Daily Guardian – There are moments in sports when a win is…

There are moments in sports when a win is more than a number on a board — it becomes a quiet rebellion. That’s what the recent victories of our men’s and women’s football teams in the 2025 SEA Games felt like. Beating defending champions didn’t just shock pundits; it made many of us sit straighter and whisper the phrase we’ve whispered too often when Filipinos succeed against the odds — “Pwede pala.” These wins weren’t accidents born out of lucky kicks. They came from kids who learned the game barefoot, from parents who tucked muddy cleats in plastic bags, from small communities where dreams are louder than megaphones and politicians’ tarps. It came from faith — not the type that waits, but the type that builds, sweats, and hopes. That is why these wins must be seen as more than medals. They are reminders that football deserves serious and sustained investment, the same way we proudly support basketball and volleyball — and even the non-mainstream sports where we have a global fighting chance such as boxing, weightlifting, athletics, gymnastics, and even chess, where height is not a limitation and strategy, endurance, and heart bridge the gap talent alone cannot.