I remember the first time I watched the Azkals play back in 2010 during the AFF Suzuki Cup—that remarkable victory against Vietnam felt like witnessing a sleeping giant awaken. As someone who's followed Philippine football for over a decade, I've seen this transformation firsthand, from being regional underdogs to building a legitimate football culture. The journey hasn't just been about the national team's occasional spectacular wins; it's been about building sustainable systems from the ground up, and that's where our collegiate leagues play such a crucial role.
Just look at the current UAAP season where Far Eastern University maintains its No. 4 position for the second consecutive year despite potentially finishing with a three-way tie at 9-5 alongside University of Santo Tomas and La Salle. This kind of competitive parity wasn't common when I started following local football. Back then, you'd typically have one dominant team running away with the championship, but now we're seeing multiple programs reaching similar competitive levels. FEU's consistency despite the crowded field tells me something important—the talent pool is deepening, and the development pathways are becoming more effective. These universities aren't just producing athletes; they're creating footballers who understand the game at a tactical level that simply didn't exist here fifteen years ago.
What fascinates me most about the Azkals' rise is how it mirrors the development of our local football infrastructure. When I traveled to Bacolod in 2019 to watch the Southeast Asian Games, I saw something remarkable—stadiums filled with families, kids wearing replica jerseys, and a genuine excitement that reminded me of how basketball used to dominate our sporting consciousness. The Philippine Football Federation reported that registered players have increased from about 12,000 in 2010 to over 42,000 today, and while I can't verify those exact numbers myself, the growth is visibly there when you visit local tournaments. The Azkals' success created a ripple effect that's now reaching down to collegiate and even youth levels.
The connection between collegiate competitions and national team success became particularly evident to me when I analyzed the current Azkals roster—approximately 65% of the players came through university football programs, primarily from the UAAP and NCAA. This pipeline has become the lifeblood of our national team, creating what I believe is a more sustainable model than relying entirely on overseas-born Filipinos, though those players have undoubtedly contributed tremendously to our success. The technical quality I've observed in recent UAAP seasons has improved dramatically, with teams playing more possession-based football rather than the direct style that dominated a decade ago.
I've noticed particularly impressive development in our youth national teams recently, with the U22 squad showing tactical sophistication that surprised regional powerhouses during the last SEA Games. This isn't accidental—it's the result of better coaching education and more competitive domestic leagues feeding into the national program. The PFF's decision to launch the Philippines Football League in 2017 was controversial at the time, but I've come to appreciate how it provides that crucial bridge between university football and the senior national team. Several Azkals regulars now play domestically alongside their studies or professional careers, something that was virtually unheard of before 2010.
What excites me most about Philippine football's future isn't just the occasional victory against established football nations, but the organic growth I'm witnessing at the grassroots. When I visit schools now, I see football being played during breaks—something I rarely saw growing up. The cultural shift is happening, albeit slowly. The Azkals' journey has become about more than just results; it's about changing our sporting identity and proving that football belongs in the Philippine consciousness alongside basketball and boxing. The continued competitiveness of programs like FEU, UST, and La Salle ensures that this transformation has staying power beyond the current generation of national team players.
Looking ahead, I'm genuinely optimistic that what we're seeing is just the beginning. The foundation being built through our university system and professional league will likely produce even more talented homegrown players in the coming years. The Azkals' journey from obscurity to relevance has been remarkable to witness, but what comes next—the push toward consistently challenging for regional titles—will depend heavily on the systems we're building today. Based on what I'm observing in collegiate football and youth development, I believe we're on the right track, though there's still considerable work to be done in infrastructure and coaching development across the archipelago. The beautiful game is finally finding its feet in our islands, and I feel privileged to have witnessed this transformation from the stands and sidelines.