Camille Naredo

The Philippine men's national football team. Handout/PFF

The Philippine men's national football team.

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1775989200338att.DKb3GW8I38GHmdpzXnJ-oyzVYYVasXz2YaybwF4-vGM.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The Philippine men&#x27;s national football team. Handout/PFF" width="960"/>The Philippine men&#x27;s national football team. Handout/PFF</div>MANILA -- Coach Carles Cuadrat believes that the Philippine men&#x27;s national football team is still on an upward trajectory, even after they fell short of qualifying for next year&#x27;s AFC Asian Cup.A 1-1 draw against Tajikistan earlier this month dashed the Philippines&#x27; chances of advancing to the tournament next year in Saudi Arabia.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/4/1/heartbreak-for-ph-men-as-draw-with-tajikistan-ends-asian-cup-hopes-0035">READ: Heartbreak for PH men as draw with Tajikistan ends Asian Cup hopes</a></div>The Philippines needed a win in order to progress out of their group but they could not find the go-ahead goal in the second half against the hosts. Despite the result, Cuadrat believes that their campaign in the qualifiers was a significant step in the development of the team, with key players making their debuts and establishing themselves as contributors -- including Randy Schneider, Jossef Baccay, Andre Leopold, and Raphael Obermair. Meanwhile, their talent pool is also expanding thanks to young talents like Bjorn Kristensen, Sandro Reyes, and Dylan Demuynck, while MLS stalwarts Nick and Anthony Markanich are potential additions as their eligibility is being processed.&quot;We are awaiting the early issuance of the passports of the Markanich brothers, who could greatly strengthen the team,&quot; said Cuadrat.&quot;In short, recent and very interesting additions lead us to believe that we have a group of players in a growth phase, who should allow us to compete at a high level in the official tournaments that will be coming up for us in the next few months,&quot; he added.Cuadrat expressed confidence that continuity within the core members of the squad and the gradual integration of new talent will further elevate the team’s competitive level.&quot;Our team has had [a] consistent core of players for over 12 months, with few changes and very well-defined playing system. They have already mastered the automatic movements of the game, and we know exactly what each one can contribute. They arrive with match fitness and in excellent physical condition, so they don’t need a friendly match in that situation,&quot; Cuadrat explained.Up next for the team is the June FIFA window, where new players are expected to join.Preparations will also begin in earnest for upcoming competitions, including the Hyundai Cup, where the Philippines aims to build on its current momentum.&quot;It will be interesting for us to play the two matches scheduled for June during the next FIFA window, to prepare well for the Hyundai Cup tournament with this new group of players,&quot; said Cuadrat.&quot;We should be optimistic about the future of Philippine football, because we are experiencing a period of growth unlike anything we&#x27;ve seen in a long time,&quot; he also said. The coach&#x27;s optimism is shared by PFF President John Gutierrez, who said: &quot;Our men&#x27;s national team has shown that Philippine football is on a clear upward path, with performances that reflect both quality and character.&quot;

Coach Carles Cuadrat believes that the Philippine men's national football team is still on an upward trajectory, even after they fell short of qualifying for next year's AFC Asian Cup.

Coach Carles Cuadrat believes that the Philippine men's national football team is still on an upward trajectory, even after they fell short of qualifying for next year's AFC Asian Cup.

Coach upbeat about PH men's football team despite falling short of Asian Cup

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Coach upbeat about PH men's football team despite falling short of Asian Cup

ABS-CBN News

Published April 12, 2026 06:28 PM PHT

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football

AFC Asian Cup

Philippine men's national football team

PMNFT

Philippine Football Federation

PFF

Carles Cuadrat

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