FOOTBALL transcends beyond as a sport — it is a movement centred on connection. Today, the world celebrates National Football Day to honor not only football players but also their coaches, fans, and the communities that  support the sport.

Football unites people not only on the field, but also in different facets of life. From schoolyards to provincial tournaments to nationwide leagues, it serves as a platform for strangers to be one with the team they’re rooting for, and for adversaries to form friendships with one another. 

More than a game, football could build discipline, belonging and community.

A Sport That Prevailed Through Time

Football was introduced to the Philippines in 1895 by English expatriates, with Filipino students returning from China and Hong Kong. The sport began moving through the capital with the formation of clubs such as the Manila Sporting Club and the Manila Jockey Club, both of which started in 1906. 

However, political conflicts and the Spanish-American War in 1898 caused numerous teams to suspend activity. 

Before we had Ronaldo, Messi, Kaka, and Neymar Jr., there was Paulino Alcántara, a Filipino-Spanish football player who led the Philippine national team to victories, like in the Far Eastern Championship Games, which were held every 2 years spanning from 1913 to 1938, and included a single team representing their respective countries, like China, and Japan.

The Philippine national football team's performance during this time achieved significant success in the early 20th century, most notably winning the first Far Eastern Championship Games in 1913 by beating China and Japan in 1917 with a score of 15-2, which remains the Philippines' biggest win in international football.

Starting from the 1920s,  Club-based teams from schools such as Ateneo FC, University of Santo Tomas, and the San Beda Athletic Club from San Beda University began taking a more active role in the game of football. However, over time, football lost ground to progress and popularity due to a plethora of existing sports. Since around the 2000s, both domestic organizations and international clubs have emphasized the resurgence of football through a myriad of local development programs and exposure.

Stories Over The Field

Football thrives on people and the stories they bring to the field. For Clark Martinez (III-BSIT), football became a part of his healing journey. “May cancer ako nung nag start ako mag football,” he shared. It was exercise, but it was also motivation. He started playing football to join his cousin, and eventually it became his passion, and he was able to join a team. He found strength not only in recovery but in solidarity.

Training with teammates became a way to relate. “Mas nakikilala n’yo po yung isa’t isa... hindi lang teammates, pati opponents nagiging kaibigan din,” he said. Clark shared how football has the power to create communities through shared experience, respect for one another, and mutual love for the game, even at its most competitive level. 

To Clark, football isn’t about medals. It was about the movement; it was something that made him feel alive again, and it was in 2020 that Clark fully recovered and continued doing what he loves.

On the other hand,  football started with curiosity with Liana Yesha Natividad (II-BSP). A P.E. teacher recruited her for her height and encouraged her to try futsal, which is the indoor version of football. What began as “just for fun” became serious for her. “Nag promise ako sa sarili ko na seseryosohin ko na,” she recalls. Along the way, football became her source of income, her circle, and her reason to keep moving forward.

But her journey wasn’t without setbacks. In 2024, during the final match day of the NCAA South, she suffered a major knee injury. “Pagbukas ko ng MRI results... parang nag stop mundo ko,” she said. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament tear ended her senior tournament and complicated her college tryouts and national team opportunities. Still, Liana stuck with the game. Currently, she is recovering and getting support from her coach and teammates. 

“That crash does not define who you are, but how you respond to it,” she said. 

Stronger in the Same Direction

What makes football matter isn't what it gives, but who you become with others beside you. Clark found his footing on the team. Liana found her voice in resilience. Both of them still carry the game, with different goals but the same grit.

This year’s National Football Day is more than just the sport’s history. It’s about the people. From past legends to current youth players, from school leagues to national coaches, football thrives because it builds bridges. It connects strangers through a pass, a goal, a loss, or a win. It asks you to show up for others, and also to show up for yourself.

“Together, We Are Stronger” isn’t just the theme for National Football Day—it’s the reality lived by every athlete, coach, and fans. Afterall,  in football, as in life, we tackle one goal at a time, together.