Joseph Gerada Recognised for Historic Hat-Trick as Malta’s Youngest Top‑Division Scorer

The Malta Records organisation yesterday honoured Joseph Gerada with official recognition for one of the most remarkable achievements in Maltese football history. During a family gathering at a local restaurant, Gerada was presented with a national record confirming him as the youngest player ever to score a hat‑trick in a top‑division match organised by the Malta Football Association.

Gerada achieved the feat on 10 March 1979, when at just 16 years and 11 months old, he struck three times in the 56th, 57th and 83rd minutes to lead Qormi FC to a 4-0 victory over St George’s in the MFA First Division. Supporters of a certain generation still remember him as a player who gave everything for the yellow-and-black shirt he loved so deeply.

Beyond its national significance, the record may also carry European and possibly even global relevance, as such achievements at senior top‑flight level are extremely rare for players so young.

The Malta Records team expressed special thanks to Lennard Kelder, whose research brought this extraordinary milestone back into the spotlight. For Qormi and Maltese football, Gerada’s achievement remains a source of immense pride and a timeless reminder of local talent making history

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