On June 18, 2024, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) gave a warm send-off to the official delegation to the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U16 Boys Championship to be held in Indonesia from June 21-July 4, 2024.
The players of the Philippine U16 Men’s National Football Team was assembled after a series of nation-wide inspections and tryouts conducted by Head Coach Yuki Matsuda in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. In the Visayas, the inspections and tryouts were done in Cebu, San Carlos, Bacolod and Iloilo, in Mindanao: Agusan del Sur, Davao, Koronadal and Dipolog, and in Luzon: Manila, Pampanga and Cavite. Player-applicants from abroad flew to Manila to tryout.
Approximately 90-100 players took part in each area that Coach Matsuda visited, thus more than 1,100 boys were evaluated in order to come up with a PH U16 MNT training pool. Thirty-three boys were selected for a month-long camp, and then the pool was further trimmed to the 23 strongest players based on position and individual technical ability and tactical understanding.
The PH U16 MNT that will compete in the 2024 ASEAN U16 Boys Championship is composed of:
GOAL KEEPERS
- Dilodilo, Austin Louis E. – San Beda University (FA Rizal)
- Sunico, Enrique Santino F. – La Salle Green Hills (NCRFA)
- Veloso, Mateo Jose Buenaventura S. – PAREF Southridge School (NCRFA)
FIELD PLAYERS
- Brizuela, Rogelio III S. – San Beda University (FA Rizal)
- Comla, Rossen Angelo S. – Claret School of Quezon City (FA Rizal)
- Dalman, Zachary Olive C. – Far Eastern University – Diliman (NCRFA)
- Elorde, Anthony A. – Southpoint School of Davao (DSRFA)
- Fabela, Jimm Leowell – Far Eastern University – Diliman (NCRFA)
- Garcia, Leonardo Joshua D. – PAREF Southridge School (NCRFA)
- Lomibao, Alexander Peter Benedict P. – Philippine Science High School – Main (NCRFA)
- Long, Aarran Thomas D. – British School Manila (NCRFA)
- Maniti, Michael M. – Australia
- Manuel, Mabien Michael – Don Bosco Cavite (CAFA)
- Mercado, Matteo Andeano Joaquin Z. – PAREF Southridge School (NCRFA)
- Mirasol, Peter Joaquin Guazon – Spain
- Moleje, Joshua Gabriel P. – University of Santo Tomas (NCRFA)
- Omitade, Edvard James Bukunmi B. – San Beda University (FA Rizal)
- Panganiban, Jimuel Enzo Gabriel S. – La Salle Green Hills (NCRFA)
- Paulino, Tobias B. – Portugal
- Poticano, Francis Benedict P. – PAREF Southridge School (NCRFA)
- Saraña, Elijah Domeczeck – St. Alexius College (SOCSARGEN RFA)
- Steen, Matthew John Sixto Atienza – Belgium
- Tacardon, Filbert Martin P. – Claret School of Quezon City (NCRFA)
The PH U16 MNT is in Group A with Indonesia, Laos and Singapore. Tournament schedule is as follows:
21 June 2024 (Friday) at Manahan Stadium in Surakarta
Laos vs. Philippines
3:00 pm Philippine time
24 June 2024 (Monday) at Manahan Stadium in Surakarta
Philippines vs. Indonesia
7:30 pm Philippine time
27 June 2024 (Thursday) at Sriwedari Stadium in Surakarta
Philippines vs. Singapore
7:30 pm Philippine time
