The run the Philippine national women’s football team has been on is both historic and magical, filled with one big moment after another. And yet, as these Filipinas prepare to make their long-awaited FIFA Women’s World Cup debut, it should be pointed out that this meteoric rise to prominence took years and was full of challenges.
But, as this retrospective will show, these Filipinas are a resilient bunch from top to bottom, and that is why they have become the ultimate underdog story—proving the naysayers wrong at every turn en route to not only clinching a FIFA Women’s World Cup slot, but also winning hearts the world over (and a championship too).
With that being said, here are some of the top moments and key turning points that have defined the Filipinas’ road to the FIFA Women’s World Cup:
Support pours in—finally
The Filipinas’ history-making accomplishments are rightfully getting the headlines, but they owe part of their success to some people working their magic behind the scenes. One of them has been businessman Jefferson Cheng, who took over as team manager in 2017 and has since thrown his full support to the Filipinas—in every way imaginable.
A history-making team is built
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither were the Filipinas, who were built piece by piece over the years. Striker Quinley Quezada, for instance, came aboard only in 2018, as did the inimitable Sarina Bolden. Another midfielder, Jaclyn Sawicki, debuted in 2021, the same year reliable goalie Olivia McDaniel arrived. The dynamic Sara Eggesvik came in a year later as the Filipinas’ final form began to truly take shape.
The pieces were all falling into place and the band was being formed. But it still needed a maestro. The previous coaches—Buda Bautista, the first ever female coach of the national team, and Marlon Maro—had done what they could, and it was time to pass on the program to someone who could take it to the next level. Someone who knows all about the international game. That someone was Alen Stajcic, who had transformed the Matildas of Australia into world beaters, leading them to their first FIFA Women’s World Cup win and back to the Olympics after a 12-year absence.
A dream starts: Malditas qualify for 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup
Any road to success starts somewhere, and for the Filipinas, it might have truly started in September 2021 with two crucial victories in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifying round in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Then coached by Maro and still known as “Malditas,” the Philippine women’s national team authored a magical comeback versus Nepal, scoring two late goals—one from Tahnai Annis and another by Chandler McDaniel—to notch an all-important victory. Then, needing only a draw against Hong Kong to clinch a spot at the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, the Malditas again leaned on Annis and McDaniel to sweep the round and build momentum for the months ahead.
Making history: Filipinas book FIFA Women’s World Cup berth
There is no denying that these Filipinas are special, and on January 30, 2022, they did what no other Philippine football team—men’s or women’s—had ever done before: They made the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
And they did it in heart-stopping fashion, battling Chinese Taipei to a 1-1 draw in 120 grueling minutes of regular play to force the latter into a penalty shootout at the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup. Olivia McDaniel held the fort for the Filipinas between the posts, forcing Chinese Taipei into three consecutive misses. Yet the Philippines needed one more goal—one final breakthrough to make history.
Then, Bolden came through. Of course she did.
She was in the exact same position days earlier but missed, Stajcic recalled of Bolden’s historic goal. She didn’t miss this time. Not with the chance to make history.
“The amount of fortitude, and strength, and character to be able to step up when you’ve missed one in the game before, and come up for the winning kick is amazing,” Stajcic said in an interview with Optus Sport of that moment—one that he describes as having “changed football in the Philippines forever.”
Making more history: Filipinas end SEA Games medal drought
By the time the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Vietnam rolled along, the Philippine national women’s football team hadn’t won any medal in the biennial meet for quite some time already. In fact, none of the Filipinas had been born yet the last time a women’s national team secured a podium finish in football way back in 1985.
This current crop of Filipinas made sure to change all of that, coming from behind to beat Myanmar to secure bronze in the regional conclave—a first in 37 long years. Bolden’s footprints were all over this comeback win yet again, as she fired the equalizer at the 73rd minute to pave the way for Quezada’s medal-clinching goal at the 76th minute. McDaniel did the rest, shutting the door on Myanmar to preserve another historic win for the Filipinas.
Champs, finally! Filipinas win historic championship
Two months after their historic podium finish in Vietnam, the Filipinas returned to action again in the AFF Women's Championship 2022—only this time, they were playing right at home.
And, for a moment, it seemed as if the magic had run out for these Filipinas after regional powerhouse Thailand eked out a 1-0 win to close the group stage and push the Stajcic-led squad to a semis showdown versus then defending champion Vietnam.
But the ever-resilient Filipinas found a way. Of course they did.
Not only did they upset Vietnam. They blew them off the pitch, 4-0, behind a brace from Bolden and a goal each from Annis and Hali Long. Then, they turned around and exacted revenge on Thailand, 3-0, with Jessika Cowart, Katrina Guillou, and Bolden all finding the back of the net.
And, just like that, the history makers made even more history—this time of the golden kind.
Testing the world’s best in Spain
The Filipinas will be taking on some of the world’s best come the FIFA Women’s World Cup, so the team has used much of this year to prepare for the big dance.
And as part of their preparations, the Filipinas took part in the Pinatar Cup, where they faced the 16th, 25th, and 32nd ranked nations in the world in Iceland, Scotland, and Wales, respectively. The team lost all three matches in Spain, but a breakthrough goal versus Scotland in their second game proved that the Filipinas are ready for their date with destiny starting this Friday.
Catch the Filipinas in action on the Pilipinas Live app starting on Friday, June 21, when they take on Switzerland at 1 p.m., Manila time. They will next play New Zealand on July 25 at 1:30 p.m. and Norway on July 30 at 3 p.m.
(GM)