The Philippine under-16 boys national team left the 2024 ASEAN U16 Boys Championship winless after their final fixture on June 27, 2024 in Surakarta, Indonesia.
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President John Anthony Gutierrez expressed his gratitude to the players, their parents, and team management.
“We thank our under 16 boys who gave their all for flag and country. We are proud of them. May this experience inspire them to further strive as players, and reach their full potential. PFF also thanks the coaching and management staff led by coach Yuki Matsuda, and most of all, the parents for supporting the football dream of their sons,” said Gutierrez.
Gutierrez added that the lessons gained from this tournament will “push the Federation to go full throttle in empowering the country’s football development for the youth and children as early as 3 years old.”
Banking on ball mastery as the key to developing young Filipino footballers for the long term, PFF is planting the seeds with its “Football Starts at Home” flagship program.
“Our recent launches in Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro, Central Visayas, Central Luzon, and NCR are just the start of Football Starts at Home, which we are conducting in partnership with the movement’s founder, Coach Tom Byer. We will implement this program nationwide through our Regional Football Associations. We will encourage parents to be their children’s first coaches. With this bonding, they can give their kids the confidence and support to learn the basics of ball manipulation with their feet, and develop ball mastery.” Gutierrez said.
Football starts at Home is one of PFF programs geared at football development that will benefit Filipino players across ages, even in remote communities. PFF envisions these initiatives to help fulfill its vision of lifting the quality of domestic football to be at par with the quality of footballing nations.
