AZKALS, the Philippine national football team, will see the return of professional footballer Gerrit Holtmann as his name emerged in the call-up list for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Holtmann, a midfielder with German ancestry, has secured his spot in the 24-player roster selected by AZKALS for the upcoming friendly matches against Chinese Taipei on September 8.
Holtmann's anticipated comeback to the Philippine team will mark his first representation for the country since the final qualifying round for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
As the currently player for the Turkish club Antalyaspor, this would be a significant step for him.
The Philippine national football team will also face Kaohsiung and Afghanistan on September 12, and these matches will take place in Manila.
Holtmann will be accompanied by experienced players such as Neil Etheridge, Patrick Deyto, and Kevin Ray Mendoza, who will complete the starting goalkeeper lineup.
Among the 24-player roster are Jesse Curran, Daisuke Sato, Michael Kempter, Santiago Rublico, Christian Rontini, Amani Aguinaldo, Carli del Murga, Joshua Grommen, and Enrique Linares. They are expected to fortify the team's backline.
In the midfield selection, key players include John Patrick Strauss, Kevin Ingreso, Dylan de Bruycker, Bienvenido Marañón, and Jen Sebastian Rasmussen.
Under the guidance of AZKALS coach Michael Weiss, the friendly matches will serve as crucial preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.
The AZKALS last played in June, securing a 1-0 victory against Nepal before facing a defeat at the hands of Chinese Taipei with a score of 3-2.
