The final horn blew, and the scoreboard showed powerhouse Argentina victorious over host Philippines. Yet inside the Philsports Arena, the eruption of cheers from 2,800-strong Filipinos was anything but ordinary.
The Filipina5 fought gallantly against the world’s finest in the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup. The nation’s single goal may not have changed the outcome in that 5-1 defeat, but it changed the narrative. It was proof that the Philippines could stand on futsal’s biggest stage.
And in the dugout afterward, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio and Philippine Football Federation president John Gutierrez seized the moment to remind the players and the entire country that belief is the key to achieving more.
“I was looking at Team Argentina. Nothing is different, same size, same physique. The only thing that’s different is they’ve been doing it for 50 years. But if we put our minds and hearts into this, can we do it? Yes,” said Gregorio, his words echoing in the dugout.
Isabella Bandoja provided the Filipina5’s lone strike in their final bow of the prestigious tourney backed by the PSC and the PFF.
The goal caught the Filipino crowd in a frenzy and electrified the ultras with their chants and songs as it gave the team a moment of triumph against one of the sport’s giants.
“This is historic, right? We hosted the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup. And we played so well,” Gregorio told the team.
Gregorio’s message carried a broader vision. He explained why the Philippines had invested in hosting the World Cup: to develop futsal, to prove Filipinos can excel, and to showcase the country.
He recalled his late-night meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, where he pressed the case for football in the Philippines.
“We admit that football is the number one sport in the world. But how come we cannot engage and convince 112 million Filipinos to play the sport? How come football is not in the top three sports in the Philippines?” Gregorio asked.
Infantino, he said, pledged to help make football a top three sport in the country with help from the PSC and the PFF.
“Because I believe in you, you have to believe, too. And if you believe, 112 million Filipinos will believe. And we’re proud of you,” Gregorio told the team.
He closed with a reminder of Carlos Yulo’s rise in gymnastics — from “zero” to double Olympic gold medalist in less than a decade — proof that belief and support can elevate a sport to global heights.
Gutierrez, who joined the team in the dugout along with PFF Secretary General Angelico “Gelix’’ Mercader, echoed Gregorio’s message of belief and resilience.
“This goal is more than history, it is a statement that Filipinas can compete with the best. The PFF will continue to stand behind this team and ensure that futsal grows stronger in the Philippines. With heart, discipline, and belief, we can achieve more,” Gutierrez said.
On that night, futsal became a discovery for Filipinos who proudly insisted with good humor that the nation won the second half of the match, a portend of good things to come for the sport.
The Filipina5’s historic strike and second-half stand against Argentina was more than a statistic. It was a symbol of what belief can achieve. For Gregorio, the message was clear: with hearts and minds united, Filipino athletes can accomplish more than they ever imagined.
And for the Filipina5 who listened in that dugout, the journey is only beginning.