11-year-old Pinoy beats football superstar Lamine Yamal

“Nagulat (Shocked).”

Eleven-year-old Filipino football fan Sam Suguran seemed to be still in a state of shock as he shyly answered about meeting football superstar Lamine Yamal in Barcelona, Spain. That he met one of the world’s best football players is one thing — but to have beat him in a game is another feat that actually demands an exclamation point to come with “shocked!”

“I started playing football when I was eight years old,” Suguran shared at a recent press conference organized by his Barcelona trip sponsor, GoTyme Bank.

“He started only three years ago and he already met the football star Lamine Yamal,” the event’s host commented.

When asked how the meeting went, Suguran said in almost a whisper: “Okay lang po (It was okay).”

But when the event host confirmed if the 11-year-old indeed beat Yamal in a friendly match, the Pinoy lad declared with much gusto: “Yes!”

Suguran, who trains with Arayat Athletics Academy in Pampanga, dreams of joining the Philippine national football team someday.

“Definitely, Spain!” he said when asked where he would like to play football again.

Like Suguran, anyone can make their football dreams come true as GoTyme Bank recently launched its partnership with Visa for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup 2026.

GoTyme Bank chief executive officer Nate Clarke, in a speech, said that the partnership aims to bring football fans closer to watch, celebrate and experience the beautiful game of football.

The World Cup is one of the most-widely watched sporting events in history, and “this year’s event is expected to have more viewers around the world than any event in the history of humankind ever,” Clarke claimed.

Hosted across the United States, Mexico and Canada, the tournament will feature a record-breaking 48 teams competing in 104 matches. FIFA projects that billions of viewers around the world will tune in via broadcast and streaming, potentially setting new global viewership records. The tournament will kick off on 11 June and conclude with the final on 19 July in New York/New Jersey, drawing millions of fans to stadiums and fan events across North America.

“Every four years, many Filipinos watch the World Cup and follow it. However, it’s very out of reach. We watch it on YouTube, we watch it on TV, devices. We’ve never been there. And today, GoTyme, Visa and FIFA are going to change that. We’re going to give GoTyme customers the chance to win trips to LA or New York to watch the FIFA World Cup,” Clarke declared.

“Visa and FIFA have a long, shared history of promoting football culture and celebrating football talent through the power of payments. We are committed to connecting fans to the moments that matter most, and the FIFA World Cup 2026 is one of the world’s most anticipated sporting events. We are amplifying this partnership through the collaboration with GoTyme Bank, reflecting our shared goal of expanding access and enabling more Filipinos to participate in the global football experience. Together, we are enabling secure and seamless digital payments to unlock meaningful opportunities for cardholders across the Philippines,” Jeffrey Navarro, Visa’s Country manager for the Philippines, added in a statement.

GoTyme Bank cardholders who use their GoTyme Bank Visa debit card will have the opportunity to experience the tournament live, marking a significant milestone for the bank as it aligns itself with one of the world’s most recognized sporting events and expands its presence on the global stage.

All card types (Classic, Pitch Black and Trophy Gold) are randomly distributed at kiosks nationwide, with the Trophy Gold card being much rarer, making it a coveted collector’s item. Existing cardholders can upgrade to a limited-edition card for a P200 replacement fee, with the new card printed in under five minutes at participating kiosks. The fly-off promo runs until 7 May for Classic and Pitch Black cardholders for a chance to win trips to the FIFA World Cup Group Stage, while the Trophy Gold promo runs until 10 June for a chance to win a trip to the FIFA World Cup Final.

The Trophy Gold card is exceptionally rare, approximately one in 20,000 cards nationwide, and comes with no minimum spend requirement. Simply obtaining a gold card automatically qualifies the cardholder for the grand prize raffle draw. One Trophy Gold cardholder will win an all-expense-paid trip for two to attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final in New York City, also with roundtrip business class seats.

In addition to the Grand Prizes, customers will also have the chance to receive exclusive World Cup Visa Premium merchandise.

Last month, GoTyme launched the promo and the partnership by sending Suguran and another Filipino football fan to train and hangout for a day in Barcelona with Yamal, who plays as a right midfielder or right winger for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. 

According to Clarke, Yamal is the “greatest football player alive today,” while Suguran is a “typical 11-year-old — he’s an avid football player” who picked up his passion for the sport “by watching YouTube” and “stealing moments” to play football before and after school. From just kicking a ball with friends, Suguran, indeed, has come a long way.

Although halfway the world apart, Yamal and Suguran have something in common besides football that everyone should also have. As Clarke said, it is “dreaming about the future.”