NOW more than ever, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is more determined to bring pride to the country, as both national football teams set their sights on the podium at the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
PFF President John Gutierrez revealed over the weekend that both the men’s and women’s squads are targeting nothing less than a gold medal in the tournament, which will take place in Thailand later this year.
Ahead of the SEA Games, the ASEAN MSIG Serenity Cup 2025 will play a crucial role for the Philippine Women’s National Football Team—not only as defending champions but also as part of their broader long-term plan.
All-Out Lineup
Alongside their preparations through side tournaments, the PFF is pursuing another goal. Despite possible challenges with player availability, Gutierrez remains hopeful about assembling a full-strength lineup.
“We’re going to be using the same team. And of course, some of our players, hopefully they get released by their clubs, even if it’s not a FIFA window. But so far, it’s looking good,” he said.
Several players from the Under-23 squad, which recently delivered an impressive performance at the ASEAN U23 Championship, are also expected to join the SEA Games men’s extended roster for the upcoming tournament.
“With the SEA Games, we’re entering the women’s football, women’s futsal, and the men’s football, which will be U22,” Gutierrez said.
“Now, we just met some of the U23 players. I think only three of them won’t make the SEA Games. So it’s a very, very strong team. Nice, because they’ve already played together,” he added.
Gutierrez highlighted one standout player who deserves recognition: Otu Abang Banatao, a rising talent topping the scoring charts. “Yeah, our top scorer is 18 years old. Mr. Otu, he’s fantastic,” Gutierrez said.
Back in Time?
The PFF is also hopeful that star striker Sarina Bolden will recover in time from the anterior cruciate ligament injury she suffered in April and make a swift return to action for the Philippine Women’s National Football Team.
Bolden played a pivotal role in the Filipinas’ historic 2023 World Cup campaign, scoring the team’s first and only goal in their memorable win against New Zealand, before her devastating injury was revealed in early July.
“Fingers crossed. There is definitely room for the squad. I’m not the coach, but of course , there’s always room for the squad, for that kind of talent,” said Gutierrez.
“I think in one of her social media posts, she says she’s far from done, which is music to my ears. So we’re looking forward to having her back. Hopefully, by early next year, she’ll be ready to start training again,” he added.
The injury sidelined Bolden from the AFC Women’s Asia Cup qualifiers last June and will also keep her out of the Filipinas’ title defense in the MSIG Serenity Cup. However, it remains uncertain whether she’ll recover in time for next year’s Women’s Asia Cup.
“Some days are heavier than others,” Bolden admitted. “I’m now a couple months into recovery. I’ve had time to process and to start healing, both physically and mentally, but I know this will be a long road, and I’m giving myself grace to take it day by day.”
“And to anyone wondering: I’m not done. Far from it. I’ll give everything I have to this game for as long as I can. I’ve always been fueled by the setbacks and I know this will be no different,” she went on to say.
Pressure is On
Behind the strong push to bring everyone together, Gutierrez acknowledges the pressure—especially after raising expectations with national sports leaders—but emphasized that the team remains fully committed.
“It’s looking very good for us for the SEA Games. We want to win all the entries. I indirectly made a promise to President Bambol and to Chairman Pato that we’ll do really well with the SEA Games, of course,” he said.
“So there’s a bit of pressure, but we’ll do our best. Grabe naman kasi suporta nila. So I have to give them something to look forward to,” Gutierrez said about PSC’s support towards Philippine sports.
