MANILA, Philippines — The Makati Football Club (FC) U12 team recently became the first Filipino youth squad to play against England's top football academy clubs.
The Makati FC girls gave good account of themselves against the Cray Wanderers, Leicester City FC, Manchester United, Brighton FC and Arsenal, which are among the top 10 of England pro football clubs, during the series of matches played October 5-13.
Makati FC program director and owner Selu Lozano said the U12 squad did well in the once in a lifetime opportunity of playing against some of the finest English youth teams and that the experience will help them in the future.
"Taking our Makati FC U12 girls to London was not just about participating in another tournament — it was a step forward in our mission to develop world-class grassroots talent," Lozano said.
"Over the past three years, we’ve seen success on the international stage, winning the Gothia World Youth Cup and JSSL, Asia’s largest youth tournament,” he said. “This time, we wanted to challenge ourselves even further, competing against professional clubs in England to see how we matched up.”
"The girls exceeded all expectations, proving that not only can they play at that level, but they can also match the competitiveness of some of the best youth teams in the world,” he said. “This experience solidifies our belief that Philippine youth football has a place on the global stage, and we're just getting started.”
The Makati FC Foundation is the backbone of the youth football program that supports scholars from marginalized communities with the generosity of Philippine Airlines and Purefoods.
“The girls’ journey was also made possible by the dedication of the athletes themselves and their families,” Lozano said. “We don’t just want them to change their football dreams, we want them to chase their dreams in life.”
Last July, Makati FC ruled the the Girls 12 (year of birth 2012) in the Gothia World Youth Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden, which is the largest youth tournament in the world with a roster of more than 1,500 teams from 80 countries.
The Makati FC U12 players also had a chance to watch a Women's Super League match between Everton and Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in London last October 6.