The Philippines have participated in all but one ASEAN Championship over the years – making their appearance in the 2024 edition their 14th in Southeast Asia's prestigious tournament.
However, having failed to make it to the semi-finals in the last two editions, the team, now managed by Albert Capellas, will be eager to reclaim their place among the top sides in the region with at least a return to the semi-finals at the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024.
Tournament Record
Semi-finals (4): 2018, 2014, 2012, 2010
Tournament Highlights
The Philippines established themselves as one of the best sides in Southeast Asia during the 2010s, making it to the semi-finals of the ASEAN Championship on four of the five occasions between 2010 and 2018. They had failed to make it past the group stage in six consecutive appearances in the tournament starting 1996.
Failing to qualify for the main event for the first time in 2008, a new-look Philippines announced themselves in style, reaching their first-ever semi-final in 2010 with a 2-0 win against Vietnam. After further knockout stage appearances in 2012, 2014 and 2018, a Philippines side in transition under Albert Capellas will set their sights on reclaiming their former glory.
Head Coach: Albert Capellas
Spanish coach Albert Capellas has plenty of experience at the highest level of the sport, working at Barcelona's famed academy at La Masia for more than a decade and helping bring through talents like Andres Iniesta. He then went on to serve as the assistant at Vitesse, Brondby, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Borussia Dortmund and Chongqing Dangdai Lifan between 2010 and 2019.
He then returned to Barcelona to take charge of their reserve team in 2021 before becoming the manager at Denmark's FC Midtjylland before joining the Philippines as an assistant earlier this year. He was named their new head coach in September and will hope to guide them to another semi-final this time.
One To Watch: Jefferson Tabinas
Jefferson Tabinas began his professional career with Kawasaki Frontale before going on loan to FC Gifu and Gamba Osaka. But it was at Japanese second-division side Mito HollyHock that he really established himself as a solid defender. Those performances earned him a call-up to the Philippines national team in 2021 and made his debut under head coach Scott Cooper against China PR.
He scored his first international goal against Malaysia in September before adding another against Tajikistan in October. The 26-year-old's brother, Paul, is also a Philippines international and plays his club football in Croatia with HNK Vukovar 1991.
The Legend: Phil Younghusband
Phil Younghusband scored in every ASEAN Championship between 2010 and 2018 as the Philippines reached the semi-finals four times during that period. He made his international debut in 2005 and scored 52 goals in 108 appearances -- both records for the nation, while also captaining them from 2016 up until their first-ever AFC Asian Cup appearance in 2019.
Born in Surrey to an English father and a Filipino mother, Younghusband honed his footballing skills at the Chelsea academy before he received a call-up to the Philippines under-23 side in 2005. He moved to the Philippines to play for San Beda in 2009 and played his club football in the country until his retirement.
Did You Know?
The Philippines national team was Swedish tactician Sven-Goran Eriksson's final job in management as he took charge of the team in 2018. The former Serie A and UEFA Cup winner guided them to the knockout stages of the 2018 ASEAN Championship while also being in charge during their debut AFC Asian Cup campaign in the United Arab Emirates.
Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ Fixtures
Philippines vs Myanmar (12 December, 2024)
Laos vs Philippines (15 December, 2024)
Philippines vs Vietnam (18 December, 2024)
Indonesia vs Philippines (21 December, 2024)
Photo: Philippine Football Federation
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