Azkals stint will be 'dream come true' for Bienve Marañon
MANILA, Philippines — Finding success in Philippine club football, Spanish-born Bienve Marañon is setting his sights on a stint with the national team.
Already working toward becoming a naturalized Filipino, the all-time AFC Cup top scorer wants to represent flag and country.
"For me it's a dream come true and I hope that everything is well and I can get naturalized to Filipino," Marañon said during the recent episode of the Tiebreaker Vods' Crossover Podcast.
"For me, there's nothing better right now than [to] be a Filipino," he added.
Playing for Philippine Football League (PFL) squad Ceres Negros FC since 2015, Marañon has found a new home in the country.
"After more than five years here, I feel like I'm one of them, when I play with Ceres, I don't play as a foreigner, I feel like I play as a localafter all the years I feel very comfortable," he said.
The 34-year-old is even looking forward to remain involved in Philippine football after his retirement.
But before that, Marañon believes playing for the Philippine Azkals is one more thing he'd like to tick off his bucket list before hanging up his boots for good.
"I want to get this one [naturalization] for me... because for me I think if I can play and have the experience even to train with [the] Azkals, for me I can already die quiet [sic]," he said.
"It's true because to play with a national team that I feel like one of them, there's nothing compared to that one," he added.
Marañon's club is set to undergo a management change following Ceres' financial losses amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
With Philippine football set to return sooner than later with the green light from health officials, Marañon and his squad will be back on the pitch in the near future.
As for the Azkals, the national booters' bids for qualification to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup will resume in October.
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