John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

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Neil Etheridge

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1780392426012I start with a massive thank you to all the supporters that turned out to yesterday’s game. The.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former national team captain Neil Etheridge. <em>Photo from Etheridge/Instagram</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Veteran goalkeeper Neil Etheridge has retired from national team duty.</p><p>The goalkeeper announced the development Monday in an Instagram post, reflecting on his 18-year run with the Philippine squad.</p><p>“Love &amp; Heartbreak, Passion &amp; Desire, I never stopped caring, I always gave everything for the team and the country,” he said.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZDCno2zii2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZDCno2zii2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"><br/></div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><br/></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;line-height:18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a><div style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZDCno2zii2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Neil Etheridge (@neil38etheridge)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>“Time away and things that I had to experience along the way with teammates that no one other than my teammates would understand. I don’t regret any of my decisions.”</p><p>Etheridge, now 36, made a total of 82 appearances in a span of almost two decades of service to the flag.</p><p>“I don’t regret any of my decisions. At the age of 18 I made my decision to play for the Philippines.. Qualified for the first time ever to the Asian Cup for the country. First Filipino player to ever play in the Premier League!” he said.</p><p>He also thanked his supporters in the same social media post.</p><p>“Thank you to all the supporters who have been along with me on the journey. I hope that the journey continues in a positive way.”</p><p>Etheridge leaves as one of the biggest stars in Philippine football, helping the national team to a silver medal finish in 2014, bronze medal in 2012, and a breakthrough appearance at the AFC Asian Cup in 2019.</p>

Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge retires from PH national football team

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Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge retires from PH national football team

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 02, 2026 05:36 PM PHT

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Neil Etheridge

football

Philippine men's national football team

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