MAKATI Football Club (MFC) is making young football players’ dreams come to reality.
Aside from winning the Boys 13’s (2006) Cup gold medal in the recently-concluded JSSL Singapore Professional Academy 7s in Singapore, MFC’s Boys 16’s (2003) side has something to cherish of.
After topping the group stage, MFC put a valiant stand and eventually won the silver medal, having a rare opportunity to play against Perth Glory FC Academy — Australia’s top-flight youth professional team.
“In the boys 16 division, those who top their division automatically qualifies into the 16 year old Pro division. Our boys were able to get a once in a lifetime opportunity to play against a pro team (Perth Glory FC from Australia),” said SeLu Lozano, chief operating officer of MFC.
“Some of these players will most probably be in the Australian national team and will eventually be competing in the World Cup. It is a dream experience for some of our youth players involved here.”
Adri Caraig, an Antipolo native whose brothers were all part of MFC, was delighted to be given a chance to showcase their talents in the biggest youth football tournament in Asia.
“It feels good to prove that we, Filipinos, can play a high level of football. This JSSL tournament gave a chance to experience the level of intensity of play in the professional division. My team and I worked hard to reach the finals. It is our chemistry and dedication that brought us to the much awaited pro division,“ said Caraig, who has been training with the seniors men’s professional team Stallions Laguna FC as part of his preparation for the tournament.
An MFC scholar like his brothers Jian (2004) and Jigs (2008), Caraig is currently studying in De La Salle Zobel where Lozano is managing the varsity teams, bringing his top players and giving them opportunity to get scholarship through sports.
MFC has played a very important role in developing young football athletes in Philippines since 1976, founded by its president Tomas Lozano, a former Real Madrid FC player.
