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'Dream come true': Philippine fans celebrate historic World Cup win

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/07/25/20230725-filipinas-watch-party-md-15.jpg"/><figcaption>Fans of the Philippine women&#x27;s national football team celebrate during their match against New Zealand in the FIFA Women&#x27;s World Cup. The Filipinas claimed a 1-0 win over the Football Ferns in their Group A match. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — Hundreds of Philippine football fans celebrated wildly and some cried after the country&#x27;s historic first World Cup win on Tuesday.</p><p>The unfancied Filipinas stunned co-hosts New Zealand 1-0 in Wellington, triggering celebrations more than 8,000 kilometres (5,000 miles) away.</p><p>Elated supporters watching the match live on a big screen in the UP Town Center shopping mall in the capital Manila erupted in screams and song. Some cried tears of joy.</p><p>&quot;Oh my God, I am so emotional about our first-ever World Cup win,&quot; said Bethany Talbot, 21, as she stood in front of large poster of goalscorer Sarina Bolden.</p><p>&quot;I know all the other girls out there, all the girls, all feel the same. I feel like I&#x27;m speechless right now, but I&#x27;m so over the moon.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/25/23/filipinas-stun-new-zealand-for-first-ever-world-cup-win">Football: Filipinas stun New Zealand for first-ever World Cup win</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/multimedia/slideshow/07/25/23/in-photos-celebrating-phs-first-world-cup-victory">IN PHOTOS: Philippines celebrate historic World Cup victory</a></li></ul><p>Fans, many wearing the national team&#x27;s blue, white and red, shouted, hugged and jumped up and down with excitement when Bolden headed the ball into the net in the first half.</p><p>That left supporters in the air-conditioned mall jittery with nerves as they watched New Zealand come excruciatingly close in the second half to levelling the score.</p><p>Football is not nearly as popular as basketball or boxing in the Philippines, and most of the players on the women&#x27;s national team have been recruited from the country&#x27;s large diaspora.</p><p>But for Filipino fans at UP Town Center, this victory was special.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s always been a dream to play in the World Cup. But winning, winning the first game is surreal,&quot; said Christopher Andrew Datu, 40.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a dream come true. It&#x27;s like telling the Philippines that &#x27;you can do it, you can do it Philippines, you can play football, you belong to the world&#x27;.&quot;</p><p>Minds were already turning to Sunday&#x27;s game against Norway, with the Philippine Football Federation urging fans to show their support.</p><p>&quot;THE FIGHT IS NOT YET OVER,&quot; it said on Facebook.</p><p>Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also congratulated the women&#x27;s team for their victory.</p><p>&quot;A momentous first-ever world cup win for the Philippines! Mabuhay ang Filipinas!&quot; Marcos said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/bongbongmarcos/status/1684027006374260737">tweet</a>.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/25/23/with-upset-of-new-zealand-filipinas-deliver-another-special-moment">With upset of New Zealand, Filipinas deliver another special moment</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/25/23/for-olivia-mcdaniel-last-5-minutes-felt-like-20-years">For Olivia McDaniel, &#x27;last 5 minutes felt like 20 years&#x27;</a></li></ul><div><strong>—with a report from Raffy Cabristante, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2734263" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Hundreds of Philippine football fans celebrated wildly and some cried after the country's historic first World Cup win on Tuesday.