Rachel Cuschieri

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Rachel Cuschieri

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1992|4|26}}

| birth_place = Pietà, Malta

| height = {{convert|1.58|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Genoa CFC

| clubnumber = 10

| youthyears1 = 1996–2004

| youthclubs1 = San Gwann

| years1 = 2004–2014

| clubs1 = Birkirkara

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2014–2017

| clubs2 = Apollon Limassol

| caps2 = 36

| goals2 = 48

| years3 = 2017–2018

| clubs3 = RSC Anderlecht

| years4 = 2018–2020

| clubs4 = PSV

| caps4 = 13

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2020–2022

| clubs5 = Lazio

| caps5 = 42

| goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2022–2024

| clubs6 = Sampdoria

| caps6 = 46

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2024–

| clubs7 = Genoa

| nationalyears1 = 2009–

| nationalteam1 = Malta

| nationalcaps1 = 101

| nationalgoals1 = 14

| pcupdate = 15 December 2024

}}

Rachel Cuschieri (born 26 April 1992) is a Maltese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian Serie B club Genoa CFC and the Malta women's national team. She first played in the Champions League in 2010.

Early life

Rachel began playing football at the age of five with San Gwann Football Nursery. She trained up to the age of 13 with the boys' team being the only girl in that age group. San Gwann Football Nursery does not have a ladies football team and her development could not progress any further due to restrictions in place within the Maltese footballing authorities that, although she was still a minor she could not play competitive games. Birkirkara F.C.'s women's team became aware of her potential and signed her.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

Playing career

= Club =

Within a few months of joining the club, Rachel was playing with the Birkirkara first team at the age of 13. {{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

During the summer of 2014, she became the first Maltese female professional footballer to play outside Malta, when she signed for Cypriot side Apollon Limassol.{{cite news|title=RACHEL CUSCHIERI IN HISTORIC FIRST|url=http://www.mfa.com.mt/en/news/news/1116/rachel-cuschieri-in-historic-first.htm|accessdate=21 August 2016|publisher=Malta Football Association|date=26 July 2014}}

=International=

Cuschieri was selected for the Malta women's national football team and made her debut against Switzerland at the age of 14, which at the time was a record.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

During the 2013 European Championship qualifying's preliminary stage, Cuschieri scored against Armenia.[https://archive.today/20130205034028/http://www.uefa.com/womenseuro/teams/player=250001142/ Profile] in UEFA's website She is currently the leading all-time scorer for and the youngest-ever goal scorer.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

On 16 July 2024, Cuschieri made her 100th appearance for Malta in a 3–1 defeat to Portugal.{{Cite web |last=Lia |first=Gianluca |date=2024-07-21 |title=Rachel Cuschieri proud to mark century of games for Malta |url=https://sport.timesofmalta.com/2024/07/21/rachel-cuschieri-proud-to-mark-century-of-games-for-malta/ |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=SportsDesk |language=en-US}}

International goals

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
class="wikitable"
1.	8 March 2011	National Stadium, Ta'Qali, Malta	{{fbw\|ARM}}	align=center\|1–0	align=center\| 1–1	UEFA Women's Euro 2013 qualifying
2.	rowspan=2\| 4 April 2015	rowspan=2\| Victor Tedesco Stadium, Ħamrun, Malta	rowspan=2\| {{fbw\|AND}}	align=center\|1–1	rowspan=2 align=center\| 5–3	rowspan=2\| UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying
3.	align=center\|2–1
4.	11 April 2017	Selman Stërmasi Stadium, Tirana, Albania	{{fbw\|KOS}}	align=center\|1–0	align=center\| 3–1	2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
5.	5 March 2020	rowspan=3\| Centenary Stadium, Ta'Qali, Malta	{{fbw\|GEO}}	align=center\|1–0	align=center\| 2–1	UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
6.	27 October 2023	{{fbw\|AND}}	align=center\|5–0	align=center\| 5–0	2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League
7.	8 April 2025	{{fbw\|GEO}}	align=center\|1–0	align=center\| 2–1	2025 UEFA Women's Nations League

Honours

;Birkirkara

Maltese League (5): 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13
Maltese Cup (8): 2004/05, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2013/14

;Apollon