Veteran Amani Aguinaldo will lead a 40-man pool being prepared for selection as the Philippine national men’s football team gets ready for the ASEAN Football Federation-Mitsubishi Electric Cup Championships in late December.
The 29-year-old Aguinaldo has been with the national team since 2013, when he played for the under-19 squad.
Philippine Football Federation’s national training director Freddy Gonzalez noted Aguinaldo’ presence in the roster, now being studied by national coach Albert Capellas.
“It’s amazing that Amani has been around this long. He has the experience,” said Gonzalez.
Aguinaldo last saw action for Team Philippines when it beat Tajikistan, 3-0, for third place in the King’s Cup in the province of Songkhla last October.
He was also around during the launch of the team’s new uniforms late Tuesday afternoon in a presentation, led by PFF officials and Puma Philippines at the Bootcamp Store in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
The Philippines will play Myanmar on Dec. 12, Laos on Dec.15 and Vietnam on Dec. 17 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, before taking on Indonesia on Dec. 21 at the Manahan Stadium in Indonesia.
The uniforms that will be used look like what the national booters wore in the late nineties and back in 2014.
The styles will make a comeback during the matches as a tribute to the Philippines’ first participation in the tournament in 1998, then known as the AFF Tiger Cup.
There’s another set known as the white kits, to be worn in road or away matches. These ones will also have a throwback feel, having similarities with the ones in 2014.
