When Gzira United's 37-year-old captain Andrew Cohen scaled the Mediterranean Conference Centre podium steps to collect the iconic MFA Footballer of the Year Award trophy from MFA President Norman Darmanin Demajo and the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sports and Voluntary Organisations Dr. Clifton Grima, he was doing so for a record fourth time.
The talented Cohen, who celebrated his 37th birthday by tying the knot with his partner Maria on Sunday 13th May, has enjoyed an amazing season with this club Gzira United - proving once more that age is just a number.
Cohen edged fellow Malta international and Balzan midfielder Paul Fenech - a former MFA Footballer of the Year himself to the accolade with young Jake Grech of Birkirkara finishing third.
He won the accolade in 2004-05, 2005-06, and 2014-15 donning the colours of his former club Hibernians.
Cohen in the colours of Malta - against Lithuania at the National Stadium - way back in June of 2015.
Capped 61 times for Malta, Andrew played a key role in his club's march to securing a historic UEFA Europa League place for next season, finishing a surprising third in this season's BOV Premier League.
Earlier on, his fellow professional players voted him as the MFPA Best Player in the recent Malta Football Players Association Awards.
These have been exciting times for the Gzira forward as he celebrated an unexpected call-up from new Malta coach Ray Farrugia for a well-deserved come back to the Malta squad days before he was voted Malta's best footballer.
Andrew Cohen played a key role within his club Gzira United this season.
The Malta Independent spoke with the protagonist himself about all this, and his intentions of not slowing down were quite clear and surprising in his remarks!
"For me personally this award means a lot. I guess everyone is always happy in achieving new goals and records. In my case I can say that I am the proud holder of three records in Maltese football - having won it two times in a row in 2004-05 and 2005-06 with Hibernians, having won it for a record four times four times this year with Gzira United and having won it at the age of 37! This is an honour which drives me even more to work harder and to strive harder for further objectives in my football career"
"Thank God I still feel fine and fit. Whilst I will keep on training as hard as I can and feel fit enough, I have no intentions to slow down as long as God keeps me healthy. My wish is that of trying to do something even better next season with my club Gzira United."
Copyright © Domenic Aquilina/The Malta Independent