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Kapamilya Snaps: Celebrities you may not know love football, soccer

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Mary Ann Bardinas

<p>Football or soccer may not be the biggest sport here in the Philippines, but it’s amazing to know that it has been building up hype through the years as more and more Filipinos have fallen in love with it. And among them are the eight celebrities we listed in this Kapamilya Snaps feature, who aren’t just fans of it, but also even take part in it.</p><div> </div><div><strong>Markus Paterson</strong></div><p>Born and raised in the United Kingdom where soccer ranks as the number one sport, it is not surprising that Markus is not only a huge fan of it, but also knows how to play. In fact, while he was still studying at Enderun Colleges, he became part of the school’s elite soccer team.</p><p>And now that his and ex-girlfriend Janella Salvador’s <em>unico hijo </em>Jude is quite big enough, the <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/paraiso2023" target="_blank"><em><strong><u>Pira-pirasong Paraiso</u></strong></em></a> actor has already taken him to various games already, in the hopes that the little kiddo will start to love the sport, too, just like he does.</p><div> </div><div><strong>Kyle Echarri</strong></div><p>Like his close friend Markus, Kyle also loves football. In January 2023, he uploaded a few snaps on Instagram to share that he had returned to the field to play after taking a long break from the sport. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) in 2019, the <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/seniorhigh2023" target="_blank"><em><strong><u>Senior High</u></strong></em></a> star expressed what “futbol” really means for him, writing, “To many, futbol is only a game. For me, among other things that I do, it is a way of life. I may not be that good at it, but it completes my week when I am able to play the sport.”</p><div> </div><div><strong>Jake Cuenca</strong></div><p>Having Spanish blood through his paternal side of the family, it’s no wonder that Jake has also adopted the Spanish people’s love for soccer, which is considered the top sport in Spain. Just in case you missed it, he actually used to play amateur football a long time ago as part of the Team Socceroo Football Club, which was formerly among the lineups of the United Football League (UFL).</p><p>The <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-videos/kim-and-paulo-radiate-kilig-with-a-pinoy-touch-in-abs-cbn-and-vius-whats-wrong-with-secretary-kim-21863" target="_blank"><strong><u>What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?</u></strong></a> actor credited the sport for helping him get into shape when he was growing up. He once stated, “I didn’t want to be the struggling kid”, and he’s now indeed one of the male celebrities regarded as ultimate #fitspirations.</p><div> </div><div><strong>Jhong Hilario’s daughter Sarina</strong></div><p>Even though football is a male-dominated sport, more and more girls and young women are joining the league over the years. And in the future, we may see the adorable child wonder Sarina Hilario as one of them after her ever-supportive Daddy Jhong enrolled her in a football clinic to help her discover new things and possible hobbies in the future.</p><p>Sarina attended her first practice in October 2023 and the <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/itsshowtime" target="_blank"><u><em><strong>It’s Showtime</strong></em></u></a> host made sure that he would be present to cheer for her on the sidelines and show his full support, especially every time she struck a goal.</p><div> </div><div><strong>Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo’s son Lucho</strong></div><p>She may be known as a great actress and a talented chef, but Juday is also a passionate mother to a young aspiring football player. Her and husband Ryan Agoncillo’s only boy Lucho is a longtime player of the sport and has been participating in various local and international tournaments. He is even the captain of his team, Arayat Football Club, which is part of the 7s Youth Football League.</p><p>In 2023, she traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to watch one of his competitions. She shared a number of photos taken from the event and wrote in the caption, “I’m proud of you and your team no matter what the outcome.”</p><div> </div><div><strong>Sarah Lahbati’s son Zion</strong></div><p>Just like her, Sarah’s firstborn Zion is also athletic. At 10 years old, he can surf, go scuba diving, ride motocross, and play football. He may still be quite young, but he’s already passionate and determined to win whenever he competes. It seems that Zion is on the same team as Judy Ann Santos’ son Lucho based on one of the posts on his official IG account.</p><div> </div><div><strong>John Prats’ daughters</strong></div><p>He and his wife Isabel Oli may be both in showbiz, but their children Feather and Freedom have both taken an interest in football.</p><p>In separate IG posts, the two athletic kids could be seen wearing identical team uniforms on the field and practicing to score a goal.</p><div> </div><div><strong>Jericho Rosales’s son Santino</strong></div><p>With how youthful he looks, it’s indeed quite hard to believe that Echo already has a grown-up kid. His <em>unico hijo</em> Santino used to be a college varsity player for the De La Salle University (DLSU) men’s football team and now plays professionally for Davao Aguilas Football Club.</p><p>Did these celebrities and/or their kids inspire you to try different sports like football and soccer? </p>

Meet the celebrities who you may not know are fans (and even players!) of football and soccer in this Kapamilya Snaps feature!