The Republic’s Under-16 Girls team have been drawn against two of the region’s most accomplished women’s football nations at the 2025 ASEAN Under-16 Women’s Championship (23-25 August).
Although they will be up against two past champions, Singapore Head Coach Matias Martinez remained confident that his charges can bring something to the table.
“Their willingness to learn and improve has shown that they can compete, build momentum, and take on the challenges of a higher-calibre tournament,” said Martinez, of his team that has been drawn in Group C against Thailand and Australia.
The U16 Girls ASEAN Championship will be hosted at the Sriwedari Stadium in Surakarta, Indonesia, and with the Singapore team coming off a two-week centralised training camp, Martinez is coming to the table with quiet optimism.
The 42-year-old was part of the coaching staff when Singapore finished second – behind South Korea – at the inaugural girls’ Lion City Cup tourney earlier in the year. He had hoped to carry forward a core group of players from that competition, but remained positive despite some players missing out due to school commitments.
“Training has been very positive so far, and the team has been putting in strong, consistent work. This is a great opportunity for younger players to gain experience competing in a high-performance tournament,” said Martinez.
Perhaps one source of Martinez’s optimism is familiarity.
He has three years of experience coaching national youth girls’ teams in New South Wales, with several players from those teams now members of the Australia squad heading to Indonesia..
“Apart from the tactical and technical preparation I expect from our opponents, especially Australia, mental readiness and resilience are vital. We’ve been putting our players through difficult scenarios so they are fully prepared to find solutions in different moments of the game,” he explained.
Team captain, Celine Koh, has embraced Martinez’s approach.
“Coach Matias always emphasises being aggressive and not being afraid to challenge opponents, even when they are physical. Initially, the team was hesitant about committing fouls, but under him, we are gaining confidence to do so,” she said.
Celine likened the lessons to her experience at the Lion City Cup, particularly the team’s solitary defeat, the heavy 9-0 loss to South Korea.
“I know the games against Australia and Thailand will be tough because they are more technical than we are. But looking back at what we learnt from South Korea, we understand what it takes to play against teams with that calibre,” said the 15-year-old.
“My aim is to play the football we’ve trained for, stay resilient, and push through no matter the scoreline.”
Looking ahead, Martinez sees this tournament as a valuable stepping stone for his players and an opportunity for Singaporeans to witness their growth in a regional competition.
“It is a privilege and an honour for these players to represent Singapore. This opportunity carries great responsibility, and I know they do not take it lightly,” he said.
“Our aim is to demonstrate that we can apply everything we’ve been working on in training to the challenges of a regional tournament,” added Martinez.
“Above all, I want Singapore to see a team with character – resilient, able to keep their heads up – and capable of delivering strong performances, whatever the scoreline.”
