Filipinas’ World Cup dream cut short, but Sarina Bolden’s message inspires football fans

Sarina Bolden of the Filipinas at FIFA Women’s World Cup/Photo from B/R Football Twitter

Filipinos are some of the happiest in Asia, so despite watching our beloved ‘Filipinas’ come up short in the FIFA Women’s World Cup on July 30, Sunday, we’ll surely be back—harder, better, stronger, faster (to quote Daft Punk, no less).

With the weight of the entire nation resting on their shoulders, the skillful Filipinas never failed to show us their unrelenting spirit and passion for the sport.

The team’s World Cup debut all started with the dream of competing against the world’s best on the global stage. On Jan. 31, 2022, the Filipinas began weaving this aspiration when they won over Chinese Taipei in India, setting the stage for their World Cup hopes.

And at the heart of this inspiring journey is Filipino-American striker Sarina Bolden, who opened the World Cup door for the team when they faced formidable opponents and hometown favorites New Zealand.

The first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup goal for Philippines will forever belong to Sarina Bolden 👏🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/4Xv9ReLevp

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 25, 2023

After an opening-round loss to Switzerland, 2-0, the Filipinas recovered in impressive fashion and tasted their first-ever World Cup victory over New Zealand after Bolden scored the winning goal and forever etched her name in World Cup history.

The Filipinas’ fairytale run ended when they were trounced, 6-0, by former World Cup champions Norway. Bolden herself was in awe of their strength and achievements, but despite this, her resilience and optimism remain.

“I’d just say that if you have a dream, go after it. Work your hardest. There’s gonna be downs, but if you truly want to achieve your dream, go for it.”

You may also like: Besides being a World Cup star, Sarina Bolden is a relatable Zillennial

Filipinas fans spreading love and pride

Let’s say it again: Football is not just about wins and losses but also about inspiring a nation. The Filipinas may have not achieved the ultimate glory, but social media went abuzz with full support and gratitude, thanking the team for representing the Philippines on the world stage.

In the middle of the applause, Twitter user @jinnorufino resonates with the sentiments of many Filipinos, saying, “Maraming Salamat Filipinas! You made the country proud. Keep your heads up high. You made history…”

Maraming Salamat Filipinas! You made the country proud. Keep your heads up high. You made history. Keep the momentum and I truly hope, this will spark more interest in futbol in the Philippines, that would be the ultimate win. This is just the beginning!#LabanFilipinas #herstory pic.twitter.com/15vpnfY64x

— Jinno Rufino (@JinnoRufino) July 30, 2023

Another user, @llongboan, tweeted, “Thank you, Filipinas, for showing the strength of the diaspora in sports and for rekindling our national pride at a challenging time in our history.”

The Philippines have won at many levels in our first World Cup. Thank you, #Filipinas, for bringing us to the World Cup, for showing the strength of the diaspora in sports & for rekindling our national pride at a challenging time in our history. #MabuhayFilipinas #LabanFilipinas https://t.co/pMmJbQKExk

— Liezel Longboan (@llongboan) July 30, 2023

While @amtcfc was in patriotic mode tweeting a photo of a banner during the PH-Norway game, “Thank you Filipinas for making us dream.”

this photo is EVERYTHING.

thank you @PilipinasWNFT 🇵🇭🫶🏼#PHI #FIFAWWC #LabanFilipinas #AbanteBabae pic.twitter.com/XIb5uNvyfS

— amiel 🇵🇭 (@amtcfc) July 30, 2023

Another user, @magellofenis, tweeted, “Definitely not the best result we expected, but we made it to the World Cup, and this is just the first of many to come.”

Definitely not the best result we expected but we made it to the World Cup (imagine that!) and this is just the first of many to come. Despite these grueling times, the ladies have made us proud to be Filipinos once again. Thank you so much @PilipinasWNFT #PHI #LabanFilipinas

— Magello #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@magellofenis) July 30, 2023

The outpour of support is heartwarming and shows Filipinos aren’t one to back down. With love and gratitude, see you again in 2027, ladies!