Torcaso wants Filipinas to keep pushing forward

Filipinas head coach is not resting on his laurels.

After crashing the world top 40 at No. 39 in the FIFA ratings, the Filipinas are looking at going further as they rev up for next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

The lofty ranking was made possible by the Filipinas’ victory over Uzbekistan in a play-in match of the AFC Asian Cup in Australia last March.

“We’re pretty proud of the FIFA ranking. Over the last couple of months, we’ve been working towards getting back in the top 40,” Torcaso said.

“That shows the commitment that everyone has put into this national team, not only in recent times, but over the last four to ten years. So we’re really excited by constantly moving up the rankings and we want to keep pushing more and more.”

Torcaso said they are making sure they are monitoring the progress of each player to make sure the squad that will fly to Brazil will be able to razor-sharp.

“Proper preparation is not just about playing more games, it’s about having the players in the best possible condition, physically and mentally, and ensuring they are performing consistently at their clubs,” Torcaso said.

“We are building a program where every detail matters.”

The Filipinas will have a lot of chances to improve as they plan to have friendly matches in their camps.

Their early test for the World Cup would be the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, as they look to improve from their Round of 16 finish in 2023 in Hangzhou, China.