Haley Bugeja

Last updated

Haley Bugeja
Personal information
Full name Haley Bugeja [1]
Date of birth (2004-05-05) 5 May 2004 (age 21) [2]
Place of birth Pietà, Malta
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position Forward [3]
Team information
Current team
 Inter Milan
Number 7
Youth career
Mġarr United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2018–2020 Mġarr United 29 (52)
2020–2022 Sassuolo 30 (15)
2022–2023 Orlando Pride 4 (0)
2023– Inter Milan 60 (6)
International career‡
2019–2021 Malta U17 6 (0)
2020– Malta 41 (24)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 4 November 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 4 November 2025

Haley Bugeja (born 5 May 2004) is a Maltese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Inter Milan of Serie A and the Malta women's national team. [4] She previously starred for Sassuolo in Italy and Orlando Pride in the NWSL, and has been highlighted by FIFA and local media among Europe’s top emerging talents. [5]

Contents

Early life

Bugeja was born in Pietà on 5 May 2004. [6] She began playing football at around five years old and initially trained with boys due to the lack of girls’ teams at her age group. [7] In a 2021 report by the national broadcaster, she said she supports Liverpool F.C. and cited Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres among her early idols. [8]

Club career

Mġarr United

Bugeja made her senior club debut at the age of 14 for Maltese Women's League club Mġarr United during the 2018–19 season. [9] She finished the season as the league's top scorer with 26 goals and was named the league's Player of the Year at the Malta FA awards. [10] Bugeja retained her player of the year title the following season although, despite matching her 26 goal total from the previous season, she was beaten to the golden boot by Loza Abera of Birkirkara who scored 30. [11] [12] Mġarr United finished second to Birkirkara in the league both seasons.

Sassuolo

In July 2020, Bugeja signed a three-year deal with Italian Serie A club Sassuolo. [13] She made her debut for the club on 5 September 2020, at the age of 16, in Sassuolo's 3–1 win against Napoli and scored twice on debut. [14]

Orlando Pride

On 1 July 2022, it was announced Bugeja had signed for Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) through the end of the 2023 season. [15] After five appearances across all competitions, Orlando transferred her to Italian Serie A club Inter Milan on 3 July 2023 for an undisclosed fee; Inter announced the move on 10 July 2023. [16] [17]

Inter Milan

Bugeja signed through 30 June 2026 and featured regularly for Inter in 2023–24 and 2024–25; local coverage in July 2025 noted a renewed deal and her intent to “push on” after an encouraging season. [18] She has also featured for Inter in UEFA competition in 2025–26. [19]

International career

Bugeja won her first senior cap for Malta as a 14-year-old in April 2019, starting a 2–0 friendly defeat by Romania in Bucharest. [20] She scored her first goal in a 2–1 home friendly defeat by Turkey in January 2020. [21] A first competitive goal arrived in March 2020, in a 2–1 home UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying Group B win over Georgia. [22] In November 2020 she scored a hat-trick in Malta's 4–0 win away to Georgia. [23]

In 2025 Bugeja helped Malta clinch promotion to the Women's Nations League B, scoring her 24th senior international goal to seal victory over Cyprus; reports tallied her at 24 goals in 40 caps at that point. [24] [25]

Career statistics

Club

As of 1 August 2025.
ClubSeasonLeagueCup [a] PlayoffsOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mġarr United 2018–19 [26] Maltese Women's League 1926——1926
2019–20 [26] 1026——1026
Total29520000002952
Sassuolo 2020–21 Serie A 181220——2012
2021–22 12320—1 [b] 0153
Total30154000103515
Orlando Pride 2022 NWSL 3000——30
2023 1010——20
Total4010001050
Inter Milan 2023–24 Serie A 22400——224
Career total85715000109171

International

Statistics accurate as of match played 16 July 2024.
Year Malta
AppsGoals
201920
202076
202120
202241
2023911
202471
Total3119

International goals

As of match played 22 February 2024. Malta score listed first, score column indicates score after each Bugeja goal.
No.DateCapVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
117 January 2020 [21] 4 Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali, MaltaFlag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 1–11–2 Friendly
25 March 2020 [27] 5 Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali, MaltaFlag of Georgia.svg  Georgia 2–02–1 Euro 2022 qualifying
326 November 2020 [28] 8 Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi, GeorgiaFlag of Georgia.svg  Georgia 1–04–0
42–0
53–0
61 December 2020 [29] 9 Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, IsraelFlag of Israel.svg  Israel 2–02–0
716 February 2022 [30] 12 Hibernians Stadium, Paola, MaltaFlag of Moldova.svg  Moldova 3–13–1 2022 Malta International Tournament
817 February 2023 [31] 16 Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali, MaltaFlag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 1–12–1Friendly
92–1
107 April 2023 [32] 18 Sportland Arena, Tallinn, EstoniaFlag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 1–02–1
1122 September 2023 [33] 19 Sloka Stadium, Jūrmala, LatviaFlag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 1–01–0 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League C
1226 September 2023 [34] 20 Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali, MaltaFlag of Moldova.svg  Moldova 1–02–0
132–0
1427 October 2023 [35] 21 Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali, MaltaFlag of Andorra.svg  Andorra 1–05–0
153–0
1631 October 2023 [36] 22 Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, AndorraFlag of Andorra.svg  Andorra 1–03–0
172–0
183–0

Honours

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Haley Bugeja" (in Italian). Italian Football Federation. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  2. ↑ Haley Bugeja at Soccerway. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  3. ↑ Haley Bugeja – UEFA competition record (archive)
  4. ↑ "Haley Bugeja is a Nerazzurre". Inter.it. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  5. ↑ "The Maltese prodigy making waves in Italy". FIFA.com. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  6. ↑ "Haley Bugeja". Inter.it. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  7. ↑ ""It was tough": Haley Bugeja recalls first training day among boys at just five years old". Lovin Malta. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  8. ↑ "Haley Bugeja described as 'wonder kid'". TVM News. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "February 2019 BOV Female Player of the Month - Haley Bugeja (Mgarr United)". BOV Group. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  10. ↑ "Agius named MFA Player of the Year". Times of Malta. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Winners of the 2019-2020 individual awards". Malta Football Association. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  12. ↑ "BOV Women's League | Malta Football Association". Malta Football Association. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  13. ↑ "Haley Bugeja sees Sassuolo move as a big step after sealing three-year deal". Times of Malta. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  14. ↑ "The Maltese prodigy making waves in Italy". FIFA.com. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  15. ↑ "Orlando Pride Signs Top Young Forward Haley Bugeja" (Press release). Orlando City SC. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  16. ↑ Rollins, Sean (1 July 2023). "Orlando Pride Transfer Forward Haley Bugeja to Inter Milan". The Mane Land. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  17. ↑ "Haley Bugeja is a Nerazzurre". Inter.it. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "Watch: Haley Bugeja ready to push on after new Inter deal". Times of Malta. 27 July 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  19. ↑ "Haley Bugeja – Stats 2025/26". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  20. ↑ "Malta girls lose to Romania despite spirited display". Malta Football Association. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  21. 1 2 "Malta women lose narrowly to Turkey in friendly". Times of Malta. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  22. ↑ Lia, Gianluca (5 March 2020). "Superb display earns Malta women win over Georgia". Times of Malta . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  23. ↑ "UEFA names football starlet Haley Bugeja as one to watch in 2021". Times of Malta. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  24. ↑ "Record crowd witness Malta's promotion to League B as Haley Bugeja floors Cyprus". Times of Malta Sport. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  25. ↑ "Malta women beat Cyprus to win promotion to League B". Times of Malta. 31 May 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  26. 1 2 "Haley Bugeja BOV Women's League profile | Malta Football Association". Malta Football Association. Retrieved 4 November 2025.[ permanent dead link ]
  27. ↑ "Malta-Georgia". UEFA . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  28. ↑ "Georgia-Malta". UEFA . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  29. ↑ "Israel-Malta". UEFA . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  30. ↑ "Winning start for Malta in VisitMalta Women's Trophy". mfa.com.mt. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  31. ↑ "Bugeja brace hands Tesse winning debut as Malta women national team coach". Times of Malta. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  32. ↑ "Mängud". jalgpall.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  33. ↑ "Latvia-Malta". UEFA . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  34. ↑ "Malta-Moldova". UEFA . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  35. ↑ "Malta-Andorra". UEFA . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  36. ↑ "Andorra-Malta". UEFA . Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  37. ↑ "BOV Women's League 2018–19 top scorers | Malta Football Association". Malta Football Association. Retrieved 4 November 2025.[ permanent dead link ]
  38. ↑ "Haley Bugeja third in Goal's best youth talents in women's football". Times of Malta. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
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