PMNFT’s first eleven. | Photo from the PMNFT Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines— Philippine Men’s National Football Team (PMNFT) head coach Albert Capellas declared that the team is just beginning to reach its potential following their historic run in the ongoing AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024.
Despite being eliminated by Thailand in the semifinals via aggregate score on December 30, the Philippines delivered an unforgettable performance on the ASEAN regional football stage.
The team’s 2-1 victory over Thailand in the first leg of the semifinals ended a 52-year drought against the Southeast Asian football powerhouse.
“We have just arrived at this level. For many years, we couldn’t play these types of games — fighting until the last second against Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. This is the first time we’ve reached this stage after so many years,” said Capellas in a statement published on the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) website.
The Philippines captured widespread attention in the 2024 ASEAN Championships, despite being heavy underdogs. They finished the group stage in second place, highlighted by a stunning 1-0 win over favored Indonesia after drawing three consecutive matches.
Their 2-1 victory over Thailand in the first leg of the semifinals was a standout moment, although they were ultimately defeated 3-1 in the second leg in Bangkok, concluding the tie with a 4-3 aggregate score.
PFF president John Gutierrez hailed the campaign as the Philippines’ best-ever performance in the ASEAN Championship, expressing pride in the team’s achievements.
“We can proudly say that this is our best ASEAN Championship stint ever. Aside from experiencing our first-ever extra time, we have defeated regional powerhouses Indonesia and Thailand. We aim to carry these gains into the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in March 2025, where we are grouped with countries we’ve beaten multiple times,” Gutierrez stated.
“We’re laying the foundation for a new football renaissance, with the successes of both our men’s and women’s teams, as well as their respective youth squads. We are excited about what 2025 holds for Philippine football.”
PFF Director of National Teams Freddy Gonzales also commended the team’s progress, attributing their strong performance to enhanced teamwork and the strategic guidance of Capellas.
“We had several chances to win the second leg of the semis, and these opportunities were patiently built up. All of our chances, including Bjorn’s equalizer, came from teamwork and an improved approach to football. We have played our best football under Coach Albert’s philosophy and system, which has been in place for just three months,” Gonzales noted.