After months of build-up, the Philippine Women’s National Team made history after clinching a memorable first win over hosts New Zealand, 1-0, at the Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.
Twenty-three players carried the Philippine flag on the world stage. The line-up was revealed through a video presentation that was met positively by Filipino football fans.
Get to know more about the players behind the historic appearance in the Fifa event.
Olivia McDaniel
The Philippines won't even be in the World Cup without McDaniel - the hero in the Filipinas' quarterfinal win over Chinese Taipei with her two saves, and a goal in the penalty shootout. The 25-year-old McDaniel is part of a football-playing family (more on that later) and will soon play locally when she sees action for Stallion Laguna in the PFF Women's League.
Malea Cesar
The 19-year-old Cesar, born to a Filipino father in Newport Beach California, is one of the youngsters of the team who also made their debut in the AFC Women's Asian Cup. Still in her teens, Cesar is already playing semi-professional football with Blacktown City in Australia.
Jessika Cowart
Before her stint with the Filipinas, the 22-year-old played at NCAA Division I Washington State where her skills enabled her to win the 2019 Husky Invitational Defensive MVP. Cowart also excelled in academics, being part of the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll during her senior year and the Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention. She plays professional football in Sweden.
Jaclyn Sawicki
The world stage won't be the first for the 30-year-old Sawicki, who previously played for Canada in the Fifa U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan in 2012. Ten years later, Sawicki decided to represent her mother's heritage. Her leadership is proven by her appointment as captain of Australia side Western United during their first-ever season.
Hali Long
Long, 28, has seen it all in Philippine women's football, having played for 72 international matches with the squad as of this writing. One of the voices of the team, Long has been with the Filipinas since 2016 after her college stint with Little Rock Trojans. Long has also been the face of the team, mostly showing up in their commitments outside football. She plays locally with Kaya FC-Iloilo.
Tahnai Annis
The eldest in the team at aged 34, Annis is be one of the leaders of the Filipinas in their bid for a respectable showing in the world stage. Played for Florida in the US NCAA Division 1, Annis has been serving the Philippine team as the midfielder since the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup. She is also an advocate of the LGBTQ+ community who is seeking equality in sports.
Sarina Bolden
Bolden is the most prolific scorer of the Filipinas with 22 goals over the course of her five-year career with the national squad. One of her goals include the clincher that sent the Philippines to the World Cup during the penalty shootout against Chinese Taipei. She had a tournament-high seven goals during the Philippines' conquest of the 2022 AFF Women's Championship. A product of Loyola Marymount in the United States, the 27-year-old Bolden is currently playing for Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia.
Sara Eggesvik
Architect of a couple of memorable goals of the Filipinas as their midfielder since her inclusion in the team in 2022, Eggesvik had brief stints with Norway's U-19 and U-23 team before her move to the Philippines where her mother is born. The 26-year-old Eggesvik is one of the best in the team in setting up scoring chances for her teammates. She plays professional ball with KIL/Hemne in Norway.
Isabella Flanigan
Flanigan has been a vital piece to the Philippine football program so much so that after her Filipinas' seniors stint in the 2022 AFF Women's Championship, she immediately played for the Under-18 team in Indonesia days later. She will be entering her first year in college and will play for West Virginia during the coming athletic season in the NCAA.
Chandler McDaniel
Sister of Olivia, the 25-year-old McDaniel is back in the Filipinas roster after sustaining an ACL injury during the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup. She started the tone for her team during that competition, scoring the lone goal in the Philippines' win over Thailand in their first match before her unfortunate injury.
Anicka Castaneda
One of the homegrown talents of the team, Castaneda has been with the Filipinas since 2017 in her first year in college with De La Salle University. The 23-year-old Castaneda has the Mount Druitt Town Rangers as her club team in Australia.
Ryley Bugay
The 27-year-old Bugay booked a spot in the Filipinas' World Cup squad in the middle of pursuing a medical degree at Indiana University. She has been with the national squad since 2018 following her stay with Marquette where she was played a key role as midfielder for the squad.
Angela Beard
Beard will be one of the major players to watch as she makes her Filipinas debut in the Fifa Women's World Cup. The 25-year-old defender played for Australia just two years ago before choosing to represent the country of her mother who is from Cebu. With her experience professionally most notably with the Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory, Beard will surely be a welcome addition of the Filipinas' backline when they play against top teams in the world.
Meryll Serrano
Serrano is one of the relatively new faces of the Filipinas, having been invited in the team's training camp a year ago. Like Eggesvik, the 25-year-old Serrano has Norwegian blood and previously played in the nation's youth teams. She is also playing club football in Norway with Stabaek Fotball Kvinner.
Carleigh Frilles
Born in Virginia in the United States, Frilles has been representing the Philippines since she was 14 years old. Still in college, the 21-year-old Frilles recently transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University in the Atlantic 10 after her stint with Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the Sun Belt Conference of the NCAA Division 1.
Sofia Harrison
Harrison has been defending the Philippines' backline since 2018, having played for 34 international matches with the squad. She was still in college back then playing for Slippery Rock University, a Division II NCAA school. The 24-year-old recently competed professional football in Germany with Werder Bremen in Germany last year.
Alicia Barker
Another reinforcement at the back, the 25-year-old Barker will play for the Philippines in a major tournament for the first time after being part of the training camp last December. Four years ago, Barker finished her career with Illinois in the US NCAA Division 1 where she was one of the top defenders of the Big Ten Conference.
Kaiya Jota
The youngest in the team, the 17-year-old goalkeeper also has the distinction as the tallest player in the Fifa Women's World Cup at 1.90 meters (6-foot-3), according to Fifa. Called up to the Filipinas last October, Jota has committed to play for Stanford in the NCAA to start off her college career.
Dom Randle
Randle debuted for the Philippines during their historic campaign in the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, displaying her stellar defense to the team during the tournament. The 28-year-old plays professionally in Iceland after being with University of Southern California in the NCAA six years ago.
Quinley Quezada
Quezada forms part of the Filipinas frontline alongside Sarina Bolden, who both have 22 goals in their international career. After her college career with UC Riverside, the 26-year-old Quezada joined the Philippine national team during the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup. She plays for Red Star Belgrade in the Serbia professional league, but once played for Japan with Bolden, becoming the first set of Filipinas to play in that country.
Katrina Gillou
Guillou made her Filipinas debut during the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup, years after sending highlights of her play in Sweden to the Philippine Football Federation. The 29-year-old has since become an integral part of the midfield where she is also a scoring threat. She is still playing professional football in Sweden with Pitea IF.
Kiara Fontanilla
Another goalkeeper for the Filipinas, Fontanilla, 22, saw action during the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup against Australia where she had a clean sheet in the first half until Sam Kerr and the rest of the Matilda came away with a 4-0 win. Her club is Central Coast Mariners, one of the couple of Filipinas who ply their trade in Australia.
Reina Bonta
Bonta got the Filipinas call-up after a stint with Ivy League school Yale University where her credentials include an All-East second team distinction and All-Ivy selection. Bonta's father is a California attorney general who has Filipino blood, while her mother is an assemblywoman in the state. Outside football, Bonta, 24, is also a filmmaker and one of her works is the movie 'Lahi.'