The U12 squad of the Bella Football Academy posted an impressive victory in the CMC Youth Football International Tournament in Chiang Mai, Thailand from 15 to 16 February.

But for Miranda Tarrayo, the most rewarding part of their victory wasn’t the championship. It was the journey laced with overwhelming support from their parents, teammates and coaches.

“We had a lot of fun playing together as a team. We are also proud of ourselves,” the 11-year-old Tarrayo, one of the club’s first few members, said in an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE recently.

“Also, another rewarding part was that we won and that our hard work and training paid off.”

Aside from Tarrayo, also part of this milestone achievement were her teammates in Lauren Galgana, Shiloh Maliwat, Sophia Adarlo, Lucy Lomibao, Gab Jegonia, Lexi Laiz, Alodia del Castillo, Joanna Gregorio, Eleana Ayesa, Lucy Consing, and Ziva Cancio under head coach Let Dimzon.

They swept all of their six matches in the four-team competition that featured United Kingdom Football Academy of Hong Kong, Agape of Thailand and Hong Kong United.

It was the first time for them to compete in an international girls’ division. Prior to this tourney, they only competed in mixed-gender events, which truly put their grit and determination to a serious test.

In fact, last year, they fell short of winning the 7s League before bouncing back with a fourth-place finish in the Cup category of the Bangkok Supercup tournament. They also competed as an all-girls team in mixed divisions in various local tournaments in which they managed to secure several podium finishes.

“Their commitment to the sport and to each other has made all the difference,” Bella Football Academy said in a social media post, expressing gratitude for the experiences that have shaped the team.

The club also reaffirmed its commitment to providing its players with opportunities to develop, learn, and compete at even higher levels.

Tarrayo said Bella has played a pivotal role in her love for the sport as it helped her grow as a player and made training sessions truly enjoyable.

“My time with Bella helped me grow my love for football because they train me very well and I like going to training because I like the coaches and my teammates,” said Tarrayo, one of the club’s first few members.

One of the team’s most memorable moments came when they lifted the championship trophy together, celebrating with cheers of “Vamos Vamos Bella!”

Tarrayo hopes to continue growing alongside her teammates and achieving even greater success.

“My hopes are that we continue to win in the tournaments that we join and have lots of fun playing together,” she said.

“I hope that I continue to develop more skills and we all get better as a team.”

True enough, with dedication and passion, these young booters have proven that they are a team to watch — both now and in the future.