“We are pleased to welcome Coach Carles Cuadrat to lead our Senior Men’s National Team. His deep tactical understanding, coupled with a history of building winning teams and developing players, perfectly aligns with our vision for the future. We saw a glimpse of his immediate impact during the Tajikistan match, demonstrating his ability to inspire and adapt under pressure. We are confident that under his guidance, our national team will achieve new milestones and ignite even greater passion for football across the country,” stated PFF President John Gutierrez.
PFF announces the appointment of Spanish tactician Carles Cuadrat as the new Head Coach of the Philippine Senior Men’s National Team, effective immediately. This strategic move underscores the PFF’s commitment to elevate the national team’s performance and foster sustained growth in Philippine football.
Coach Cuadrat brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to the role. A UEFA Pro Coach by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), he is renowned for his tactical acumen and development-oriented approach. His extensive career includes a significant tenure as Head Coach of Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) from 2018 to 2021, where he led the team to a historic ISL Championship in 2019 and the Indian Super Cup in 2018.
During his time with Bengaluru FC, the team consistently qualified for continental competitions and set records for unbeaten streaks. Most recently, he guided East Bengal FC to the 2024 Indian Super Cup title.
Notably, Coach Cuadrat is already familiar with the Philippine Senior Men’s National Team setup, having served as an assistant coach earlier this year. He further demonstrated his leadership and tactical prowess when he stepped in as the interim head coach for the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match against Tajikistan on June 10, 2025, at the New Clark City Stadium, where the team secured a vital 2-2 draw.
Prior to his roles with the Philippines, Cuadrat served as a Physical Trainer and Assistant Coach for various prestigious clubs and national teams. His experience includes working with FC Barcelona (1998-2005), Galatasaray SK (2008-2010), and the Saudi Arabia National Team (2011-2013) as a physical coach. He also held assistant coaching positions with the El Salvador National Team (2014-2015), Aris Limassol FC (2021-2022), and FC Midtjylland (2022-2023), further showcasing his diverse exposure to different footballing philosophies and environments.
As a player, Cuadrat was part of La Masia’s Youth System from 1978 to 1988. He represented Barcelona on 14 occasions with the U16 and U18 national teams, achieving 3rd place in the 1985 Eurocup U16 in Hungary and winning the Spanish U19 Cup with FC Barcelona in both 1986 and 1987.
The PFF is confident that Coach Cuadrat’s leadership will significantly contribute to the development and success of t
he national team on the international stage. His appointment is a testament to the federation’s dedication to providing the best possible coaching expertise for its athletes.
With this, PFF is also appointing Miguel “Mico” Gutierrez, as Manager of the Philippine Men’s National Team. As NCRFA President he continued the PFF Center of Excellence Program in NCR which caters to a selection of born 2009 – 2014 Boys and Girls. Established a year long youth league, the NCRFA Youth League that provides continuous weekly competition and was also the team manager for recently concluded U16 Lion City Cup where the team became Champions. A former player and Team Captain of the University of the Philippines Men’s Football Team, Mico brings not only his deep understanding of the game and hands-on management experience but also a strong capacity to galvanize support and resources, ensuring the team is fully equipped for its challenges ahead.
“We thank Mico for taking on the important role of managing the Philippine Men’s National Team. PFF is confident that with his experience and expertise in football and business management, he will be able to bring our Men’s Team towards the direction we’ve set out to do from the very beginning– which is to build on the gains of the team and keep on advancing in the international stage.” said PFF President Gutierrez.
