Gilbert Martin Reflects on His Unfulfilled Dream of Representing Malta

Former Maltese footballer Gilbert Martin has shared an emotional account of the one dream that remained unfulfilled throughout his 23-year playing career — representing Malta in an official international match.

Despite being named Best Player of the Year three times, Martin revealed that his experiences within the Malta Under-21 national team setup left him deeply disappointed.

During two seasons with the squad, he attended training sessions, took leave from work and joined international match preparations, only to be informed hours before kick-off that he had not made the final 18.

After experiencing the disappointment repeatedly, including following a later recall due to injuries, Martin eventually walked away from the national team setup.

He also questioned whether representing a smaller club had affected his opportunities, believing performances and dedication should outweigh club reputation.

Years later, an emotional dream brought those memories flooding back. Martin dreamed of wearing Malta’s shirt and scoring the winning goal in an international match.

Although that ambition never became reality, Martin remains proud of his football journey.

“Not every football dream comes true. But some dreams never leave your heart,” he concluded.

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