For the past few months, questions have lingered about star striker Sarina Bolden’s availability for the Philippine Women’s National Football Team.
The Filipinas are currently preparing to compete in the 2025 ASEAN MSIG Serenity Cup, the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, and the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Bolden, who boasts an impressive record of 31 goals in 52 appearances for the Filipinas, was a notable absentee in head coach Mark Torcaso’s recent lineups — missing both the friendly against Chinese Taipei and the Asian Cup qualifying tournament in Cambodia.
As it turns out, the reason behind her absence was far more serious than anyone had anticipated.
“On April 2nd, I fully ruptured my ACL, and to be honest, it broke me in more ways than one,” Bolden revealed in an emotional Instagram post published on Thursday.
“There’s no real way to prepare for the kind of pain that comes with an injury like this—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. When the thing that’s been your world for as long as you can remember is suddenly taken from you, it’s hard to make sense of it.”
Amid a wave of difficult emotions, Bolden shared that she underwent surgery in Australia last May and is now deep into her recovery process. She emphasized that she’s working hard not only to heal physically, but also to regain her mental and emotional strength.
The 29-year-old striker expressed heartfelt gratitude to those who have supported her through this challenging time, including her FC Como Women teammates, Dr. David Broe and his medical team, and the staff at Elite Edge Physiotherapy.
She also gave a special shoutout to her partner, Katie Middleton, for being by her side throughout the ordeal.
Rather than letting the injury define her, Bolden is embracing the challenge as motivation to return even stronger.
(C) Sarina Bolden
“And to anyone wondering, I’m not done,” she declared. “Far from it. I’ll give everything I have to this game for as long as I can. I’ve always been fueled by setbacks, and I know this will be no different. The fire’s still in me—and if anything, it’s burning a little hotter.”
She also addressed the silence that had surrounded her absence over the past few months.
“I’m sorry to those I’ve left in the dark. I just needed the space to sit with it all before I could share. And while this also marks the end of my time in Italy, I’m excited to focus on what lies ahead—starting with this recovery.”
In Bolden’s absence, the Filipinas will look to other key players such as Chandler McDaniel, Katrina Guillou, and Quinley Quezada, along with teenage standout Alexa Pino, to step up in the upcoming competitions.
It may be some time before Filipino football fans see Sarina Bolden back on the pitch, but her message was clear —she’s not going anywhere.
“Sending all my love and support to the Philippine Women’s National Team in the upcoming windows. I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way,” she said.
“In the meantime, I’m open to hobby suggestions that don’t require two working knees.”
