André Schembri facts for kids
Schembri with Marsaxlokk in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 27 May 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Floriana, Malta | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
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Current team
|
Anagennisi Deryneia (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Floriana | |||
| Hibernians | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2005 | Hibernians | 44 | (10) |
| 2005–2009 | Marsaxlokk | 51 | (24) |
| 2007–2008 | → Eintracht Braunschweig (loan) | 29 | (9) |
| 2008–2009 | → Carl Zeiss Jena (loan) | 32 | (4) |
| 2009–2010 | Austria Kärnten | 13 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Ferencváros II | 3 | (3) |
| 2010–2011 | Ferencváros | 36 | (16) |
| 2011 | Olympiacos Volou | 0 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Panionios | 21 | (4) |
| 2012–2014 | Omonia | 58 | (24) |
| 2014 | FSV Frankfurt | 9 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | Omonia | 45 | (19) |
| 2016–2017 | Boavista | 30 | (3) |
| 2017–2019 | Apollon Limassol | 57 | (10) |
| 2019–2020 | Chennaiyin | 18 | (5) |
| Total | 446 | (131) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2006 | Malta U21 | 13 | (4) |
| 2006–2018 | Malta | 94 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2024 | Anagennisi Deryneia | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
André Schembri (born on May 27, 1986) is a Maltese former professional footballer. He played as a forward, which means he was usually one of the main goal scorers for his team.
Schembri started his career in Malta with clubs like Hibernians and Marsaxlokk. He helped Marsaxlokk win their first league title in the 2006–07 season. He then played for teams in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, and India. He was known for scoring many goals, especially during his time with Ferencváros in Hungary and Omonia in Cyprus.
André also played for the Maltese national team for many years. He made his debut in 2006 and scored two important goals in a historic 2–1 win against Hungary. This was Malta's first competitive win in 13 years! He played 94 games for his country before retiring from international football in 2018. Many people consider him one of Malta's best football players to play abroad.
Contents
André's Early Football Journey
Starting Out with Hibernians
André Schembri began his football training with Hibernians. He played his first senior team game in the 2002–03 season. The next season, in 2003, he scored his first goal for the club. He also played in a European competition for the first time in 2004, scoring a winning goal in the Intertoto Cup.
Moving to Marsaxlokk
In January 2005, Schembri joined Marsaxlokk. He quickly started scoring goals for his new team. In his first full season, he scored 11 goals. He repeated this amazing feat in the 2006–07 season. That year, Marsaxlokk won the league title for the very first time! André and his teammate Daniel Bogdanović scored a combined 42 goals, which was a huge part of their team's success.
Playing Football in Germany
Loan to Eintracht Braunschweig
In 2007, André Schembri moved to Germany on loan to play for Eintracht Braunschweig. This team was in the third-highest league in Germany. He played his first game on July 31. Later that year, on September 21, he scored three goals in one game (a hat-trick) in a 5–0 win! He finished the season with nine goals, helping his team qualify for a new league called the 3. Liga.
Joining Carl Zeiss Jena
André stayed in Germany for another year, joining Carl Zeiss Jena on loan in June 2008. He scored his first goal for them in a cup competition called the DFB-Pokal. He even scored against a big team, Schalke, in that same cup. His goals helped Carl Zeiss Jena stay in the 3. Liga.
Short Time in Austria
After his time in Germany, Schembri signed with Austria Kärnten in Austria in 2009. However, the club faced financial difficulties, and André left in January 2010. He scored one goal during his time there.
Success in Hungary with Ferencváros
In February 2010, Ferencváros from Hungary signed André Schembri. He quickly became a very important player for their attack. He scored his first goal for the club on September 1.
André had an amazing 2010–11 season. He scored his first hat-trick in a top-tier league against Vasas, becoming the first Maltese player to do so! He scored another hat-trick two months later. He ended the season as the club's top scorer with 16 goals, helping Ferencváros finish third and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
Adventures in Greece and Cyprus
Moving to Olympiacos Volou
In July 2011, André joined Olympiacos Volou in Greece. He scored his first goal for them in a Europa League qualifying match. However, the club faced some serious issues and was moved down to a lower league. Because of this, André and other players were allowed to leave.
Playing for Panionios
André decided to stay in Greece and joined Panionios in September 2011. He scored his first goal for them in October. He was praised for his great performances, especially in a match against Aris where he scored and helped set up the winning goal. He finished the season with five goals.
Two Stints with Omonia
In August 2012, André signed a two-year deal with Omonia, a club in Cyprus. He scored in his first start for the team. In his second season with Omonia, he became one of the league's top goal scorers with 17 goals!
After a short time with FSV Frankfurt in Germany in 2014, André returned to Omonia in December of the same year. He continued to score important goals, helping Omonia reach the semi-finals of the Cypriot Cup and qualify for the UEFA Europa League. He scored 15 goals in the league during the 2015–16 season.
Playing in Portugal and Back to Cyprus
Time with Boavista
In June 2016, André Schembri joined Boavista, a club in Portugal's top league. He said he chose this club because he wanted to play in a stronger league, even turning down offers with more money. He scored his first goal for Boavista in August. He even scored against a very famous team, Benfica, in a thrilling 3–3 draw. Towards the end of his time there, he played less often and decided to leave the club.
Joining Apollon Limassol
André returned to Cyprus in June 2017, signing with Apollon Limassol. He quickly made a big impact, scoring four goals in six qualifying matches for the UEFA Europa League. He helped Apollon reach the group stage of the competition. In October 2017, he made history by becoming the first Maltese player to score a goal in the main rounds of a UEFA competition! He also won his first trophy outside Malta, the Cypriot Super Cup, scoring the winning goal in the final. He scored 14 goals in his first season back in Cyprus. He left Apollon at the end of the 2018–19 season.
Final Stop in India
Playing for Chennaiyin
On August 27, 2019, André Schembri signed with Chennaiyin, a team in the Indian Super League. He was the first Maltese player to play professional football in India. He scored his first goal for the club in November 2019, helping Chennaiyin get their first league win of the season. He scored five goals in total for Chennaiyin, helping them reach the playoffs.
André announced his retirement from professional football on March 9, 2020. His very last game was the ISL final on March 14.
Representing Malta
Playing for the National Team
André Schembri played for Malta at different youth levels before joining the senior national team. He made his debut for the Maltese national team on June 4, 2006, in a friendly game against Japan.
His first goals for Malta came in his fifth game, during a UEFA Euro qualifier against Hungary on October 11, 2006. He scored two goals in that match, leading Malta to a historic 2–1 victory. This was Malta's first competitive win in 13 years and their first home win in a competitive match in 31 years! He scored his third international goal against Turkey in September 2007, in a game that ended 2–2.
André often served as the captain for Malta, leading the team 16 times. He played his last international match on November 20, 2018, against the Faroe Islands, finishing his career with 94 appearances for Malta.
Life After Playing Football
After retiring from playing, André Schembri continued his career in football. In June 2020, he became a youth coach for Apollon Limassol, coaching the under-15 team. A year later, he was promoted to be the club's football director. In June 2022, he returned to coaching, taking charge of the under-19 team. He also briefly helped coach the first team.
As of 2024, André Schembri is the coach of Anagennisi Deryneia, a club in the Cypriot Second Division. He has a degree in sports science and holds a UEFA B coaching license.
How André Played
André Schembri was a very flexible player in attack. He could play in many different forward positions. He often played as an attacking midfielder, a second striker (who plays just behind the main striker), or even as the main striker himself. He could also play on the wings, which are the sides of the field.
André's Personal Life
André comes from a family of footballers. His father, Eric Schembri, and his grandfather, Salvinu Schembri, were both famous footballers who played for Malta.
André married Clarissa Ellul, a television presenter, on June 3, 2016. In June 2018, he published a book about his life called André Schembri – 10 snin nilgħab fl-Ewropa (André Schembri – 10 years playing in Europe). It was the first autobiography written by a Maltese footballer. Since 2017, André and Apollon Limassol have supported Dr. Klown, a group that provides clown doctor services to children in hospitals.
Honours and Awards
Marsaxlokk
- Maltese Premier League: 2006–07
Apollon Limassol
- Cypriot Super Cup: 2017
Individual
- Malta's Sportsman of the Year: 2010
See also
In Spanish: André Schembri para niños
