The Malta Esports Association successfully hosted the inaugural Malta Esports Awards at the Cavalieri Art Hotel, celebrating the achievements of top competitors, teams, and community leaders in the Maltese esports scene. The awards featured 11 categories, with a public nomination process that saw 533 nominations for 96 unique nominees. A panel of nine expert judges determined the winners in the final stage.
Rookie Player of the Year: Andrea “Drakur” Vella
This award recognizes emerging talent under the age of 21 who have made a strong impact in their first year of competitive play. Andrea, at just 18 years old, has already dominated League of Legends, helping Project Eversio secure three out of four local tournament wins in 2024. His success extended internationally with a fourth-place finish in the UK Esports League Division 2.
Female Player of the Year: Rachel “Raeychii” Azzopardi
Rachel has actively competed in the Tekken scene and consistently improved her performance in Tekken City Casuals events. Her dedication to both playing and community engagement has earned her this prestigious recognition.
RPG Player of the Year: Naim “NerfGanon” Spiteri
A standout competitor in Pokémon VGC, Naim has represented Malta internationally six times in the past two years. His most notable achievement was finishing 27th out of 478 participants at the VGC Regional Championship in Gdańsk, placing him among Europe’s top Pokémon players.
MOBA Player of the Year: Luca “Aiglos” Vella
As the captain and Top Laner for Project Eversio’s League of Legends team, Aiglos played a crucial role in leading his team to four tournament finals in 2024, winning three. His leadership also propelled Eversio to a fourth-place finish in the UK Esports League Division 2 Playoffs.
Sim-Racing Driver of the Year: Dean Vella
Dean, a two-time Malta National Sim Racing Champion, has represented Malta in the FIA Motorsport Games in both 2022 and 2024. His semi-final finish in the latest edition solidified his place as one of Malta’s top sim-racers.
Sports Simulation Player of the Year: Shaun “Brandsha” Galea
Shaun is Malta’s reigning FIFA/EA Sports FC champion, having won the Malta ePremier League consecutively in 2023 and 2024. His international success includes competing in the FC Pro 24 World Championship Play-In Stage and the eChampions League, where he defeated former world champion Nicolas99FC.
Fighting Game Player of the Year: Lyon “Lyonidas” Buhagiar
One of Malta’s most internationally recognized Tekken players, Lyon has competed in over 30 foreign tournaments. His 2024 achievements include winning the MESA National Circuit, placing 2nd at LOK Dojo in Athens, and finishing 5th in the European Tekken Cup – Italy & Malta Rankings.
Shooter Player of the Year: Simon “sxj” Debono
Simon, a top-tier Overwatch player for SrPeakCheck, has competed at the highest level in the Overwatch Champions Series. His 2024 season was remarkable, winning Epic.LAN 41 in the UK and finishing 2nd at Epic.LAN 43. He helped Ex-Oblivione achieve 10th place in the EU/Middle East/Africa rankings.
Team of the Year: Project Eversio – League of Legends
Project Eversio dominated the Maltese LoL scene in 2024, winning three out of four local tournaments. Internationally, they made an impressive run in the UK Esports League Division 2 Playoffs, securing a fourth-place finish.
Outstanding Contribution to Maltese Esports: Nathan “Zelli0n” Bonello
Nathan has been a key figure in the Malta Counter-Strike League (MCL), organizing 13 competitions between 2023 and 2024. Beyond Counter-Strike, he has supported communities for Call of Duty, Rocket League, Valorant, and more, contributing as a tournament organizer, content creator, and esports writer.
Esports Player of the Year: Mateja “Qpert” Mijovic
A professional Valorant player for Team Liquid Academy, Mateja has played at the highest level in Germany and Turkey. His experience with top-tier teams such as Cloud9 and SK Gaming makes him Malta’s only long-term resident professional esports player.
A Milestone for Maltese Esports
The inaugural Malta Esports Awards marked a historic milestone for the local esports scene, highlighting both rising stars and seasoned veterans. With the support of sponsors like GamingMalta, Pepsi, KIA, JACAP, GMR, and Crew, the event was a resounding success, setting the stage for future growth in Malta’s esports industry.
