The Filipinas’ rise to the world rankings was not an overnight success nor was it made up of handed opportunities. It was slow and painful, and every minute had to be earned.

In 2023, the Philippine women’s national football team was one of the busiest squads, which it fittingly concluded with a jump to an all-time high No. 38 in the world rankings last December.

However, with a basketball-crazed nation such as the Philippines which has lacked affinity to football in recent years, let alone its women’s team, some convincing was needed to drum up support.

The Filipinas’ historic 2023 campaign was a culmination of their hard work just a year prior – as the first Philippine squad to qualify for the World Cup, male or female, bringing home a bronze medal from the 31st Southeast Asian Games and emerging to the top of the AFF Women’s Championship for the country’s maiden title in a major international football tournament.

When the Philippines took down Chinese Taipei in a dramatic penalty shootout in the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in India to earn its maiden World Cup berth, still, the support didn’t come around.

But that all changed when the Filipinas captured their first-ever victory in the Women’s World Cup against tournament co-host New Zealand off a Sarina Bolden header in the 24th minute of the match. 

In front of the hometown bets, the Philippines defeated the odds against them.

The Filipinas were simply everywhere leading up to the World Cup and onwards, finally earning support and relevance.

As the year 2024 rolls around, it should only get better.