Know Your Azkals: The Double Life of Aly Borromeo

Aly Borromeo is a man you wouldn’t want to mess with on the field. The moment he gets the ball, you have more or less zero chance of stealing it. It may not also be a great feeling being tackled by a 6’1" 190-pound bruiser. 

Off the pitch, he’s an entirely different person – a shy, mellow, chocolate-loving Aly. He even has a hard time saying no to people, for goodness’ sake. 

I know it’s difficult to imagine, especially if you’ve seen him with his game face on. 

Don’t piss Aly off

His teammates agree that Aly is one of the most aggressive players among the Azkals. Simon Greatwich even says that he’s already gotten quite a few bruises from Aly. 

“I always want the ball and take command. I get pissed if you don’t give it to me. I mean, I know my skills, and I’m asking for it because I know I can do something for the team. And I also don’t like seeing the opponent with the ball," he says. 

It was worse when he was younger, what with his raging hormones. 

“There was a rumble between Kaya and Air Force about ten years ago. I was still a kid back then and I got a few blows in. That was really funny," the 27-year-old laughs at the memory. 

He’s more composed and calculated now. Aside from the red card he got in Maldives two years ago, Aly hasn’t been involved in any major scuffle. Usually, he’s even the mediator trying to calm things down. 

“O, ikaw na captain"

Aly has suited up for the U-19 team, La Salle Greenhills, De La Salle University, Skyline College, Kaya FC and Global Smartmatic. He has played in all positions and was actually a goalkeeper until second year high school. Nothing’s prepared him though for his accidental “bump" to captaincy in 2004. 

“It’s kind of a funny story. The captain back then, Bagets Piñero, and I both went up for a corner kick to head the ball out. I accidentally broke his nose. I broke my own teammate’s nose," he retells in disbelief.

“So he gave me the armband right there and said, ‘O, ikaw na captain.’" 

Aly says he’s not a strict captain as long as you give your 110 percent. Errors are acceptable only for a first time. 

“On the second time, I’m probably gonna shout at them. They’re gonna get scolded. I get pissed off with slight errors where they do things without thinking, and when they try to force things," he adds. 


From cubbyholes to celebrity status

When I asked Aly about his worst experience with the Azkals, he honestly replied, “Where do I start?" They were named Azkals because they never had any support in the first place. Strays, literally.

“In previous tournaments, we would sleep in facilities that had no cushions and smelled like piss. One time, in Iloilo, we stayed in the middle of nowhere. It was really bad," he says.

Their fortune changed when they beat highly-favored Vietnam in the Suzuki Cup last year. The fame, the fans and the funds started pouring in.

“I’ve cried several times in games but this is different. On the 80th minute, the scoreboard said 2-0. I looked at Anton and we were both like, ‘Are you serious?’ After the game, I just hugged them all," he shares.

With their newfound success, the Azkals have been busy holding mall tours and endorsing different brands. The fan frenzy peaked in Bacolod.

“When we were in Bacolod, we had to use the backdoor to get out of the hotel. I literally had to sprint to get to the bus. We don’t even have time to be ourselves anymore. The fanaticism is crazy but it’s good for the sport. We’ve been waiting so long for this," Aly says.

A mellow Aly?

Aly says he’s very approachable and not aggressive at all when he’s not playing – the exact opposite of the number 11 we see on the field.

“I can’t even get mad at the help. And I have trouble saying no to people. That’s how bad it gets," he sighs (I’m surprised girls don’t take advantage of this “yes-man" attitude).

If he’s not busy playing football, this Filipino-American-Spanish is busy with his Play Station 3 or with the family business. Aside from those, chocolates and the gym are on top of his priority list.

“Honestly, if I have nothing to do, I’ll just be in the gym," he admits.

How else do you think he maintains that six-pack? So, frankly, we don’t mind if you spend hours in the gym, Aly. -- KY/OMG, GMA News


credits from GMANews.tv


I totally agree! Aly has the best six packs amongst the Azkals! I really can't forget that time when I was watching their practice game when I had the chance to see those 6 pack abs! I almost died!


What? Aly loves chocolates? With those abs? Hmm... that's nice info.

Derek Ramsay for Belo Men

Tunay na Lalake Ka Ba?

Derek Ramsay is asking you if you are a "Real Man".

He is the endorser of my Godmother Vicky Belo's Belo Men.

There is a Facebook app that you can go to so you can prove that you're a real man and win prizes! Cool!

And bros, we also have a chance to meet the gorgeous and hunky Derek Ramsay himself! Isn't that nice? Too bad I missed it. Was there an autograph-signing for real men with him? I wonder.

You also have to watch one of his ads for Belo Men, where he takes his clothes off for Real Men. What a strategy to sell a product! I'll certainly run to the stores now and grab my Belo Men too!

Catch Belo Men on Facebook.

Check out Belo Men's Official site here.

Sneak Peek: Metro Mag's Men of Summer

I stumbled upon these hot pics on Facebook! Too bad I wasn't able to checkout whose pics they were.

Above is German-Vietnamese model Benjamin Tang who is wet and delicious-looking!

Does Daniel Matsunaga ever take a bad photo? Honestly? You are impossible, Daniel!

Hideo Muraoka looks tired, though. Droopy eyes. Partying?

Fabio Ide looks so cute!!! Great job on his interaction with fans!

Think the issue is hot enough? Grab a copy now!

Famous Pinoy Celebs Who Play Football

Even before Azkals shot up to fame, lots of male celebs are already playing football.

Jake Cuenca

One thing that Jake admits to being passionate about is playing football, the sport he has loved since he was a kid. He says that playing this sport helped him lose the extra pounds he had while growing up, "If you're the fat one in football, you're always the last one to finish. I didn't want to be the struggling kid." 

Football, coupled with a supersets workout regimen that entails two different exercises done consecutively, has given the young actor maximum results in the area he is most focused on—his abdomen and lower back. He explains that strengthening his core area helped him with his role in Palos, which required a lot of fight scenes and physical stunts. "Your abs and your lower back are what keep your body together," he explains.

-from Pep.ph

Derek Ramsay

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP WITH DEREK. Because of their busy schedules, Angelica and her boyfriend Derek Ramsay hardly have any time for each other, but they make it a point to spend quality time whenever they have the chance. To make up for lost time, they go on  trips abroad.

"We're planning a trip next month to either the Maldives or Fiji," declared Derek. "I told it to her that I like Fiji. It's a beautiful place. Siya naman nag-mention sa 'kin sa Maldives. So we're picking pa lang which one to go. Dapat nga pupunta kaming Europe at the end of September. It would be my chance to show her England."

But their biggest goal is to attend next year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa. This event is organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football).

"Every four years lang yun so we have to wait for another four years. We cannot afford to miss this," stressed Derek.

He also reveals that he is a very spontaneous guy when it comes to traveling.

"I'm not even planning. I'm just planning to get there and bahala na when I get there. You know, no hotel rooms reserved. No nothing."

The Kapamilya actor says he's very lucky to have the girlfriend who understands his love for football.

"Hindi naman maarte 'to, e. Yung ano lang, baka hindi niya maintindihan yung passion ko for the game. Kasi ako talagang umiiyak, sumisigaw, nagagalit, naghuhubad. Talagang I'm a very passionate football player and a football fanatic."

In fact, Angelica has seen how Derek can be carried away when he watches a football game.

"Napanood ko 'yan dati nung manood kami ng game, meron talaga siyang flag ng England. Tapos nung matalo, umiiyak siya, umiiyak na rin ako. Kasi hindi ko alam kung paano siya iko-comfort, naiiyak na lang din ako."

-from Pep.ph

Daniel Matsunaga

If only Daniel Matsunaga has Filipino blood, he could try out for the Philippine Team Azkals and be one of the "most good-looking football players" in the world.

Daniel Matsunaga, who is Brazilian-Japanese, reveals to Manila Bulletin that he loves football and he's been playing it since he was a kid.

“I’ve played football since I was a kid. I have a lot of trophies back home. I just joined the Futsal league here, one of the biggest leagues organized by FIFA, and we recently won first place,” Daniel tells Manila Bulletin.

Read more: Daniel Matsunaga has football dreams ~ MyKiRu IsYuSeRo http://mykiru.blogspot.com/2011/02/daniel-matsunaga-has-football-dreams.html#ixzz1ETyhndp9

Fabio Ide

Well, as you can see on the picture, he's on the same team as Daniel's. ;)

You could also see on the pic Brazilian model Ademar Oliveira, that cute Mcdonald's guy from the commercial.

So who else did I miss? Gosh. Imagine, if Azkals would need other cute members, these famous guys can be substitutes!

Know your Azkals: 'Bad boy' De Jong

“To be honest, I think we are overrated," Fil-Dutch Jason De Jong says smugly. 

While the entire Philippine archipelago was celebrating the Azkals’ win against Mongolia last week, Jason now says he fully expected it. 

“Mongolia has a lower standing. I’m happy we won, but it’s really nothing. We should celebrate if we beat countries ranked higher than us," he adds. 

This assertive attitude coupled with intimidating looks has earned Jason the rep of "Bad Boy" among the Azkals. And it’s not just a reputation — he lives up to it when he does the dirt on defense. 

“I am very physical. I play defense, and I like to tackle and go hard," he says. 

It’s pretty hard to imagine six-year-old Jason playing that intensely when he started out with a local football club in the Netherlands. Since then, he’s played in different teams such as Belgium Turnhout and NAC Breda, a premier league club in Holland. Thank God for the Internet, the Philippine Football Federation discovered his Filipino lineage and put him in the Azkals team. 

Like his teammates, the peak of his international career was beating Vietnam 2-0 in their hometown. He was in such high spirits that he even kissed Phil Younghusband. 

“You saw that?!" he asks. Apparently, he hasn’t seen the animated photos (GIFs) of him kissing Phil posted all over the Internet. 

“Yeah, I asked Phil for a kiss," he laughs. “I was so happy. After his goal, I knew we’d win. I knew we’d qualify for the semis." 

Mind you, Jason has been well-behaved during his entire stint as an Azkal. He’s never been handed a red card. He’s only been suspended once, and that was due to two yellow cards in Laos. But he has gotten into fights with other players because of how he plays. 

“As I said, I like playing physical, and I sometimes get into fights if the other player can’t take it. But if you can’t handle a tackle, then I say you’re in the wrong sport," he says as a matter of fact. 

Yup. There goes the bluntness again. 

Inked

Football is Jason’s first love; his second would probably be tattoos. He has tattoos on his back and on both arms. His left arm has images of everything important to him — religious symbols, the Philippine map, and his younger brother’s name. On his right forearm, there’s a text that reads “Habang Buhay Sama Tayo." 

“I know the grammar’s wrong, but I like how the words look together. It’s for my bunso, my dad and me. My mom left us, so it’s just the three of us now. It’s our bond forever," he says while looking at his newly inked left arm. “It’s like they’re always with me when I play, to take care of me and protect me."

He got these tattoos to show another side of himself, as people often see just the snobbish Jason. He even calls his younger brother “bunso." Aww.

Almost legal

Jason is celebrating his 21st birthday on February 28. It’s kind of bittersweet because he’s spending it away from family for the first time.

“It’s a special birthday because 21 means I’m fully grown up. I’m already legal in Holland, but this time I’m gonna be legal everywhere. I’m gonna go to Vegas and actually do things," he kids.

Vegas, you have been warned.

“I guess I don’t do anything not related to football"

Jason can’t help but be noticed whenever he goes out now — the foreign looks are already a giveaway. But he’d pick a private life any day. Last Valentine's Day, he was home alone, playing FIFA 11 and watching football.

“I guess I don’t do anything not related to football," he realizes. But then he thinks again and remembers the one non-football-related thing he loves — the TV show “The Inbetweeners."

“Coach Simon used to live with us here. One night he said, ‘Come here, De Jong! I have something to show you from my hometown.’ It was so funny. We stayed up all night watching it together," he recalls.

See? Jason actually has a “fluffy" side, so don’t be intimidated by him.

“I’m only serious when we have a game. I hope the fans understand that we have to focus. But if it’s not game day, I can smile. Look, I’m smiling now!" he says, and flashes a big smile. De Jong with a smile and De Jong with his game face on could honestly pass for two different people.

In any case, the tough-guy image is here to stay. We’re going to want that anyway, especially when they beat the hell out of Mongolia next month. KY/OMG, GMA News


credits: GMANews.tv

Know Your Azkals: Neil Etheridge in Love

I was wanting to do a feature on all the Azkals team players so that we can get to know them better. But lack of time is the greatest challenge of all. But hey, Thanks to GMA!

***

A lot of people love Neil Etheridge. The built, the face, the brawn, the athleticism – what’s not to like? Since it’s Valentine’s Day, let’s flip the coin and find out what Neil loves.

Neil loves football

Obviously. Neil has been playing football since he started walking. Born in Anfield, he has played for England’s U-16 team. He started out in Chelsea Academy before getting scouted. At 15, he moved to Fulham where he was recently elevated to the first team. As prestigious as it is to play in the English Premier League, Neil says it’s also a wonderful if different experience playing for the Azkals.

“First of all, the style is very different – the heat, the knowledge, the media. Plus when I’m playing with the Azkals, you have the attention of the whole country. And I get to start every game," he says.

And is there anything he doesn’t like about football?

“I never regret anything. But if I have a worst experience, it would have to be that first goal in Indonesia. I let that one go in. You just have to learn from it and move on."

Neil loves his teammates

You’ve probably heard of the bromance going on between him and Simon Greatwich, but Neil’s actually close friends with all the Azkals. He’s even got his own cast of “Entourage" in the team – he’s Vince, Simon is E, Jason Sabio is Drama, while the role of Turtle is still up for grabs.

Okay, so maybe he’s a teeny bit closer to Simon since they roomed together in Cambodia and in Bacolod.

“Their room is a garbage bin!" teammate Rob Gier shares. The rest of the team agree.

Oh and Simon is now his unofficial manager. So if you want Neil for anything, suck up to Simon.

Neil loves shopping

Unlike majority of men who dread shopping, Neil claims that he is a “massive shopper." Just before he left for the UK, he even went on a shopping spree at Nike.

“My style is very simple. I like fitted shirts. And I always wear black or white," he says.

He loves fashion so much that he can’t pinpoint a single clothing item he can’t live without. Rob suggests gloves, while Simon says Neil doesn’t have one because he likes being naked. After much thought and other “helpful" ideas from the team, Neil says it’s black shirts.

“I have about six black shirts. They’re my favorites. And I also can’t live without my watch," he says.

Neil loves his fans

His supporters are among the craziest ones so far. In Bacolod, fans climbed balconies just to see him in his room. As creepy as it sounds, Neil doesn’t mind.

“The attention is just great. It makes us feel very welcome," he says. 

And this isn’t just some showbiz answer. Neil says that among the places he’s been to, his favorite would have to be Manila.

“I seriously love Manila. It has this friendly atmosphere. There are so many things to do and it’s very affordable," he adds. 

Neil loves Twitter

If you’re not yet following @Neil38Etheridge, why not?

Neil got Twitter after much prodding from the Greatwiches (and the fans actually). He immediately got thousands of followers, most of which are female Azkal fans. Although he wasn’t very keen on it at first, he’s fallen in love with it so much that he even bought a laptop so he can reply to the fans’ tweets faster!

Neil loves girls

Right now, hundreds of girls claim to be the future Mrs. Etheridge. But if you want to be the one, then listen up.

“What catches my eye is all the things other guys want. But to get a second date, you have to be interesting. Not laying all your cards at once, not too superficial – just be yourself. It’s basically me enjoying myself with you," he says.

Would he date a fan? Yes. Would he date someone who wasn’t into football? Surprisingly, it’s another yes.

He says the sweetest thing he’s ever done for a girl is taking her out on a river cruise, with matching candlelit dinner on the boat. (Rob reacts again and says, “Don’t believe him! He’s just seen that in a movie!")

Valentine’s Day is almost here so it was necessary to ask him about his plans. He’s spending it with his first love – football – as Fulham has a match against Chelsea. After that, he’s probably having dinner out with his family.

So what exactly is his status?

“I’m single. Single but always dating," he ends with a smile. -- KY/OMG, GMA News


credits: GMANews.tv

Chris Cayzer's Dream

Super Cutie Chris Cayzer launches his new song entitled "Dream".

The music video is really nice and his song is very international! Love it!



Follow Chris' tweets here.

Gerald Anderson Shirtless!

With the sudden popularity of football in the Philippines, here comes Gerald with a sizzling picture, shirtless of course, holding his football with all his might.

I am waiting for other celebs to post their yummy football pics too!

Happy Birthday to Mr. Valentine Marc Nelson!!!

Ultimate hunk Marc Nelson spends his birthday on Vday? Belated Happy Birthday Marc!!!

Bench Return To Temptation BTS

I can totally relate to Bench's theme for Summer since I just came back from Paradise - Boracayyy!!!

There was a lot of temptation on that island, I tell you.

Ok enough about me. I am loving this BTS video from Bench for their Summer Campaign.

Thank you Bench for that 23 minute video! It shows how much you love your fans! Keep up the good work!

Azkals' Anton Del Rosario for AlterSpace

Anton Del Rosario is inviting everyone to help save the environment by using a Facebook game.

First Look at Folded and Hung's Summer 2011 Campaign

Uber Hot Hunk Sam Milby sizzles on the Summer 2011 campaign of Folded and Hung. More Pics to come!

Mr. Gay World To Be Held in The Philippines!

One reason to book your flights and head on to the Wonderful Philippines!

More Bench Return to Temptation Pics