On May 27, 2023, surprising news came out of the soccer world: according to veteran soccer journalist Chill, a special request from the Philippine national soccer team was politely rejected by Qatar.
Chill further disclosed on his social media that only 13 players are currently present in the Philippine team's training session that was scheduled to start in Doha last Sunday night. Notably, the most influential player in the squad, English Championship Birmingham goalkeeper Etheridge, is not expected to arrive in Doha until after the wedding due to wedding preparations. Nonetheless, the Philippine team also welcomed a new face - naturalized center back Justin Bass, who just joined top domestic giants Union City FC. However, naturalized midfielder Strauss, who plays for German Bundesliga side Aue, suffered an unfortunate but not serious injury. The Philippine team remains committed to assembling a full 25-man squad as soon as possible, with a view to completing the final buildup and preparations in Doha.
