Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
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The Philippines has a population of about 100 million, but when it comes to football, the country relies on imports. 20 (out of 24) players in the current squad were born outside the country, with parents among the 10 million Filipinos living abroad.
The offspring of these expats have helped the team, featuring six German-born players, reach their first ever AFC Asian Cup. But they have also sparked controversy, with a rival coach recently referring to them as “half-blood players”. So is the policy of recruiting foreign-born players a smart tactic, or a distortion of the true strength of Philippine football that limits chances for locally-raised footballers?
