Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Patrick “Pato” Gregorio’s faith in the national team had never wavered despite a fruitless performance in the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup recently.
Shortly after the Filipina5 absorbed a 1-5 loss to world No. 6 Argentina in the final game of preliminaries, Gregorio took the opportunity to tell them to keep believing regardless of what the results were.
“I was looking at Team Argentina. Nothing is different, same size, same physique. The only thing that’s different is they’ve been doing it for 50 years,” Gregorio said.
“But if we put our minds and hearts into this, can we do it? Yes.”
Isabella Bandoja provided the Filipina5’s lone strike in their final bow of the prestigious tourney backed by the PSC and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF).
The goal caught the Filipino crowd in a frenzy and electrified the ultras with their chants and songs as it gave the team a moment of triumph against one of the sport’s giants.
“This is historic, right? We hosted the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup. And we played so well,” Gregorio told the team.
Gregorio’s message carried a broader vision. He explained why the Philippines had invested in hosting the World Cup: To develop futsal, to prove Filipinos can excel, and to showcase the country.
He recalled his late-night meeting with International Football Federation president Gianni Infantino, where he pressed the case for football in the Philippines.
“We admit that football is the No. 1 sport in the world. But how come we cannot engage and convince 112 million Filipinos to play the sport? How come football is not in the top three sports in the Philippines?” Gregorio asked.
Infantino, he said, pledged to help make football a top three sport in the country with help from the PSC and the PFF.
“Because I believe in you, you have to believe, too. And if you believe, 112 million Filipinos will believe. And we’re proud of you,” Gregorio told the team.
He closed with a reminder of Carlos Yulo’s rise in gymnastics — from “zero” to double Olympic gold medalist in less than a decade — proof that belief and support can elevate a sport to global heights.
PFF president John Gutierrez, who joined the team in the dugout along with PFF secretary general Angelico “Gelix” Mercader, echoed Gregorio’s message of belief and resilience.
“This goal is more than history, it is a statement that Filipinas can compete with the best. The PFF will continue to stand behind this team and ensure that futsal grows stronger in the Philippines. With heart, discipline, and belief, we can achieve more,” Gutierrez said.