I remember the first time I watched Philippine football live at Rizal Memorial Stadium back in 2010. The atmosphere was electric, but I couldn't help noticing what commentator Lastimosa once observed about our early football development - "He really looked nice though but no legs yet." That phrase perfectly captures where Philippine football stood for decades - plenty of potential and passion, but lacking the foundation and structure to truly compete internationally. My journey following the Azkals and local football has been one of watching this transformation firsthand, from those early struggling days to the remarkable rise we're witnessing today.
The roots of Philippine football run much deeper than most people realize. While many assume the sport arrived with the Azkals' recent popularity surge, organized football actually dates back to the early 1900s when the Philippine Football Federation was established in 1907. That makes us one of Asia's oldest football associations, though the sport struggled to gain mainstream attention amidst basketball's dominance. I've spent countless hours digging through historical records and speaking with veteran players, and what emerges is a story of passionate communities keeping the sport alive through generations. The Negros Occidental Football Association, founded in 1934, became one of the country's football strongholds, producing talent that would form the backbone of national teams for decades. Yet despite these regional hotspots, national development remained fragmented at best.
What fascinates me about Philippine football history is how closely it mirrors our national narrative - periods of promise followed by long stretches of struggle. The national team's first major international appearance came during the 1913 Far Eastern Championship Games where we finished second to China. We actually fielded competitive teams throughout the early 20th century, with our golden era arguably being the 1950s to 1970s when we regularly competed in Asian Games and Olympic qualifiers. I've spoken with players from that era who recall matches against Asian powerhouses where we held our own, though comprehensive records from those years remain frustratingly scarce. The decline came gradually as funding dried up and infrastructure lagged behind neighboring countries. By the 1990s, we had become what one sports historian described as "Asia's sleeping giant" - enormous potential with minimal output.
The turning point, in my view, came with the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup campaign that captured the nation's imagination. I was among the 100,000 fans who watched that historic match against Vietnam on television, and something shifted in that moment. The Azkals, with their mix of Filipino-foreign heritage players, brought a level of professionalism and visibility the sport had never enjoyed here. That tournament saw our FIFA ranking improve from 162nd to 148th within months - numbers I remember because they represented hope more than anything. Suddenly, corporate sponsors took notice, television coverage expanded, and for the first time in my memory, children were wearing football jerseys to school instead of just basketball uniforms.
What followed was arguably the most rapid development period in Philippine sports history. From 2011 to 2019, we saw the establishment of the United Football League, the arrival of the Philippines Football League, and the national team achieving its highest-ever FIFA ranking of 111th in 2018. I've had the privilege of watching this growth up close, attending matches that went from dozens of spectators to thousands. The women's team made their own headlines, with the Malditas (now Filipinas) qualifying for the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup and stunning everyone by reaching the semifinals. Their victory against Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals remains one of my most cherished sporting memories - the skill and determination on display showed how far we'd come from those "no legs yet" days.
The infrastructure development has been equally remarkable. When I first started covering local football, quality pitches were rare outside of major universities. Today we have the Philippine Football Federation National Training Center in Carmona, and football-specific facilities are slowly emerging nationwide. The PFL, despite its challenges, has provided a platform for local talent to develop professionally. I've watched players like Stephan Schrock transition from overseas leagues to become pillars of both club and country - his leadership has been instrumental in raising standards across the board.
Our international achievements have been accumulating at a pace I never thought I'd witness. Qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup marked our first-ever appearance in the continent's premier competition. Though we didn't advance from the group stage, simply competing against South Korea, China, and Kyrgyzstan represented a monumental achievement. The youth teams have shown promise too, with the U22 squad's performance in the 2019 SEA Games demonstrating that the pipeline is strengthening. What excites me most is seeing homegrown talents like Quincy Kammeraad developing through local systems rather than exclusively through overseas pathways.
Looking at where Philippine football stands today compared to when I first fell in love with the sport, the progress is nothing short of revolutionary. We've gone from being Asian minnows to respectable competitors, with the women's team now ranked 49th globally - an achievement that still astonishes me when I think about it. The grassroots movement has exploded, with youth registrations increasing by approximately 137% between 2010 and 2020 according to PFF estimates. We're still building those "legs" that Lastimosa noted were missing, but the foundation grows stronger with each passing season. The journey continues, but for the first time in our football history, the destination looks increasingly bright.