Darren Debono

Last updated

Darren Debono
Personal information
Date of birth (1974-01-09) 9 January 1974 (age 50)
Place of birth Malta
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1991–1994 Sliema Wanderers
1994–2004 Valletta FC
2004–2007 Sliema Wanderers
International career
1996–2002 Malta 56 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 December 2013

Darren Debono (born 9 January 1974 [1] ) is a Maltese former footballer.

Contents

Football career

Debono won 56 international caps for the Malta national team from 1996 to 2002, during which time his club was Valletta F.C. [2] [3] In a 2000 friendly against England, his nose was broken by Alan Shearer's elbow. [4]

After football

After retiring from football, Debono ran a restaurant and owned fishing boats. [5] In October 2017 he was arrested in Lampedusa and charged with involvement in smuggling oil from Libya. [6]

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References

  1. "Darren Debono". FIFA tournaments: players and coaches. FIFA. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  2. "Malta National Team : all appearances". Malta Football Association. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  3. Mamrud, Roberto (17 August 2017). "Malta - Record International Players". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation . Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  4. Clarke, Nigel (5 June 2000). "Euro 2000 News: Malta Assault. Shearer accused of elbowing". Soccernet.com. ESPN . Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  5. Vella, Matthew (30 October 2017). "Italian authorities tapped Darren Debono's phone for two years before arrest". Malta Today. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  6. Tondo, Lorenzo; Kirchgaessner, Stephanie; Henley, Jon (24 October 2017). "Death of Maltese journalist 'linked to fuel smuggling network' says Italian prosecutor". The Guardian . Retrieved 2 November 2017.