OPINION | The World Cup is a pipe dream By Oscar P. Lagman, Jr. READ:
After witnessing small countries like Croatia and Morocco perform wonders in the last World Cup, overcoming at some stages of the competition such world champions as Germany, Brazil and Spain, my hopes have been raised. Given more support from the Government and the business sector, the Philippine national men’s football team should aspire to qualify for the World Cup, if not in 2026, at least in 2030,” wrote Bernardo Villegas, the eminent economist and Harvard PhD, on this page last Wednesday.
That did not inspire Filipino children with passion for football to hone their skills to be able to play in the World Cup in 2010 or the World Cup in 2014. Home grown football players are not motivated to sharpen their skills comparable to those of the Japanese and Koreans, who represented the Asia-Pacific region in Qatar. They know they will not find fame and fortune in Philippine football.
Athletic Filipino boys are driven toward basketball where they can gain glory and money. College dropouts get a guaranteed pay of P200,000 a month in their first year in the Philippine Basketball Association . The average salary of Filipino football players in the professional leagues — United Football League , Philippine Football League is P336,241 a year, according to the Economic Research Institute.
Both the NCAA and UAAP resumed their sport programs after World War II, but the NCAA dropped baseball. While all schools fully supported their basketball and football teams, basketball games drew bigger crowds among students and the public. Canlubang Sugar Barons, Ysmael Steel Admirals, UST Gold Sox FEU Tamaraws and teams from the American military bases Clark Field Red Wings, Sangley Point Bluejays and Subic Bay Renegades.
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