(Eagle News) – The Philippines made history after the Philippine Women’s National Football Team qualified to play in the FIFA World Cup 2023.
This is the very first time that the country will be playing at the World Cup, which has been described as “the most popular sporting event in the world.” It draws billions of televiewers every tournament.
The Philippines women’s national football team, the Malditas, beat Chinese Taipei, 4-3, in a penalty shootout at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune, India, on Monday. This is the country’s first-ever berth in the FIFA Women World Cup 2023
The FIFA World Cup retweeted a post by the AFC Women’s Asian Cup congratulating the Philippines for making history.
“World Cup bound for the first time in their HISTORY! Welcome to the #FIFAWWC 2023, Philippines,” it said in the retweet on January 31.
-History makers-
FIFA also retweeted another post from the Women’s Asian Cup recognizing the Filipina football players as “history makers.”
The jubilation and excitement of the Filipina athletes as they clinched the historic win was captured in video by this tweet from @afcasiancup that was retweeted by FIFA.
Another tweet showed Fil-Am Sarina Bolden’s “final shot at history” for the Philippines, a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.
-Palace congratulates Filipina footballers-
Malacanang recognized the feat on Monday, January 31, congratulating the Philippine football team, as the Filipina athletes again gave pride to the country.
“Gumawa ng kasaysayan sa larangan ng palakasan ang ating Philippine Women’s National Football Team. Congratulations for clinching the country’s first FIFA World Cup berth! Qualified po tayo sa FIFA World Cup 2023. Iba talaga ang galing ng Pinay! Congratulations po!” said Palace spokesperson Karlo Nograles.
-POC hails historic win for PHL sports-
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, on behalf of the committee, also congratulated “our women’s football team for making world football history.”
Because of their win, the Malditas will also advance to the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Asia Cup.
This is also a first for the country. Aside from the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and China reached the semis in the Asian Cup thus automatically earning a spot in the 2023 World Cup which will be hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
POC’s Tolentino said that Filipino athletes sterling performance recently, including Filipina weightlifer Hidilyn Diaz’s historic first-ever Olympic gold medal last year, truly made Philippine sports shine bright.
“We won our first-ever Olympic gold medal in Tokyo last July—adding two silvers and one bronze—and then this in football. Filipino athletes have been leveling up and are putting the country prominently on the world sporting map,” he said.
Filipina athletes who also made the country proud in the last Olympics were boxer Nesthy Petacio and skateboarder Margielyn Didal.
Petacio clinched the silver medal for the women’s boxing featherweight division in last year’s Olympics, while Didal finished a strong 7th in the skateboarding women’s street event
Tolentino also recognized the hard work done by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) headed by Mariano Araneta for helping bring Philippine football to this historic moment.
Araneta also noted how the Filipina footballers were proud to represent country, and recognized their sacrifice and achievement for Philippine sports.
“It’s a great achievement for our women’s national football team. All their sacrifices have paid off,” he said. “They are proud to represent the Philippines. Para sa bayan!”
Araneta was also the chef de mission or the person in charge of the national team to the Tokyo Olympics last year.
While the Philippines is known for its love for basketball, this historic feat by the women’s national football team would put the limelight on football for Filipinos for the first time as the national team plays on the world stage in 2023.
The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place from July 20 to August 20 next year in Australia and New Zealand. The 2023 tournament will see in action 32 teams playing, from the previous 24. The United States team, which won the tournaments in 2015 and 2019, is the defending champion.
(Eagle News Service)