Malta defender Sam Magri (left) in a dash for the ball with Slovenia’s Valter Birsa during Friday’s match at the National Stadium. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

This has been no ordinary month in Sam Magri’s football career.

A few weeks ago, the English-born defender was turning out for the Malta U-21 team, starting the Euro Champion-ship Group One qualifiers against Latvia and Moldova which saw Silvio Vella’s team secure two victories to take their tally to 11 points, the best ever for a Maltese selection in an international competition at any level.

A month on from his appearance in the Malta U-21 team’s stirring 3-2 victory over Moldova at the Hibs Stadium, Magri made his senior debut after national coach Pietro Ghedin awarded him with a starting role for the World Cup qualifier against Slovenia on Friday.

Magri, who has represented England at youth level before pledging his international future to Malta after coming through a difficult period in his fledgling club career, described his senior bow for the country a special moment.

“It was a very proud moment yesterday (Friday) for me and my family,” Magri, who obtained his Maltese passport in summer of last year, told The Sunday Times ofMalta.

“I really enjoyed the game. It was a good journey with the U-21s as well, we broke the record (for number of points). Now I’ve moved up and I’m happy and thankful to have done it.”

Magri was unfazed by the occasion as he looked composed throughout the game, making a series of timely interceptions as well as closing down opponents alongside the more-experienced Andrei Agius and Zach Muscat who both had a very good game.

Indeed, Magri’s confident showing was one of the positives to emerge from Friday’s 2018 World Cup Group F qualifier in which Malta succumbed to a fourth defeat from as many games despite producing a creditable performance.

The Dover Athletic defender said the mood among the players after the game was downbeat as they felt they should have taken something as Slovenia won thanks to Benjamin Verbic’s deft flick two minutes into the second half.

“We were very disappointed afterwards because we thought we played well and we had some good chances to score ourselves,” Magri observed.

“I don’t think we switched on straightaway after they (Slovenia) scored but if you look back and see the finish (Verbic’s back-heeled flick), it was a great finish and sometimes there is nothing you can do about goals like that.”

While many players usually take some time to get to grips with the rigours of international football, Magri seemed to make a seamless transition from U-21 to senior level as he turned in a reassuring performance in the heart of defence that augurs well for his chances of nailing down a regular berth in national team.

“It’s true,” Magri replied when asked if he agreed with the general view that there is quite a significant gap between Under-21 and senior football at international level.

“There’s a big gap. Obviously, some of the players we faced on Friday are among the best in the world.

“If you see Josip Ilicic he plays in the Italian Serie A, so it’s a big difference but I think if you apply yourself properly, you can always do well.”

Significant progress

Despite Malta’s poor record in Group F, Magri believes that the standard of our national team has improved in the last few years.

“Definitely, there’s quality in this team and from, let’s say, a few years ago, it has definitely improved lots and lots,” Magri said.

“I watched the England and Scotland games. Certain things didn’t help in the Scotland game (Malta lost 5-1 at home) with the sending-offs especially.

“England (0-2) obviously is a tough game and against Slovenia, I thought we were unlucky to lose the match.”

The qualifier against Slovenia was Malta’s last competitive game for this year but their international commitments are not over yet.

Malta’s attentions now turn to their friendly game against Iceland on Tuesday which is likely to elicit significant interest among local football followers in light of the Nordic nation’s astonishing rise up the international ladder despite having a smaller population compared to Malta.

Iceland’s exploits at the Euro 2016 have further enhanced their profile as they produced one of the biggest upsets in the history of football by knocking out England in the last-16 stage, winning 2-1, before bowing out to hosts and eventual finalists France in the quarter-finals.

Magri, who has lived all his life in England, is relishing the prospect of facing the nation that caused so much embarrassment to his native country during last summer’s tournament.

“Of course, when I told my friends back home that we’re playing Iceland their reaction was that it will be very tough because they did very well at the European Championship,” Magri said.

“It will be another difficult game, for sure, and we won’t take it as friendly.”

Regarded as a bright England prospect in his youth, Magri played for the academies Portsmouth and Queens Park Rangers but struggled to make the grade at senior level.

His desire to secure first-team football prompted him to join National League (fifth-tier) club Dover Athletic last year.

Magri hopes to help his team secure League Two promotion but is confident that his exposure to international football will help him progress in his club career.

“We got into the play-offs last year,” Magri, who missed his side’s 3-2 win away at Solihull Moors yesterday, said.

“Hopefully, we can do it again.

“I’ve said it before that I want to get into the league with Dover and if not, maybe with another team, that’s the hope. And playing with Malta will help me as well.”