Philippines team causes great controversy

Despite showing good form and being able to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup, the Philippines team still causes controversy among fans.

The Philippines is famous for its naturalization policy.

In Group A of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, the Philippines maintained their top spot after a 4-1 win over Timor Leste on October 9. With this victory, the Philippines has 7 points, equal with second-placed Tajikistan, but the Southeast Asian representative is ranked higher thanks to a better goal difference.

It is worth mentioning that in the list of 24 Philippine players participating in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers this month, head coach Carles Cuadrat did not call up any players currently playing in the domestic league. In fact, this team only called up 3 talents who were trained in the country. This is rare for an Asian team. Even Indonesia called up a few players currently playing in the country in the list of 24 names.

The fact that the Philippines currently has no players playing domestically has caused a stir among fans. Some have supported the idea that this is a realistic way for them to compete: "We've been doing this for over 15 years. The Philippines is not a football country, but there are many players living abroad who are willing to contribute," one fan wrote.

There are also concerns about the development of domestic football: "This could weaken the domestic league, but with the current quality, this is probably the only option."

The Manila Times said the current state of the national team could discourage the local youth and weaken the PFL, which is trying to professionalize. "Without opportunities for the national team, who will invest in local training?", the Philippine news site commented.

Source: https://znews.vn/tuyen-philippines-gay-tranh-cai-lon-post1593225.html