Yesterday, Grace, Jay and I met up for a press conference at the Dusit Hotel to meet the Azkals’ Angel Aldeguer Guirado.
Guirado, a Spanish–Filipino professional footballer who plays midfielder, formerly for Spanish club CD Ronda, and currently for the Philippines national team, officially signed a representation deal with PR Asia Worldwide.
Photo: Magic Liwanag
Guirado recently delivered a breathtaking goal to boost the Azkals’ home game against Sri Lanka in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Now he is all eyes on getting the best endorsement deals and other commercial projects through PR Asia’s help.
Apart from commercial success, Guirado hopes his newfound ‘alliance’ with PR Asia will lead into the blossoming of his international career in football.
“For now, he is looking to play outside the Philippines but of course, he would also want to go where there is an opportunity for him,” said Rafa Garcia, his translator. “Also, he wanted to play outside Spain.”
As of the moment, however, the 26 year-old Guirado affirmed that playing for the Philippines is what matters more.
“He chose to play here for the national team since this is an opportunity for him to play for his motherland,” Garcia said.
Guirado is one of the more dutiful Filipino players who have recently made football big in the country.
But before becoming one, he was just an average kid so passionate about football like the rest of his countrymen in Spain.
As a four-year-old, Guirado started hitting the pitch with his older brother in his hometown Malaga.
At five, he started playing against boys older and bigger than him.
“During his younger years, before bed, he would put his long socks already and place his football shoes beside him so that ready na when he wakes up,” Guirado’s Filipina mother, Angela, recalls of his son.
Grace Velasco interviews Angel Guirado through interpreter Rafa Garcia.
Guirado then took his interest football a little notch higher by playing for his school, San Estanislao de Kostka, up until high school.
After attending Instituto Mediterraneo for two years, and Safa Icet for another, Guirado then commenced his exciting career in football.
He played in different clubs in Spain until he decided to play for the Philippine national team early 2011.
Guirado instantly made an impression in his first Azkals appearance. In the team’s clash against Myanmar in the Asian Football Condeferation Challenge Cup qualifiers held early this year, he scored his first international goal to settle the match to a draw. Guirado then contributed two goals in their winning game against Bangladesh.
The 6’3″ footballer has since been getting acclaims for his stunning performance, which was accomplished over his yet so brief stay in the team.
Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.