Champions Connect Podcast
WHATS UP?! Im Luca Camilleri. You were the Disruptor in the Classroom? Good!!! Now we’re helping you become the Disruptor in your Industry.
Episodes
I Won The World Cup Without Playing A Minute. This Is What Nobody Saw | Marco Amelia
What does it take to win a World Cup without playing a single minute?Marco Amelia is a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, the former Livorno, AC Milan and Chelsea goalkeeper who now coaches Hamrun Spartans in Malta.Partners:https://bestgymsmalta.com/https://masterplan.openinapp.link/cc-alliance______________________Marco Amelia grew up in Frascati, on the outskirts of Rome, playing football in the
What Family Business Taught Me (And Cost Me) | Simon De Cesare
What does it really take to run a €300 million family business from one street in Malta?Simon De Cesare is the CEO of Eden Leisure Group, the De Cesare family business behind the InterContinental Malta, Eden Cinemas, Casino Malta, The Eden and 89.7 Bay.Partners:https://bestgymsmalta.com/https://alliance.mt/His grandparents opened the Eden Rock hotel in Sliema in 1967. In 1980 his father and uncle
People In Football Cannot Say What I Am About To Say | Michael Valenzia
What does it cost to give eleven years of your life to a football club?Michael Valenzia is the former president of Birkirkara FC, the Maltese Premier League club he served for 11 years, first as team manager from 2015 and as president from 2021.He resigned as president in May 2026. He arrived in 2015 as team manager, two months after he stopped playing, told it would be easy. He describes three bu
I've Never Met an Evil Person | Mark Laurence Zammit
What if a Maltese journalist with 14 years on the job has never met an evil person?Mark Laurence Zammit is a Maltese journalist at Times of Malta who spent nine years in television, including at Xarabank, before moving to the newspaper.Partners:Alliancehttps://contact.openinapp.link/alliancexccMark is 34 and has been a journalist since 2012, 14 years this very week. At Xarabank, he says, Peppi tau
Became A Comedian Due To Childhood Pain | Kevin Naudi
What happens to a kid whose sense of humour was built to get him noticed?Kevin Naudi is a Maltese stand-up comedian who sold 785 of the 800 seats at the MCC as the first solo performer there in 30 years, and a father of two daughters.Partners:Alliancehttps://contact.openinapp.link/alliancexccKevin is the fourth of five children: three older siblings, then him, then a younger sister eight years lat
What Happens When A Country Grows Too Fast | Philip Fenech
What do 40 years at the centre of Malta's nightlife teach you about growth, and about yourself?Philip Fenech has spent about 40 years in Malta's tourism and nightlife industry, opened one of the first clubs in Paceville, and today chairs town centre management for St Julian's and Paceville.Partners:Motileohttps://gamify.openinapp.link/motileo-ccAlliancehttps://contact.openinapp.link/al
No One Is Ready For What's Coming (The truth about AI)
AI is already changing how we think, so who gets to decide what it changes next?Dr Gege Gatt is a Maltese entrepreneur who works in artificial intelligence, and in this conversation he explains what AI is already changing in work, education, relationships, democracy and power.Partners:Motileohttps://gamify.openinapp.link/motileo-ccAlliancehttps://contact.openinapp.link/alliancexccBoost+ (code CC10
Using Debt To Build A Half a BILLION Dollar Empire | Michael Stivala
How do you build a property business on borrowed money without letting it own your life?Michael Stivala is a Maltese property developer and president of the Malta Developers Association (MDA), who leads the Stivala Group, the family business in property, hotels and construction that his father started with a single taxi.Partners:Motileohttps://gamify.openinapp.link/motileo-ccAlliancehttps://contac
Former Prime Minister BREAKS SILENCE For the First Time | Joseph Muscat
What do you finally say to your father when he is given six months to live?Joseph Muscat is a former Prime Minister of Malta, an economist by background, who today heads the Malta Premier League, the body that brings together the 12 Premier League clubs.Partners:Motileohttps://gamify.openinapp.link/motileo-ccAlliancehttps://contact.openinapp.link/alliancexccHe grew up in the late 70s as an only ch
Escaping Addiction To Become A Greater Entrepreneur | Josh O’Cock
What does it take to come back from the worst version of yourself?Josh O'Cock is a Maltese entrepreneur who built the marketing agency Growth Gurus, now runs two businesses, and has been drug free since 4 August 2022.Partners:Motileohttps://gamify.openinapp.link/motileo-ccAlliancehttps://masterplan.openinapp.link/cc-allianceBoost+ (code CC10 for 10% off)https://boost.openinapp.link/cc10Josh gr
On a Mission To Lead an ENTIRE Country | Alex Borg
What do you do with your father's legacy when you lose him at 23?Alex Borg is the Leader of the Opposition in Malta and leader of the Nationalist Party, a former water polo player from Gozo who, at 30, is the youngest ever to hold the role.Partners:Motileohttps://www.motileo.com/blog/peak-performance-success-blueprintHe grew up in Gozo, which he describes as a small, tightly knit community whe
The Heartbreaking Story of Daniel Borg Cardona (SAD TRUTH)
How do you rebuild your name when people have already decided who you are?Daniel Borg Cardona, known as Danny, is a Maltese chef who went from living on the street and washing plates to running his own restaurant and team.Partners:Motileohttps://www.motileo.com/blog/peak-performance-success-blueprintBoost+ (code CC10 for 10% off)https://boost.com.mt/Danny is 36. His dad left when he was 10. Until
How I Sold €500,000,000 In Property Sales in 365 Days | Michael Bonello
What does building 30 offices in five years cost you outside the office?Michael Bonello is the Maltese estate agent who left RE/MAX Malta with 120 people to build Alliance, now 30 offices, and heads the board of Malta's estate agents.Partners:Motileohttps://www.motileo.com/blog/peak-performance-success-blueprintMichael's parents separated when he was six. He was the only kid in his school
The Truth About The Music Industry Nobody Tells You | EDD
What does it really take to build a music career from a small island like Malta?EDD is a house music DJ and producer from Malta, named in BBC Radio 1's top 10 future artists of 2022, whose track Mama Used To Say made the FIFA 23 soundtrack.Partners:Motileohttps://www.motileo.com/blog/peak-performance-success-blueprintEDD is 25. He made his first CD at seven in his uncle's studio, went thro
Life Lessons From The Man Who Sang For Obama And Ronaldo | Joseph Calleja
What does a life on the world's biggest opera stages teach you about what really matters?Joseph Calleja is a Maltese opera tenor who has sung professionally around the world since he was 19, and the founder of the Joseph Calleja Foundation, which helps Maltese artists build careers.Partners:Boost+ (code CC10 for 10% off)https://boost.com.mt/Joseph Calleja grew up singing cartoon songs, then in
E-Commerce Founder: Broke At 21, 5K Days At 24, Everything It Taught Me! | Liam Cutajar
What does a 21 year old do when he wakes up broke, with no job and no O levels?Liam Cutajar is a 24 year old Maltese e-commerce entrepreneur who runs international dropshipping stores with a team of 12 and teaches the model to students.Between 15 and 21, football was Liam Cutajar's life. At school he scored 10 out of 100 in maths, and when a teacher warned him he would never get a good job wit
After 10 Years of Failure, I Faced My Biggest Fear | Edward Tortell
Why would a man who could not take his shirt off say yes to Love Island?Edward Tortell is a Maltese entrepreneur who runs a ride hailing business, a former talent manager at Defhouse in Milan and a former Love Island Malta contestant.At 15 or 16, Edward Tortell weighed 96 kilos. He played football at school in his blazer because he could not bear to show his body, and he was bullied for how he loo
I Was Ready to Die, Then I Chose Life (TRUE STORY) | Justin Pisani
What happens to the boy who spends 15 years holding his family together?Justin Pisani is a Maltese personal trainer and fitness coach who runs his own gym and, with his team, trains 214 personal training clients.Justin Pisani grew up in a close, happy family. His dad drove him everywhere, his mum ran marathons, and he was with Malta's national football team until he was 14. He and his sister,
What Starting A Wine Business At 40 Taught Me | Andrew Azzopardi
What did starting a wine business at 40 teach him about patience, margins and what the rich really buy?Andrew Azzopardi is the founder of Vintage '82, a Malta fine wine importer that supplies superyachts, after a career in catering, event management and building new businesses for Maltese companies.Andrew's first memories of wine are summer Sundays in his father's garage, the kids and
Bad Coaches Will Make You Better! | Stevie Camilleri
What does a 23 year water polo career teach you about ego, criticism and bad coaches?Stevie Camilleri is a Maltese water polo player who joined the Neptunes first team at 15, played 16 years professionally in Italy and still represents the Malta national team at 38.Stevie was six when a teacher told his parents he needed discipline and might find it in sport. His grandfather was president of Flori
Laziest Way To Make €342/day (WINNING FORMULA) | Sam Urpani
What does it take to turn a skill you already have into a consulting business?Sam Urpani is a Maltese entrepreneur and business consultant who co-founded an award winning web design agency in Malta and now teaches people how to build an online consulting business.Sam grew up in a family where nobody was employed: his dad had a bar, his mum a retail shop, his grandparents a restaurant. He was a C s
The Mistake That Can End Any Athlete's Career! | Andy Grech
What is really holding sport in Malta back, seen by an athlete, a teacher and a federation president?Andy Grech is the former president of Athletics Malta and leads education and research at the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sport (AIMS), a former Maltese athlete who was once Luca's PE teacher.Andy grew up in gymnastics, then athletics, as a jumper. In 2012 he set his sights on the London
Malta Legend Turned Coach: We Think We're The Best. We're NOT! | Gilbert Agius
Why does a Malta legend with 120 caps call "I'm not afraid" the biggest lie he ever told?Gilbert Agius is a Valletta FC legend with 120 caps for the Malta national team, whose number 7 the club retired, and now a football coach who spent two and a half seasons in Indonesia.He grew up in Valletta, the son of a footballer, turning every toy into a football game. At school he wrote that
Truth About Malta’s State (BREAKING) | Prime Minister - Robert Abela
How does a shy kid who cleaned gym toilets at 16 end up in the loneliest job in Malta?Robert Abela is the Prime Minister of Malta, the 14th to hold the office, a lawyer by profession and the son of a former President of Malta.His father grew up in deep poverty, in a home where the family washed in the yard with a pipe. At two he was taken to Australia on a cargo ship, a 40 day voyage, and the fami
Branding Expert: What Most People Get Wrong About Branding | Peter-Jan Grech
Why would anyone pay four times as much for the same black T-shirt?Peter-Jan Grech is the CEO of BRND WGN, the Malta branding agency he set up in 2006, and has spent 25 years in the marketing industry helping entrepreneurs and business owners build brands.He has run BRND WGN for the last 19 of his 25 years in marketing. He is a father of three who does triathlon, by his own account not very well,
Boxing World Doesn’t Want You To Hear This (EXCLUSIVE) | Joe Cordina
What does it feel like to lose a world title without losing a fight?Joe Cordina is a boxer from Cardiff and a two-time IBF super featherweight world champion, whose dad lives in Gozo, an island he has been coming to since he was a baby.This conversation was recorded during his summer in Gozo. As an amateur he took silver at a European Olympic qualifier and qualified for the Olympic Games. In June
EU Sport Commissioner: The Truth About Sport, Social Media And AI! | Glenn Micallef
What does Europe's Sport Commissioner want every young person to hear?Glenn Micallef is Malta's European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, whose job is to push for EU policies that make sport more accessible to people.His mission, in one line, is to get more people physically active. He starts with the numbers: across the European Union, half the popula
3 Things You’ll Never Hear in School
3 Things You’ll Never Hear in School | From the Champions Connect PodcastSchool gave us information but left out the lessons that actually matter.In this video, I share 3 powerful truths taken from real conversations on the Champions Connect Podcast. These are the kinds of insights that shape mindset, drive success, and help you see the world differently. And yet, no one ever mentioned them in a c
What 10 Ironmans In 10 Days Taught Me At 51 | Fabio Spiteri
What does it take to race ten Ironmans back to back at 51?Fabio Spiteri is a Maltese ultra-triathlete and coach who finished second overall in a DECA, ten Ironman distances in a row, in 233 hours.Fabio Spiteri has been in sport for 30 years. He started as a 400 and 800 metre runner, became a dad at 21, and trained around Freeport shifts that sometimes ran 12 hours. About 13 years ago he became a f
Psychotherapist: Never Make A Decision When You're Emotional! | Emma Hogg
Why should your goal in life be meaning, not happiness?Emma Hogg is a psychotherapist and lifestyle strategist, the founder of the self-development agency A Life I Choose, and Andrew Hogg's sister.Emma Hogg was a deeply feeling teenager, sensitive to everyone's emotions, at a time when there was little information on how to manage them. She describes going through an eating disorder and a
The Truth About Leaving Your Country To Play Abroad | Matthew Guillaumier
What does leaving Malta to play football abroad really cost you?Matthew Guillaumier is a Malta international midfielder and national team vice captain who has played for Hamrun Spartans, Birkirkara, Stal Mielec in Poland and now Panserraikos in Greece.Everyone calls him Gully. He went to Empoli at 15 for half a season, too young to play matches and homesick in the middle of his O levels. Back at L
Toughest Fight Wasn’t in the Ring | Lydon ‘Beqqu’ Chircop
What does it cost a boxer to fight the coach who trained him for ten years?Lydon 'Beqqu' Chircop is a Maltese boxer and boxing trainer who fought on a Matchroom card in Manchester in front of 26,000 people.Beqqu wanted to fight from the age of ten. He played football until 15, kept getting straight red cards, then walked into a boxing gym and trained Monday to Sunday for ten years. He had
€1,000,000 Strategy (Nobody Saw This Coming) | Ben Camille
What if every problem that ever happened to you turned out to be the start of something better?Ben Camille is a Maltese TV host and producer, the executive producer of Love Island Malta, host of Family Feud Malta and the man who brought Peppa Pig into Maltese.Ben grew up in a humble family, with a mum who pushed him and a calm dad who was a hairdresser. His dad is practically English, so Ben grew
From Refugee To Founder: A Job Beats Most Businesses! | Feras Toboli
What do you do when you land in a new country with €1.50 and nowhere to sleep?Feras Toboli is a property entrepreneur in Malta, originally from Libya, who opened a property company with partners, after arriving in 2012 with €1.50 and building up close to 80 holiday rental properties.Feras grew up in Libya in a middle class family with five siblings, after spending his early childhood in the UK whi
The Truth About Being A Female Footballer Abroad | Maria Farrugia
What does it really take to leave Gozo at 16 and make it in English women's football?Maria Farrugia is a Maltese international footballer from Gozo who won goal of the season in England's Women's Championship with Sheffield United, and the first female guest on Champions Connect.Maria grew up in Gozo, the middle child between two brothers. She started playing at five at SK Victoria Wan
From the Struggle to the Studio | Ben Miller
What happens when the only way you know how to deal with pain is to write a song about it?Ben Miller is a rapper from Malta and Luca's cousin, an independent artist who makes his own beats and records and mixes every song himself.Ben's parents separated in 2000, when he was five. A year earlier he had been flown to Great Ormond Street, the children's hospital in London, for an operatio
Broke at 18, Millionaire by 20 | Fabio Morena
How does a kid mocked at school for his YouTube videos go on to make 70k in one month from faceless channels?Fabio Morena is a YouTube entrepreneur from Malta who runs a business of faceless YouTube channels with his own team, now based in Dubai.Fabio Morena was 23 when he sat down with Luca. As a kid in Malta he woke at 5:30 to watch YouTube before the school van came at 7. At 13 he started his f
The Footballer Who Lost Everything To Addiction, Then Ran 100 Miles | Miguel Mifsud
How does a Malta international who lost 25 years to addiction end up running 100 miles?Miguel Mifsud is a former Hibernians and Sliema Wanderers footballer and Malta international who lost years to drug addiction and now runs ultra distances.Miguel Mifsud was 45 when he sat down with Luca. He grew up the only boy with three sisters and joined the Hibernians nursery at nine or ten. At 14 or 15 he s
Light Heavyweight Contender: Boxing Saved My Life! | Malik Zinad
How does a boy from Libya, where boxing was banned, end up in the ring with Dmitry Bivol?Malik Zinad is a Libyan professional light heavyweight boxer who built his career in Malta, won an IBF world title eliminator and fought Dmitry Bivol in Saudi Arabia.Malik Zinad was born in Libya, where Gaddafi had stopped boxing for 40 years. His father, an amateur boxer, taught him in the house from the age
Saving Goals to Saving His Business | Justin Haber
What is left when Malta's number one goalkeeper loses everything off the pitch?Justin Haber is a former Malta national team goalkeeper from Floriana whose career took him to Bulgaria, France, Sheffield United, Belgium, Ferencváros and Greece, before Netflix and the restaurant business.Justin Haber grew up in Floriana in the 1980s. He started as a striker, quit at ten after losing a game, and o
World Champion: Sport Saved My Life, Here's What It Cost! | Steve Martin
What does it cost to win a world title in a country where boxing barely pays?Steve Martin is a Maltese professional boxer and coach who won the vacant WBF world title at the Hilton in Malta in 2014 and runs his own boxing gym.Steve Martin played football until about 17, then drifted into nights out with friends. A friend took him to kung fu, another to kickboxing, and after three or four months he
Former Malta Goalkeeper: The National Team Was TOXIC, Here's What I Learned! | Andrew Hogg
What happens when a Malta goalkeeper turns down comfort at Valletta to chase football abroad?Andrew Hogg is a former Malta national team goalkeeper who won three league titles with Valletta, played in Cyprus and the Greek Super League, and faced England at Wembley.Andrew Hogg lived in England until he was about six. Back in Malta he started as a defender, and his dad watched him and decided footba
How To Build A Brand People Actually Follow | Adam Sullivan
How do you build a brand people actually follow when nobody is born a creator?Adam Sullivan is the co-founder of Bulletproof, the Malta fitness and self-development brand behind Fight Island, Project 360 and the island's first public outdoor gyms.Adam Sullivan dropped out of medical biochemistry at 19, after not even three months. He took a gap year and asked his dad for work. His dad's co
World Wide Football Secrets Cost Me Everything | Zach Muscat
What happens when a Maltese defender reaches Portugal's top league at 30, then finds himself with no club?Zach Muscat is a Malta international centre back who won two promotions in a row in Portugal with Casa Pia and Farense and played in the Primeira Liga.Zach Muscat left Malta to play abroad about ten years before this conversation, and rarely spent more than a few weeks at a time back home.
