It’s been a great run for the Azkals

Captains David Beckham of LA Galaxy and Chieffy Caligdong of the Philippine Azkals shake hands before their game at the Rizal Stadium in Manila Saturday, Dec. 2, 2011. RAFFY LERMA/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — David Beckham may be the star attraction, but the match between the Philippine Azkals and the Los Angeles Galaxy completes a fairytale for the Azkals that took a miraculous twist exactly a year ago in Vietnam.

Majority of the players in the squad have gone through tough times—they sometimes had to struggle to make it to tournaments because of lack of funds. And as much as the match has been centered on Beckham’s star power, it also speaks alot of the Azkals rise to prominence.

“It’s an absolute fairytale, the things we have gone through the past year,” Fil-British Azkals standout Rob Gier told the Inquirer during the team lunch at the Manila Hotel Saturday.

“This is just the cherry on top of the icing. It’s the best way to end the year.”

Beckham and the Galaxy were to face the Azkals last night at the Rizal Memorial Stadium with the historic facility that can seat 12,800 people for the match expected to be 80 percent full.

While the Galaxy spent the morning at Casa Herbalife, an orphanage in Alabang, the Azkals were still trying to come to grips with the feeling of playing a high-profile team like the Galaxy.

“It’s not just about the Galaxy. We have earned this. Its about what we have done the past year. Its about the hardwork and people believing in us,” added Gier.

Fil-British player Chris Greatwich and Anton del Rosario, who have been with the team since 2004, said playing against the Galaxy takes more meaning each time they recall their first few years with the Azkals.

“The first time I came over to play we almost did not make a tournament in Thailand because we were told that it would save some money if we don’t compete and travel abroad,” Del Rosario, who grew up in the United States said.

“We were always worried about support then, but now we have taken it to a different level.”

Ian Araneta, one of the more prominent homegrown players in the team, counts the Galaxy experience as the highlight to a career that started when he was part of the national team that absorbed a 1-13 beating to Indonesia in 2002.

“This is a big influence on the kids and has a big impact on the sport,” said Araneta. “We are merely rekindling our love affair with football.”

Greatwich said it’s been a very strange ride “where we come from when there’s no facility, no media interest and almost no public interest.”

Greatwich’s two goals proved instrumental that boosted the Azkals to a historic run to the semifinals of the Suzuki Cup – the tournament that thrust the Azkals to stardom.

“Even until last year no one really knew who we were so I think its just a great showpiece event for the Philippines to have,” said Greatwich. “It is an amazing event considering where we were 12 months ago. we never would have imagined we could attract a team of this caliber.”

Greatwich added:  “Its important for me to see how we were a year ago. Its good for fans to know how things have changed to keep everything in perspective.”

Del Rosario said the Galaxy game could open doors for the country to host more matches against high profile clubs.

‘‘There is always a chance because people believe in us now and that’s what we didn’t have before, he added.