Justin Haber
 Haber with Hibernians in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 June 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Floriana, Malta | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Hibernians | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Floriana | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2002 | Floriana | 23 | (0) |
| 1998 | → Dobrudzha (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2002–2005 | Birkirkara | 74 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | US Quevilly | 27 | (0) |
| 2006 | RE Virton | 5 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Marsaxlokk | 7 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | Chaidari | 15 | (0) |
| 2008–2010 | Sheffield United | 0 | (0) |
| 2009 | → Ferencváros (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2009 | → Ferencváros II (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Ferencváros | 10 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Ferencváros II | 8 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Kerkyra | 0 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Mosta | 18 | (0) |
| 2013–2016 | Birkirkara | 87 | (0) |
| 2016 | Hibernians | 12 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Floriana | 26 | (0) |
| 2017–2022 | Gżira United | 71 | (0) |
| 2022 | Santa Lucia | 13 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Hibernians | 11 | (0) |
| 2023 | Marsaxlokk | 0 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | Gżira United | 2 | (0) |
| 2025–2025 | Żabbar St. Patrick | 0 | (0) |
| 2025–2025 | Hibernians | 3 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2004–2016 | Malta | 54 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 6th October 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21 August 2015 | |||
Justin Haber (born 9 June 1981) is a Maltese professional footballer and convicted sex offender[1] who last played as a goalkeeper for Maltese Premier League club Hibernians FC and formerly played with the Malta national football team.
Haber is also a businessman and former Labour party councillor for Floriana.
Football career
[edit]Floriana
[edit]Born in Floriana, Malta, Haber started his football career at Floriana F.C. During his three-year spell at Floriana, he made 23 appearances and was later sent on loan to a Bulgarian top division team Dobrudzha Dobrich.
Birkirkara
[edit]Justin then joined Birkirkara in 2002, and stayed with the club until 2005. Haber was a vital member of the team, gaining him 74 caps.
US Quevilly
[edit]Towards the end of 2005, Haber joined French-side US Quevilly, where he gained 27 caps.
Marsaxlokk
[edit]In 2006, Haber moved back to Malta to join Marsaxlokk FC for the 2006–07 season. He managed to help the small seaside club to win its first ever Maltese Championship.
Haidari
[edit]In June 2007, it was announced that Haber had joined Greek side Haidari FC on a two-year contract. The club is based in a suburban town close to Athens and participates in the Greek Second Division.
Sheffield United
[edit]In July 2008 Haber joined Sheffield United on a two-year deal.[2][3] Haber had previously undergone a trial during United's 2006-2007 season in the Premier League, however, then manager Neil Warnock decided not to offer the Maltese keeper a contract[3] In August 2009, after failing to break into the Blades first team, Haber was allowed to join their sister club Ferencváros on loan until the end of the year.[4]
Ferencváros
[edit]In January of the following year Haber signed an 18-month contract with Ferencvárosi. He was a regular first team pick, and in the 2010–11 season he helped his team become third place, and a chance to play in the Europa League.[4][5]
Kerkyra
[edit]Haber signed a two-year deal with Greek Super League club Kerkyra on 5 July 2011.
Birkirkara
[edit]In 2012, he returned to Malta to play for Birkirkara.
Żabbar St. Patricks
[edit]In 2025, he joined Żabbar St.Patricks from Gżira United.
Hibernians
[edit]On 20 August 2025, Haber joined Hibernians on a free transfer for his third spell at the club.[6] His contract with Hibernians was terminated upon his conviction the same day for sexual harassment of a minor.[7]
Restaurant owner
[edit]In 2008, Haber opened a seafood restaurant in Marsaxlokk called Haber 16, with the holding company Haber 16 Ltd.[8][9] On 20 February 2020, Haber 16 was featured on the Netflix series Restaurants on the Edge.[10] The restaurant was later closed and replaced by Harbour by Johann.
Political career
[edit]Haber contested the 2024 local council elections and was elected to the Floriana local council with Partit Laburista.[11] Haber resigned from the local council the next year following a conviction for threatening to behead his sister.[12]
Legal issues
[edit]In November 2023, Haber was ordered to pay money to a partner company who invested in his Marsaxlokk restaurant. The partner, Delta 3 Finance and Investments Company, claimed they had to pay off debts of both the restaurant and Haber himself.[13]
In May 2025, Haber was found guilty of threatening his sister, where he sent text messages threatening to "cut her [...] head off". A restraining order was issued against Harber in his sister's defence for one year.[14]
In October 2025, Haber was found guilty of sexually harassing a 14 year old girl who worked at his restaurant, reportedly groping her buttocks and forcefully kissing her. He was given a suspended sentence and placed on the sex offender's register.[1][15]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Justin Haber found guilty of sexually harassing 14-year-old girl". MaltaToday. Media Today Co. Ltd. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "Triple swoop by Blades". Sky Sports. 31 July 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
- ^ a b "Justin Haber joins Sheffield United". independent.com.mt. 31 July 2008. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ a b "Justin Haber is Hungary with Ferencvaros". maltesefootballstarlets.com. 7 January 2010. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- ^ Magyarfutball.hu. "Haber Justin (Floriana 1981.06.09 – ) • Személyek • Magyarfutball.hu – a magyar labdarúgás adatbázisa". magyarfutball.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (20 August 2025). "Veteran goalkeeper Justin Haber returns to Hibernians FC". SportsDesk. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
- ^ Camilleri, Valhmor (9 October 2025). "Hibernians FC terminate contract of goalkeeper Justin Haber". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ Jacobsen, Baryn (10 October 2019). "From Goalkeeper To Restaurateur: Justin Haber's Marsaxlokk Eatery Has More Than Just Fish On The Menu". Lovin Malta. Lovin Malta Ltd. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "HABER 16 LTD (C 87127)". Business Automation Registry Online System. Malta Business Registry. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "'Holy Wow!' Malta's Justin Haber Features On First Episode Of Netflix's Newest Food Show And It's An Emotional Patriotic Masterpiece". lovinmalta.com/. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^ Briffa, Daniel (26 April 2024). "Former National Team Goalkeeper Justin Haber To Contest Local Council Elections". Malta Daily. Malta Daily. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ Bonanno, Matthew (2 June 2025). "Justin Haber resigns from Floriana local council after beheading threat". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ Agius, Matthew (7 November 2023). "Justin Haber ordered to pay thousands to business partner over failed restaurant business". MaltaToday. MediaToday Co. Ltd. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ Malta, Times of (27 May 2025). "Councillor and former goalkeeper Justin Haber guilty of threatening his sister". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "Former National Team goalkeeper Justin Haber found guilty of sexual harassment of a minor - given suspended sentence". The Maltese Herald. Dar Camilleri. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
External links
[edit]- www.justinhaber.co.uk - Official Website at the Wayback Machine (archived 29 March 2009)
- Justin Haber at Soccerbase
- Justin Haber at National-Football-Teams.com
- 1981 births
- Living people
- People from Floriana
- Maltese men's footballers
- 21st-century Maltese sportsmen
- Malta men's international footballers
- Men's association football goalkeepers
- Maltese expatriate men's footballers
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in Bulgaria
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in France
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in Greece
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in England
- Maltese expatriate sportspeople in Hungary
- Expatriate men's footballers in Bulgaria
- Expatriate men's footballers in France
- Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
- Expatriate men's footballers in Greece
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Expatriate men's footballers in Hungary
- Floriana F.C. players
- FC Dobrudzha Dobrich players
- Birkirkara F.C. players
- US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole players
- R.E. Virton players
- Marsaxlokk F.C. players
- Haidari F.C. players
- Sheffield United F.C. players
- Ferencvárosi TC footballers
- A.O. Kerkyra players
- Gżira United F.C. players
- Mosta F.C. players
- Hibernians F.C. players
- St. Lucia F.C. players
- Żabbar St. Patrick F.C. players
- First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) players
- Super League Greece players
- Maltese Premier League players