This is the first time a Philippine team of either gender will play at a World Cup.
For the first time in history, the Philippines is bound for the World Cup thanks to the women’s national football team known by fans as the “Malditas.”
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The team’s entry ticket into the FIFA Women’s World Cup came with their January 30 victory against Chinese Taipei at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 quarter-finals.
Prior to this, no team of any gender in the Philippines had ever secured a spot in the most prestigious football competition.
Their quarter-finals win also means they will proceed to the Asian Cup’s semi-finals for the first time ever on February 3, facing off against Korea Republic.
The Philippines, Korea, China, and Japan are the first among 32 nations to secure qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand have automatically qualified as co-hosts of the competition to take place between July 20 to August 20, 2023.
Here’s what you should know about the Philippine women’s national football team.
Who are the Malditas?
Although the team is nicknamed “Malditas,” their former head coach Marlon Maro discouraged people from using it as a reference due to perceived negative connotation.
“I told the team that we have to stop using by our mouth this ‘maldita’ word…I’m using this platform now that as coach of the team to stop using the word maldita, because these are not maldita players, they are beautiful, they are intelligent, and are very disciplined,” he said during the October 2021 Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
They are instead referred to by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) as the “Philippines Women’s National Team.”
The team is placed 64th in the FIFA Women’s Ranking as of December 2021, marking their highest ranking to date.
Dream girls
The Philippines was a single win away from the Women’s World Cup qualification in 2018.
With their first such appearance in 15 years, the country reached the play-off for the final ticket to France in 2019 but bowed down to Korea.
The team’s lone football medal in the South East Asian (SEA) Games was achieved in 1985 where they finished bronze.
Women of the match
The PFF enlisted 23 players to form the final squad for the Asian Cup.
Team captain, Tahnai Annis, leads the team alongside defender Hali Long.
It was returning forward Sarina Bolden who netted the winning penalty that will bring the team to the World Cup.
However, it was goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel who made her presence known during the qualifying match with two key penalty saves coupled with slotting her penalty kick.
Also making her return to the lineup was forward Quinley Quezada, who scored the country’s opening goal within the first minutes of the second half.
Rounding out the squad are goalkeepers Inna Palacios and Kiara Fontanilla; defenders Dominque Randle, Tara Shelton, Kristen Bugay, Morgan Brown, Isabella Flanigan, Sofia Harrison, and Katrina Guillou; midfielders Malea Cesar, Kathleen Rodriguez, Jessica Miclat, Anicka Castañeda, Sara Castañeda, and Keanne Alamo; and forwards Chandler McDaniel, Carleigh Frilles, and Eva Madarang.
Ready, set, goal!
The girls’ historic feat at the Asian Cup 2022 is also partly credited to their head coach, Alen Stajcic, who was appointed by the PFF in late 2021.
This marks Stajcic’s third consecutive time coaching in the World Cup after leading Australia in 2015 and 2019. Aside from leading Australia’s Matildas into two World Cup qualifications, including reaching the quarterfinals in 2015, he led the team to a 2016 Olympics berth for the first time in 12 years in Rio, where they reached the quarter-finals as well.
The head coach credited everyone who contributed to the team along the way in the past decade.
“The players know who they are, whether it’s their family, friends, or previous coaches. That’s the testament to the hard work that has been done by everyone,” Stajcic said in a statement.
The said players have been training in California since early November prior to the continental competition.
Banner Photo by the Philippine Football Federation
