PHILIPPINE Football Federation president John Gutierrez lauded the boys national Under 16 team for setting a milestone in the 29th Lion City Cup in Singapore.
Formed mostly under the radar of fans whose attention was focused on development in the senior side, the U16 won the country’s first title in the age group after earning seven points, capped with a 3-1 win over Cambodia on July 13, 2025.
Aaron Long, whose mother is from Zamboanga, capped his stellar stint with two goals against Cambodia for a three-goal tally, finishing as the Philippines top scorer.
“We salute our U16 team for bringing this honor to our country! Your victory brings not only pride and joy, but great hope to the young aspiring Filipino footballers from across the nation,” said Gutierrez. “Truly you have shown waht a team can achieve with unity and solidarity. Mabuhay kayo.”
The U16s opened its campaign with a 2-0 win over Singapore, avenging a 4-0 loss to the same squad last year and drew Hong Kong, 1-1, after an exemplary penalty save by Jaime Sandejas.
The title came just 13 months after a winless campaign in the 2024 Asean U16 Championships in 2024 prodded Gutierrez to renew the PFF’s focus on youth development.
“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 three years old.
Four months later, the U16 finished second in the AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers for the first time, a run that saw an impressive 7-0 win against Macau and a 2-0 win over Cambodia.
The U16 brought together the top players thanks to the PFF talent identification program headed by Roman Oliver and head coach Tetsuya Tscuhida.
As head of youth development, Tsuchida spearheaded the Center for Excellence program in 2023, which has served as a stepping stone for promising players to make the national youth teams.
“A true strategist, he meticulously prepared for every game while planning ahead, ensuring players received adequate rest for peak performance. He showed immense trust in his entire roster, referring to his substitutes as ‘game changers’–a title they consistently earned,” said Gutierrez.
The PFF also recognized the efforts of assistant coaches Richard Leyble, David Asare, Anthony Albao, Juven Francisco and PT Mayon Francisa for their behind-the-scenes work in preparing the squad.
““We thank and congratulate our coaching staff and team management, as well as the parents and supporters who all worked hard for the success of this team. To the RFAs where these players come from, congratulations too, this is your legacy. With you, we will continue to endeavor to discover more talented players from the various RFA’s who can join our national team,” said Gutierrez.
