Rachel Cuschieri
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 April 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Pietà, Malta | ||
| Height | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Genoa CFC | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2004 | San Gwann | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2014 | Birkirkara | ||
| 2014–2017 | Apollon Limassol | 36 | (48) |
| 2017–2018 | RSC Anderlecht | ||
| 2018–2020 | PSV | 13 | (2) |
| 2020–2022 | Lazio | 42 | (4) |
| 2022–2024 | Sampdoria | 46 | (0) |
| 2024– | Genoa | ||
| International career | |||
| 2009– | Malta | 101 | (14) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 December 2024 | |||
Rachel Cuschieri (born 26 April 1992) is a Maltese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian Serie B club Genoa CFC and the Malta women's national team. She first played in the Champions League in 2010.
Early life
[edit]Rachel began playing football at the age of five with San Gwann Football Nursery. She trained up to the age of 13 with the boys' team being the only girl in that age group. San Gwann Football Nursery does not have a ladies football team and her development could not progress any further due to restrictions in place within the Maltese footballing authorities that, although she was still a minor she could not play competitive games. Birkirkara F.C.'s women's team became aware of her potential and signed her.[citation needed]
Playing career
[edit]Club
[edit]Within a few months of joining the club, Rachel was playing with the Birkirkara first team at the age of 13. [citation needed]
During the summer of 2014, she became the first Maltese female professional footballer to play outside Malta, when she signed for Cypriot side Apollon Limassol.[1]
International
[edit]Cuschieri was selected for the Malta women's national football team and made her debut against Switzerland at the age of 14, which at the time was a record.[citation needed]
During the 2013 European Championship qualifying's preliminary stage, Cuschieri scored against Armenia.[2] She is currently the leading all-time scorer for and the youngest-ever goal scorer.[citation needed]
On 16 July 2024, Cuschieri made her 100th appearance for Malta in a 3–1 defeat to Portugal.[3]
International goals
[edit]| No. | Date | Venue | Score | Result | Competition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 8 March 2011 | National Stadium, Ta'Qali, Malta |  Armenia |
1–0 | 1–1 | UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying |
| 2. | 4 April 2015 | Victor Tedesco Stadium, Ħamrun, Malta |  Andorra |
1–1 | 5–3 | UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying |
| 3. | 2–1 | |||||
| 4. | 11 April 2017 | Selman Stërmasi Stadium, Tirana, Albania |  Kosovo |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification |
| 5. | 5 March 2020 | Centenary Stadium, Ta'Qali, Malta |  Georgia |
1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying |
| 6. | 27 October 2023 | Andorra |
5–0 | 5–0 | 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League |
Honours
[edit]- Birkirkara
- Maltese League (5): 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13
- Maltese Cup (8): 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2013/14
- Apollon
- Cypriot First Division (3): 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17
- Cypriot Cup (3): 2014/15, 2015/16. 2016/17
- Cypriot Super Cup (2): 2015, 2017
- Anderlecht
- Belgian Super League (1): 2017/18
- Lazio
- Serie B (1): 2020/21
References
[edit]- ^ "RACHEL CUSCHIERI IN HISTORIC FIRST". Malta Football Association. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
- ^ Profile in UEFA's website
- ^ Lia, Gianluca (21 July 2024). "Rachel Cuschieri proud to mark century of games for Malta". SportsDesk. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
External links
[edit]- Rachel Cuschieri at Soccerway.com
- Rachel Cuschieri at WorldFootball.net
- Rachel Cuschieri at FBref.com
- Rachel Cuschieri – UEFA competition record (archive)
  | This biographical article related to women's association football in Malta is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1992 births
- Living people
- Maltese women's footballers
- Malta women's international footballers
- RSC Anderlecht (women) players
- Apollon Ladies F.C. players
- PSV (women) players
- SS Lazio Women 2015 players
- UC Sampdoria (women) players
- Expatriate women's footballers in Cyprus
- Expatriate women's footballers in Belgium
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Maltese expatriate women's footballers
- Women's association football midfielders
- Super League Vrouwenvoetbal players
- Eredivisie (women) players
- Expatriate women's footballers in the Netherlands
- Expatriate women's footballers in Italy
- Maltese LGBTQ sportspeople
- LGBTQ association football players
- FIFA Women's Century Club
- Maltese women's football biography stubs