Sandro Reyes: The Philippines' Shining Starboy
After winning against Maldives last March 25, the Philippines continues its bid for a spot in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup on June 10 as it faces Tajikistan in the qualifiers at the New Clark City Stadium in Capas, Tarlac.
Last week, this series 'Faces of Filipino Football' put the spotlight on one of the team's veterans in Jarvey Gayoso. [READ | Jarvey Gayoso: Man of Magis]
Now, here's one of the Philippines' pride in global football: Sandro Reyes.
Talking to Sandro Reyes is like talking to a ball of energy.
When this writer interviewed Sandro virtually, the 22-year old Philippine National Football Team seemed to be in a particularly energetic mood, popping in and out of the screen throughout.
He was playful with his answers, too. Asked who for him was the most beautiful person, since football is known as 'the beautiful game', he answered his teammate Oskari Kekkonen's name before laughing it off afterwards.
Perhaps it was that same energy that allowed him to discover and excel in the sport at an early age.
At four years old, Sandro already showed interest in football, thanks to his cousin Patsy, a former women's national team player, who influenced him to check the sport. Thanks to his dad Edmund, he learned at an early age who Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were, both of whom eventually became young Sandro's idols.
And thanks to his friends at Southridge in Muntinlupa, Sandro started to get a taste of football training.
From being a young football wonder in Alabang, Sandro has come a long way — quite literally — to become one of Philippine football's brightest stars. Some fans have even started calling him by an auspicious nickname: 'Starboy.'
From Southridge to Spain
Southridge holds a special spot in Sandro's heart.
The Filipino football player shone first in Southridge, together with his friends who tried out the sport.
'My best friends before in Southridge also say that they're the ones who made me start. I was four years old in Southridge and it was just the two of them and me in my first training in Southridge,' Sandro told GMA News Online.
'We were just three people with one coach. Yeah, so that's how I started. And [it] slowly just grew into a loving game and slowly watched the games on TV with my dad a lot.'
Sandro, though, has always been a standout and not just because of his talent on the pitch.
'In fact, honor student siya, consistent. Simula nung nagsimula siya sa prep hanggang ngayon sa Grade Four,' said Luden Salamat, then grade school principal of Southridge, told GMA News in 2012.
Ryan Lorenzo, Sandro's football coach 13 years ago, saw how the young star excelled in a certain aspect of the sport.
'Si Sandro 'yung tipo ng player na magaling talaga sa positioning,' Lorenzo said then.
But at just nine years old, Sandro left Southridge to travel to Spain to further develop his talents in football after receiving a scholarship in FC Barcelona Escola.
'I just went to an FC Barcelona Escola camp in Singapore and the coaches recommended that I maybe do some trials in Spain. And then I think when I got in, then it was a no-brainer,' Sandro recalled.
'During my trials, it was my first time to see a proper football country, the true football, the love for football, I got to watch my first games in Camp Nou. And from there, it was a no-brainer to pursue that life.'
That journey, however, turned out to be life-changing not only for himself, but his family as well.
'My parents changed their lives for me and my siblings to be able to pursue it,' Sandro said.
'Aside from that, I was just a normal kid going to school in Spain also. It was serious, but also I was just being a kid as well at the same time.'
Far from his usual life in Muntinlupa, Sandro learned not only about football, but also the challenges of being a Filipino overseas.
'I was forced at a very, very young age to learn about independence. I think [my] life as a kid would have been very different if I was living in the Philippines when I moved at such a young age to Spain,' Sandro said.
'I was just living with my mom and my mom would go home sometimes. So I would also be alone sometimes. And, you know, the life in Europe is very different from Manila.
'There's no car, you have public transport, you just go alone everywhere at such a young age. You take care of yourself, you know, the laundry, the dishes. So just everything in general, it made me grow up much faster, I think, than I would have in Manila.'
'And I think it also really helped me in my football life. For the last three years, [I am] already living alone in Germany, [it's] not an easy country to live in. So Spain prepared me really well for times like this.'
Shining moment
While in Spain, Sandro would also play for the youth team of the Philippines before he showcased his talent locally in clubs like the Azkals Development Team and Kaya-Iloilo.
Now, Sandro is part of German club FC Gütersloh, where he plays professionally.
But many of Sandro's shining moments come for the Philippines, like in the recent ASEAN Championships where they reached the semifinals.
En route to the semis, Sandro scored one goal against Laos which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Days after that, and two days after Christmas, he and the team gift-wrapped for Philippine sports one of its best presents.
in the semis of the tourney, the Philippines beat Thailand in football, 2-1, for the first time in over five decades — a drought of 52 years.
Sandro scored the first goal of the said match at the 21st minute in front of the home crowd at the Rizal Memorial Stadium before Kike Linares sealed the victory for the Philippines at extra time.
'I dreamt of this kind of night ever since I was a young boy,' Sandro said.
'To be able to play in front of all the Filipino fans, my family, my entire family at home. It was such a big game against Thailand, semifinals. So yeah, it was a perfect night on the field, off the field.'
'Obviously, we pulled off a great win. And I have a lot of brothers, close friends on that team. And there was nothing better [than] to experience such a big win in front of our fans alongside such close friends.'
Sandro Reyes. Photo: PFF/PMNT
More than the win, Sandro said it was also about how they won, especially against a powerhouse like the Thais.
'Personally, it was the best first half that I've been a part of, a half that I've been a part of since I've played in the Philippines. It was just nice to see how we were also making Thailand suffer, such a good team like Thailand. And then obviously, the goal,' Sandro said.
'Yeah, the goal was also very special, the goal in front of our fans, my family. But the second goal, even if it was not my own, felt just as special, if not more special than my own goal, because it was the last minutes of the game and to beat Thailand. So the emotions I felt for the second goal were actually even, in my opinion, more than my own goal.'
After the whole tournament, Sandro was voted by fans to be part of the ASEAN Championship All-Star XI.
He may already be a star, but Sandro said being part of the Philippine team also means he should continue to strive and give his best.
'I have to continue to work hard and stay humble, because football humbles you very quickly if you get carried away. So I just have to continue to stay grounded so that I can continue to play well,' he said.
'But regarding pressure or anything from the outside, no, no outside pressure. Maybe, just self-inflicted pressure from my own to keep performing and keep getting better. That's the only pressure I feel.'
Bright days then, brighter days ahead
It seems like Sandro's future gets brighter each day.
Recently, Sandro, along with Amani Aguinaldo and other ASEAN football players, played against Manchester United where they won 1-0.
'A boy from Manila winning against Manchester United in front of 70,000 fans. But we keep dreaming for more,' Sandro wrote in the caption of his post.
And energetic as ever, 'Starboy' is just getting started.
'I was just a very competitive boy ever since I was a really, really young kid,' he said.
'My family was very into sports, and my father was also a very competitive guy in his own field. My mother also pushed us to be the best that we can in all the things that we do. So just from a very young age, I was very competitive already.'
'Winning is always on my mind, especially for the national team,' he added.
'When you win for your country, you're winning for the 120 million Filipinos that you're representing, and you're beating another country. So that's how important winning is for me, for the country.'
Sandro has come a long way, but he knows there's much more in store.
'[In terms of] my career, [I] just [want] to get as far as I can in Europe first and to continue to enjoy all the little and big things that football can bring because it brings so many nice nights, just like that night against Thailand, nice emotions, but also just the everyday journey and trainings and struggles,' he said.
'This is also what I want, to continue to live for as long as I can in my football career, and with the Philippines to be able to push it forward as well and inspire as many kids as we can, and do well in the Asian Cup, get as close to qualifying, if not qualified to a World Cup.'
There's enough shine to Sandro's star, however, that it will not be on him alone. He's more than happy to share.
'After football, I don't think I can leave football,' he said.
'I really decided when I was maybe six, seven years old that I will be a football coach. So I will definitely be in football until my grave. It's all I've known since I was a kid. It's all that I will ever want to do until as long as I'm alive.'
Just like a star and its bright light that reaches across the far ends of the universe, Sandro plans to be around a long time — and he has all the energy in the world to make it happen.
Philippine football, meet your Starboy.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


GMA Network
3 days ago
- GMA Network
This Filipino skills trainer helped Kevin Quiambao land a spot in a private scrimmage in US
What started only as a personal trip to the United States for Patrick Tancioco turned into a chance to help rising basketball star Kevin Quiambao chase his NBA dream. Quiambao was in the US in July, with training sessions in Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Last week, he was also part of a private scrimmage hosted by Excel Sports Management, which was attended by scouts and front office personnel of several NBA teams. READ MORE | Kevin Quiambao talks about his NBA dream and recent US training Tancioco, who founded Better Basketball and trains top collegiate and professional players, traveled to the US to meet up with his mentor, NBA skills coach Drew Hanlen, and help run sessions with NBA players at the NBA Pro Day in Las Vegas. Upon learning that Quiambao was in the same country, Tancioco decided to lend the Pinoy baller a hand and connected him with Tim Edwards of Excel, leading to Quiambao's participation in the workout. "'Yun talaga ang pinunta ko dito, hindi si KQ. Na-tiyempo lang na nandito siya at kailangan niya ng tulong pero ako ang purpose ko dito ay i-meet si Drew Hanlen, 'yung mentor ko," Tancioco told GMA News Online in an interview last week. "So meron akong friend na agent, five years ko na siyang kaibigan, si Tim Edwards. Nag-fall through 'yung ibang plano ni KQ dito so minessage ko si Tim." [That's what I came here for, not KQ. It just so happened that he was here and he needed some help but my purpose was to meet my mentor Drew Hanlen… I have a friend who's also an agent, he's been my friend for five years, Tim Edwards. KQ's other plans fell through so I messaged Tim.] Quiambao is no stranger to Edwards. Tancioco shared that five years ago, he sent Edwards video featuring then-rising stars Carl Tamayo and Aldous Torculas—back when they were still playing for NU Nazareth School and UP Integrated School, respectively. The goal was to ask if either had the potential to make it to US NCAA Division I. "But surprisingly ang napansin niya doon sa video ay si Kevin Quiambao. Nu'ng pinaalala ko kay Tim, sabi niya sakto kasi 'yung agency niya, which is Excel Agency, merong private runs,' Tancioco shared. [Surprisingly, Kevin Quiambao was the one he noticed. When I reminded Tim, he said, it was fortunate because his agency, Excel Agency, was doing private runs.] The 24-year-old Quiambao, for his part, spoke about the work he's put in while he was in the US. "Tutuloy-tuloy lang. Siyempre for the love of the game, and then para sa country natin kasi I'm trying to aim na maging first Filipino full-blooded na makapasok sa NBA," Quiambao told GMA Integrated News' Martin Javier. "Nothing is impossible naman." [I just keep going. Of course, for the love of the game and for the country also because I'm trying to aim to become the first Filipino full-blooded player to make it to the NBA... Nothing is impossible.] —with reporting from Martin Javier/JMB, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
3 days ago
- GMA Network
Barrios fight ‘mission accomplished' for Manny Pacquiao despite draw, says analyst
Though the fight between Manny Pacquiao and WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios ended in a majority draw, it's still mission accomplished for the Filipino boxing legend, according to veteran boxing analyst Atty. Ed Tolentino. Pacquiao, 46, showed flashes of his younger self against Barrios, showcasing his trademark speed and combinations. Despite his efforts, however, Barrios retained the belt when two of the judges scored the fight 114-114 after twelve rounds of action. The third judge had it 115-113 for Barrios. "I had it 115-113 on my scorecard. Manny Pacquiao should have won this fight. That is what I think, and so do many experts and fans. I thought Barrios respected too much and was hesitant because he was getting hit," Tolentino said in an episode of Sparring Sessions LIVE. "Pacquiao was impressive for a 46-year-old. For a 46-year-old to go twelve hard rounds with a fighter who is only 30 years old, to me, it is already mission accomplished. It hurts to think that he did not get the decision. I do not understand what the judges saw or it did not see in this fight." Tolentino added that the fight was close and, in reality, could have gone either way. Yet for Tolentino, if someone deserved the nod, it had to be Pacquiao for pressing the action throughout the contest. "It was Manny Pacquiao who really wanted to win the fight not Mario Barrios. I thought even though Pacquiao was handicapped at 46 and 4 years of inactivity, he was there to compete and ready to bring the fight to Mario Barrios," Tolentino stated. —JMB, GMA Integrated News


GMA Network
3 days ago
- GMA Network
Jinkee Pacquiao thanks Manny's supporters following boxing comeback: 'My heart is full'
Despite Manny Pacquiao's less than desirable results in his return to ring against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, his wife Jinkee Pacquiao is still full of gratitude. On Instagram, Jinkee shared photos of their family following the boxing match held in Las Vegas, Nevada. "My heart is full thanks to you all," Jinkee wrote. "I'm deeply grateful for all your love, prayers, and support." During the match, Jinkee donned a maroon one-shoulder sleeveless top and a red bandage miniskirt. She finished off her look with a pair of red pumps and, of course, her signature Hermès bag, this time in the design Sac Faubourg Birkin 20 set in matte alligator black hardware. At 46, Manny managed to finish a 12-round fight with Barrios, with the latter winning the match via majority draw. The Filipino boxing legend may not have won the fight, but his legion of fans worldwide still referred to him as the GOAT (Greatest of all time), including Ruffa Gutierrez. The Pacquiao-Barrios match marked the Filipino champ's boxing comeback after he announced retirement in 2021. — Hermes Joy Tunac/LA, GMA Integrated News