Former Philippines captain Rudy del Rosario dies at 51

Philippine soccer mourns the loss of Rudy Del Rosario, who passed away on Friday. He was 51 years old.

Del Rosario was a member of the Philippine team that finished fourth at the XVI Southeast Asian Games in Manila in 1991. He was captain of the national team from 1994 to 1997 and also represented the country in the AFF Futsal Championship in 2001 .

Del Rosario was also one of the founders of Kaya Futbol Club in 1996. The team grew over the years, becoming one of the teams in the United Football League and now, the Philippines Football League.

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He was also a valuable contributor to grassroots and community sport development through his involvement in projects such as the Homeless World Cup.

“Philippine soccer lost one of its legends in Rudy Del Rosario,” said the Philippine Soccer Federation. [PFF} president Mariano Araneta, who played with Del Rosario during their heyday.

“Rudy was not only one of the founders and pillars of Kaya FC, he was a staunch advocate for football across the Philippines,” said Kaya FC in a statement on its Facebook page.