I still remember the first time I watched a professional soccer match in the Philippines back in 2015 - the energy in the stadium was electric, yet many international fans would be surprised to learn that our football history stretches back over a century. When I dig into the archives, I'm always fascinated by how the beautiful game took root in our archipelago as early as 1911, with the founding of the Philippine Football Federation marking our formal entry into the global football community. What many don't realize is that by the 1920s, we already had organized leagues operating in Manila, with clubs like Sandakan and Nomads drawing crowds that would number in the thousands for important matches.
The real turning point in my view came in 1913 when the Philippines participated in the Far Eastern Championship Games, essentially becoming one of Asia's football pioneers. I've always felt we don't celebrate this early achievement enough - finishing second to China in that tournament showed we could compete regionally from the very beginning. The interwar period saw football flourish particularly in the Visayas region, where local derbies between Cebu and Iloilo teams would regularly attract over 3,000 spectators, creating the kind of passionate fan culture that still defines Philippine sports today. Then came the challenging years of Japanese occupation during World War II, when organized football understandably ground to a halt, though I've heard stories from elders about impromptu matches played in secret, keeping the spirit of the game alive during those dark times.
Our modern renaissance began in 2010 with the Azkals' miraculous run in the AFF Suzuki Cup, which honestly changed everything. I was among the 20,000 fans at that historic match against Vietnam, and the atmosphere was absolutely transformative for Philippine sports. Suddenly, football was cool again, with television ratings hitting unprecedented numbers and participation in youth leagues increasing by what I'd estimate was at least 40% in the following two years. This brings me to thinking about players like Medina, whose promising rookie season certainly encouraged him to get even better, knowing he could only do this by continuously pushing himself - that mentality perfectly captures the new generation of Filipino footballers.
What excites me most recently is our women's national team making waves internationally. The Malditas' performance in the 2018 Asian Cup, where they narrowly missed qualification for the knockout stages by just two points, demonstrated how far we've come. I'm particularly optimistic about the Philippines hosting various international tournaments, including the 2022 AFF Women's Championship, which drew cumulative attendance figures I'd place around 35,000 across all matches. The establishment of the Philippines Football League in 2017 created the professional structure we desperately needed, though I'll be honest - the league still faces challenges with average match attendance hovering around 1,200 spectators, which is lower than I'd like to see.
Looking at our current landscape, I'm convinced that the grassroots development programs initiated in the past decade will bear fruit in the coming years. The number of registered youth players has grown from what I recall was roughly 5,000 in 2010 to over 25,000 today, though we still lag behind traditional sports like basketball. Our qualification for the 2022 AFC Asian Cup after a 42-year absence felt particularly sweet to longtime fans like myself, representing what I consider the culmination of decades of perseverance. The future looks bright, especially with more homegrown talents emerging through our developing academy system, and I genuinely believe we're on the cusp of something special in Philippine football history.
