was substituted). His debut came on November 16th 1986 in a 0-5 loss to Sweden. He is remembered for missing a penalty that could have reduced the gap of 2-0 against Italy in 1993, in a match that ended 2-1 for the Azzurri,^[2] as well as for playing over 500 Maltese Premier League matches throughout his career.^[3] Laferla captained Valletta for a number of years in the 1990s, when the team was always at or near the top of the Maltese Premier Division. He was known for his leadership skills, but also for being versatile. Although primarily used as a defensive midfielder, he was also employed in various defensive positions and on rare occasions even in attack.

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
.	19 April 1994	National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	Azerbaijan	2–0	5–0	Friendly

Personal life

Laferla, having lost interest in the game, is now an owner of a nightclub in Paceville. He is married with three children.^[4]

References