Malta captain Michael Mifsud, left, is his country's all-time top scorer.

Malta captain Michael Mifsud, left, is his country's top scorer. Photo: AFP



Melbourne Heart's new striker Michael Mifsud could be forgiven for feeling that his head is in a spin. Last week he was captaining Malta – and earning his 99th cap for his country – against Bulgaria in a World Cup qualifier in Valletta, the Maltese capital


On Wednesday morning he was getting his first glimpse of his new surroundings at Melbourne Heart's Latrobe University training ground and meeting his new teammates after inking a one-year deal with the A-League club.


At 1.65 metres tall, the most noticeable thing about Mifsud is his height. Or lack of it. But that has never stopped him from scoring a steady stream of goals at a high level in various European leagues.


The Maltese national captain emerged in the Bundesliga with Kaiserslautern as a teenager, playing alongside Miroslav Klose, one of Germany's greatest goalscorers. He has also had spells in the English Championship with Coventry City, Lillestroem in Norway (where he was a teammate of Socceroos Kasey Wehrman and Shane Stefanutto) before returning to his homeland with Valletta in recent years.


Now he is looking to make an impact in the Australian competition, a league he knows at least in second-hand form as two of his international colleagues, Central Coast Mariners captain John Hutchinson and Wellington Phoenix utility Manny Muscat, also play for Malta.


Heart boss John Aloisi says the 32-year-old, nicknamed "the mosquito", will bring experience, craft and a nose for goal to his team.


"Michael has scored goals at whatever level he has played at,” Aloisi says. He is an exciting footballer and will be a dynamic influence in our attack.


“As the captain of Malta, he has played against the very best teams in the world and held his own. It's not easy to lead the line against the likes of Italy and Croatia, and test those defences, something which he has done regularly.”


Mifsud's best attribute is his pace, but he is also an efficient finisher. His biggest claim to fame at club level is his feat of scoring twice for Coventry City when they knocked Manchester United out of the Carling Cup.