Football rivalry has been known to only intensify by time, but multiple local clubs set it all aside last week to support one adorable Maltese boy who’s currently going through a heartbreaking battle with cancer.

Kane Debattista, the young Floriana FC fan, captured the hearts of his favourite football club, who started a supporters’ group under the hashtag #UniteForKane. Soon enough, though, the initiative started spreading nationwide, until the Malta Football Association, the Referees’ Association, and multiple football clubs around the island ended up joining a fundraising effort over the weekend.

Announcing that Kane would be joining the team on the pitch before their match against Qormi on Friday night, Floriana FC went on to explain that they’d be raising money to support the Debattista family ahead of the young boy undergoing treatment overseas. “We will be adding on to this help,” Floriana FC said in a Facebook post. “We are all united behind Kane and his family in this difficult time.”

Being held up by captain Steve Pisani, a visibly excited Kane stole the show in the stadium. In fact, by the end of the night, even Qormi’s supporters wanted to meet the brave young boy, smiling alongside their rival supporters despite the 3-1 defeat.

After the match, Floriana FC took to Facebook to thank everyone for their support, explaining how they had no words to thank all the support they received from both sides.

With the MFA announcing that they’d be donating €1 from every paid entrance ticket for all the BOV Premier League matches to the Debattista family, some €1,400 were raised for the young boy by Friday night alone… and this was only the beginning.

Soon enough, fans and members of the Valletta, Hibernians, Ħamrun, Mosta, Gżira, Birkirkara, Żejtun, Tarxien, Nadur Youngsters and Victoria Hotspurs football clubs were among those who rushed to support the young Maltese boy and get #UniteForKane trending.

Kane’s father Ryan, a big fan of Floriana FC himself, also took to Facebook to express his gratitude. “Kane’s illness was like bolts from the blue and none of us could ever imagine how hard this battle would be,” Ryan said in the emotional post. “But everyone’s support and generosity has made us feel better than we ever have, and filled us with the courage and strength to keep fighting.”

Shared on Saturday afternoon, the Facebook post also included a heartbreakingly adorable clip of Kane thanking everyone for their support and sending his love. Amassing over 160 comments, 120 shares and 12,000 views, the video continued to make everyone fall in love with young Kane even more.

In the coming days, Floriana FC will be meeting all the people and clubs who raised funds for Kane at their każin bar, where they would in turn be handing them over to the Debattista family.

“Whoever will not be available on these days (Tuesday and Thursday evening) can contact our Facebook page and arrange meetings with members of our committee,” the club continued.

Share this post and let’s all #UniteForKane

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David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).