Azkals midfielder Sandro Reyes is still over the moon after signing with Regionalliga Bayern side SpVgg Gruther Fürth II.
On a social media post late Tuesday, the 19-year-old footballer announced he will be joining the German club after playing for Kaya FC-Iloilo for a year in the Philippines Football League.
The former FC Barcelona Escola member was thankful for the opportunity to play in Europe.
“The past couple (of) football years haven’t been the smoothest but hours of work every single day, faith in God’s will, and, of course, positivity and optimism always in between kept me going through my rough football days,” Reyes said.
“This one is for those who were beside me through it all, and for the young boys and girls in the Philippines to dream big, one big para sa bayan.”
He will be the third Filipino to join a football club in Germany since former Azkals captain Stephan Schrock, who played for SpVgg Gruther Fürth, 1899 Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Another Filipino in Gerritt Holtman is also making a name for himself after stints in Eintracht Braunschweig, SC Paderborn 07, 1.FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Bochum, his current club which is playing in the German Bundesliga.
Prior to joining the men’s national team, Reyes played in Spain for the majority of his youth.
After his stint in FC Barcelona from 2012 to 2015, he played for FC Santboia from 2015 to 2016.
He then played for Unió Esportiva Sants from 2016 to 2021 before going back to the Philippines to make his professional debut with ADT in 2021.
