Jonathan Caruana

Jonathan Caruana (born 24 July 1986) is a professional footballer who plays for Maltese Premier League side Valletta, where he plays as a defender.

Jonathan Caruana
Personal information
Full name Jonathan Caruana
Date of birth (1986-07-24) 24 July 1986
Place of birth Malta
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2010 Hibernians 72 (3)
2005–2006 → Mosta (loan) 17 (0)
2010– Valletta 193 (8)
International career‡
Malta U17
Malta U19
Malta U21
2008– Malta 42 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 October 2019

On 26 September 2017, Caruana was handed a four-year ban from football. The 31-year-old was provisionally suspended by the Malta Football Association after he returned a positive sample during an out-of-competition test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) back in March 2017.[1] In September 2018 after having his ban cut short, he returned to Valletta.

Playing career

Hibernians

Caruana started his career with Hibernians, and made his debut during the 2003–04 season. Making the transition from youth team to first team, he was only used as a bit part player, and went on to make just one appearance during the season, with Hibernians going on to finish in third position in the Maltese Premier League.

The 2004–05 season, saw Caruana gain a few more first team opportunities. He helped Hibernians to another third-place finish in the Maltese Premier League, with Caruana going on to make four appearances, without scoring and goals.

Caruana still struggled to make his mark in the Hibernians first team, and went into the 2005–06 season hoping to establish himself. Caruana still failed to mark a first team place his own and up to the January transfer window of 2006, he only made one appearance. He was sent out of loan for the remainder of the season to fellow Maltese Premier League team Mosta, who were struggling against relegation. He made 17 appearances, without scoring, but unfortunately Mosta failed to avoid relegation after finishing in ninth position in the Maltese Premier League. Caruana's parent club, Hibernians went on to secure a fourth-place finish.

Caruana returned to Hibernians for the 2006–07 season. The loan move had paid off, as Caruana cemented a first team place, making 19 appearances, but failing to score as Hibernians finished in fifth position in the Maltese Premier League. He did gain his first taste of success as Hibernians secured the Maltese Cup for the second consecutive season.

The 2007–08 season turned out to be a very disappointing one for Hibernians, as the club finished the first phase of the season in the relegation pool, before finishing the season in seventh position. Caruana went on to make 21 appearances, but failed to score any goals. However, the club won the Maltese Super Cup. Caruana's form did however not go unnoticed, as he received his first cap for the Maltese national team during the season.

Hibernians went from one extreme to the other during the 2008–09 season. Under the guidance of new manager Mark Miller, the club shocked the critics and beat Valletta by two points to win the Maltese Premier League title. Caruana made 26 appearances and chipped in with three goals.

Caruana hoped to help Hibernians retain the Maltese Premier League title for the 2009–10, however the quest took some severe setbacks, as Hibernians sold the Maltese Player of the Year, Clayton Failla to Sliema Wanderers, and striker, Terence Scerri joined Valletta.

In July 2021, Caruana retired after making over 300 Maltese Premier League appearances.[2]

Honours
Hibernians
Valletta

Individual

Career statistics

Statistics accurate as of match played 9 August 2009.

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Malta League Maltese Cup League Cup Europe Total
2003–04HiberniansMaltese Premier League1000000010
2004–054000000040
2005–061000000010
2005–06Mosta (loan)170000000170
2006–07Hibernians190000000190
2007–08210000000210
2008–09263000000263
2009–100000000000
Total Malta 893000000893
Career total 893000000893

International goals
Scores and results list Malta's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.14 November 2012Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz Liechtenstein1–01–0Friendly
2.19 November 2013Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali Faroe Islands3–03–2Friendly

References
  1. Valletta defender Caruana handed four-year ban‚ timesofmalta.com, 26 September 2017
  2. "Former Malta defender Jonathan Caruana set to retire from football". Times of Malta. 5 July 2021.
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