Tahnai Annis will go down in history as the first-ever Philippine captain to lift a trophy in any ASEAN Football Federation competition.
The 33-year-old midfielder, whose set-piece deliveries have excited fans because of their pinpoint accuracy, successfully led the Philippine Women’s National Football Team to the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship crown in impressive fashion.
She scored three goals, most notably the penalty against Vietnam which set the Filipinas on their way towards a 4-0 upset in the final four, and provided multiple assists.
“Really, it’s just an honor. I’m so happy to be able to do that, and I wouldn’t be able to do that without my teammates and everyone behind us,” said the University of Florida alumna.
“So, you know, I’m humbled by the experience, and just so happy for the team, and happy for our country.”
Annis has been part of the Filipinas program since the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
In the past few months, the Ohio native has captained the Filipinas to unparalleled heights which include the semifinals of the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the bronze medal finish in the 31st Southeast Asian Games.
Now, though, she and her teammates have a trophy they can carry around that states they are now the queens of ASEAN football.
“It’s just pure happiness,” said Annis. “We’re just so happy [playing] for our country, and at home, and it couldn’t be happier to win this championship, the first one ever; and we’re just so proud of everyone, and so happy that we could do it at home.
“I think we’ll enjoy ourselves for the most part right now, and then you know, in a few weeks it’s back to work. We can only keep building from this, we’ve set the standard now, we’ve set the bar, and we just have to keep raising it in preparation for next year.”
Aside from defending national pride on home soil and creating history, if there is one thing that the Annis and the rest of the Filipinas successfully did, it was revitalizing Philippine football, which has stagnated since the peak of the Azkals in the past decade.
Over 8,000 fans watched the game live in Rizal Memorial while thousands more streamed it online through various means.
The Filipinas are almost single-handedly driving the sport’s momentum this year. Hopefully, it can last a lifetime.
“Hopefully, it just gets everyone excited about football, and not just women’s football, but football in general across the whole country, and I just hope it keeps flourishing as the time goes on.”
